Whereas the ordinary standard glass is prone to break when subjected to accidental impacts, the need for extra strength, heat resistant and high level of security glasses rises to meet different application requirements.
So, what type of glass is the strongest?
1. Toughened (tempered) glass:
This kind of glass is recommended for safety purposes. It’s manufactured by use of controlled thermal or chemical treatment processes. The processes involved in its manufacturing increase its strength compared to traditional ‘plate glass’.
When tempered with, the outer surface tends to compress. At the same time, the inner surface gets tension which makes the glass resist breakage. It does not break like old fashioned ‘annealed glass’ it just safely crumbles to small granular particles that won’t cut. Toughened glass is used in different areas such as shower doors, motor vehicle windows, architectural glass windows and doors, refrigerator doors and trays, diving masks and more.
2. Laminated Glass:
This kind of glass tends to hold together when it’s shuttered and stays in the frame. In the course of breaking, the interlayer which is made of polyvinyl butyric (PVB) holds it together to avoid crumbling into small particles. Laminated glass consists of two or more layers of glass with a PVB layer which bonds the layers together for added strength.
If it’s impacted, it breaks into big pieces which remain together to produce a spider web pattern.
Uses of Laminated Glass: Laminated glass is commonly used in skylight glazing, automobile windshields, store fronts, windows and curtain walls in geographical areas prone to hurricanes. In addition, the PVB interlayer gives the glass sound insulation properties and the ability to block UV radiations.
3. Plate Glass:
This kind of glass is the least durable and most breakable sort. Cast from a solid plate through rolling processes to produce flat glass. Plate glass is made from liquid glass by spreading it on a flat metal table when still hot. After spreading, rollers are passed on to smoothen and polish it as it cools down. Plate glass can also be made through a process known as floating hence the term ‘float glass’.
Uses of Plate Glass:
Plate glass has a variety of uses but mostly it’s used to make windows and also in manufacturing of mirrors, glass tables and in applications requiring flat glass. One of its demerits is that plate glass is very brittle. When it breaks, it can cause serious injuries from its broken shards.
Magic Glass is a reputable Australian glazier company offering 24-hour emergency glass repair, replacement, installation and other professional glazier services in Sydney. Call us now on 18 000 GLASS for a complimentary consultation.
