Using glass material for structural design is risky. That is why glass manufacturers developed safety glass. And in order to be considered safe, a processed glass must pass the standard rulings. Once a glass is found safe and fit for use, it is the distributed and sold in big glass companies.
There are actually three major types of safety glass used today – tempered, wired, and laminated. These glasses may be suitable for one purpose or are individually used in different industries. By knowing more facts about them, you’ll be able to choose the right type of safety glass for every decision that you have to make.
- Tempered Glass. A normal class is shaped into the desired form, cleansed, heated at high temperatures and cooled off. It may seem like a simple process that doesn’t really result to a big change. But, in reality, a tempered glass becomes less fragile. This type of glass is deemed to be safe because it is less fragile compared to unprocessed glass. It doesn’t easily break and when it does, the glass doesn’t break into big shards. Little harmless fragments scatter on the ground, exposing people to safer debris.
- Wired Glass. The wires in a wired glass act as support. You can see this safety glass in public structures such as schools and offices. It is commonly used as windows. Wired glass presents neat design. It’s safe because intruders cannot break the glass easily and cannot get into the building if ever they break the glass because of the metal wire. It is also fire resistant; which is a bonus feature.
- Laminated Glass. This like a glass covered with another glass. When it is exposed to pressure, this special glass absorbs the energy and thus preventing breakage. In an even when the glass is broken, the lamination will still say in place. The unique feature of a laminated glass prevents intrusion. It can also aid in minimizing noise coming from the other side of the building. Light control is also possible with this type of safe glass. What’s even exciting is the fact that you can customize it to any design that you prefer and use it for any purpose like material for a stairway.
When picking the kind of glass for a certain project, you have to make sure that your choice is a suitable part for the thing that you are making. You have to consider the little details along the way so that you can prevent wasting money on unnecessary replacement. Some glasses, even though they are considered safe, have exceptions. And if you want to avoid complications in the future, you have to learn every ‘what not’.
In order to get the best quality safe glass, you need to find a well-established company that has high credibility. This will enable you to get what you specified for. Ask for references and check the companies’ years of experience together with their clients’ claims. This way you won’t have any issue during the whole glass purchase and installation.