What is toughened glass?
Toughened glass, also known as safety glass or tempered glass, is a type of glass that is 5 times stronger than regular glass. Toughened glass is specially treated so that when it breaks, it breaks into small, blunt pieces under pressure, making it much safer than large shards of broken regular glass.
How is toughened glass made?
To make toughened glass, regular glass is heated to a high temperature of 650°C and then rapidly cooled. It becomes tougher and up to 400% – 500% more resistant to heat and stress than regular glass as a result. The main goal of the toughening procedure is to increase the glass’s structural durability and thermal strength, which will increase its resilience and capacity to tolerate heat.
How can you tell if glass is toughened?
Once the toughened glass has been installed, it is impossible to tell the difference between toughened glass and normal glass. To identify if a glass is toughened, look for a printed kitemark code BS EN 12150 in the corners of the glass.
If there is no code, there is really no way to visually verify if the glass is toughened without removing the glass unit. If you can remove the unit, you can see if the glass edges are smooth if it’s toughened.
Can you cut toughened glass?
No, you can’t cut toughened glass after it’s been toughened as it might shatter, weaken or become unfit for use. If you want your toughened glass to be a certain cut, you’d need to do it before the toughening process because it’s more precise and easier to do. Before the toughening process, you can cut your glass to any size and shape – there aren’t any limitations.
Where should you use toughened glass?
Toughened glass is great to use in the home, in workshops and greenhouses, as well as for tabletops, shower screens, glass shelves, kitchen splashbacks, internal partition walls and balustrades.
Why should you use toughened glass instead of regular glass?
Less chance of serious injury when broken
Standard glass, often known as annealed or float glass, shatters into large, jagged shards. If someone falls into this, there is a very real danger of injury. Toughened glass helps prevent this by changing the structure of the glass so that it shatters into smaller pieces. When used in doors, low windows, or frames near doors, toughened glass is the obvious safer option.
Higher heat resistance
Tempered glass can withstand temperatures as high as 250°C and is up to five times more heat resistant than regular glass. The majority of high-rise buildings, government buildings, schools, and workplaces have toughened glass windows since doing so makes them considerably safer in the case of a fire. When using toughened glass for double glazing, you may get even better heat insulation, which can lower winter energy costs.
Higher soundproofing to keep noise levels low
Toughened glass provides twice as much soundproofing as regular glass. Because of this, every soundproofing glass has been hardened and tempered, resulting in a 60 dB decrease in noise levels. This makes it perfect for use in a studio, gym, restaurant, or theatre where soundproofing is a priority.
Increased UV protection
Tempered glass has an SPF of about 16 due to its 65% UV light absorption. The SPF of your toughened glass may be increased even further by choosing a tinted coating in bronze or grey since it blocks more UV rays.
Where can you buy toughened glass?
Buy from experienced traders so that you don’t lose out on the great benefits of toughened glass. Shoddy work can make the toughened glass weak and not fit for purpose.
To buy from a reliable trader that supplies great quality toughened glass, contact our experienced team at 020 8653 2200 or by filling out a form here. Simply let us know your exact requirements and we can supply toughened glass to you.
Our expert team have years of experience in the industry to advise and provide recommendations. Delivery is available in and around South London, including Kent, Surrey and Sussex.