Glass Toughening
Toughened or Regular Glass?
Toughened glass has many advantages over regular glass in several situations, and it may be a better alternative for you on your particular project. If you are building a shower door, glass doors or tables, glass for your stairway, or any other place within your house, you will want to use toughened glass.
Here are the main differences between toughened glass and regular glass that makes toughened glass a better choice:
Strength
The strength of toughened glass is much higher than regular glass. Toughened glass, also known as tempered glass, is a type of safety glass. It is processed through a heat treatment system of work that increases its strength.
The treatment process is usually a thermal one where the glass is “toughened”. There are two types of heat-treated glass. The first is heat-strengthened, and the other is fully tempered. Heat-strengthened glass is around twice as strong as untreated glass where fully tempered glass may be four to six times as strong. The main difference between the two treatments is the residual stress in the edge and glass surface.
Safety
Toughened glass is much safer than regular glass to have around the home. When regular glass breaks, it will usually shatter into splintered shards that can be extremely dangerous. Since toughened glass is tempered, the outer surfaces are in compression whereas the inner surfaces are in tension.
This stress means that when the glass is broken, it crumbles into small granular chunks and is not as likely to harm someone. Laminated glass will stay in its frame even when broken so that it does not cause a danger . For this reason, tempered glass is typically used in places where human contact with glass could be a danger.
Flexibility
Even though regular glass is more flexible in use, as long as you know what you want in advance, it should not be a problem. Regular glass is more flexible than toughened glass mainly because toughened glass cannot be cut or pressed after the toughening process. It also cannot be re-worked. It can be dangerous to work with afterwards as it will most likely shatter. This means that the manufacturer will need to know in advance what size, shape, and any other requests you may have.
Of course, there are also a few disadvantages of using toughened glass over regular class. The main problem is that it is hard to make changes after it has already been tempered. Even putting a radius on the the edges and any drilling of holes must be done in advance. However, the overarching benefits may end up making toughened glass a better choice than regular glass.
At DioMet, we sell many types of toughened glass. From different thickness and widths to styles and finishes. We offer clear glass, tinted glass, pattern imprinted glass, painted glass, and laminated glass. The variety of choices allows you to be flexible with your use. Whether it is for an indoor window or for a deck, you will be able to find something that works for your situation.
