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When we built our first home, there were a number of windows that had to be made of tempered glass or safety glass. Due to their location, regular window glass wouldn't be strong enough to provide the needed safety.
For example, our second story balcony walkway ran right next to an enormous glass window. The window went all the way to the balcony floor and was on the second story of a three story opening inside the house. (We affectionately called it “the canyon.”) If someone happened to be walking or running on the balcony and tripped, falling toward the window, they could have easily broken the pane and headed straight down on a path to the floor below.
With tempered glass installed, such an accident wouldn't be likely to incur much damage.
Tempered glass is four times stronger than regular (annealed) glass because it's been through a special heating process during the manufacturing. Usually that means heating the glass to over 1,000 degrees and then quickly cooling it to make a very robust material.
Tempered glass is used for:
- cars
- tabletops
- sunglasses
- ovens
- microwaves
- storefront windows
- showers
We have frameless shower doors in the master bath. They are, as you can imagine, made of tempered glass. The last thing you want in the shower is shards of glass everywhere. And when they are hung in this manner (with only hinges and a handle—no frame at all), the glass needs to be very strong.
Another advantage of using tempered glass is that it resists scratching. It costs more, but if you have a nice piece of architectural glass that lasts years and years and years, it can be a cost-saving measure in the long run.
If you're building your dream home, see where safety glass makes sense and where it is required by code.
Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.
It is my dream to have such glass on my terrace and make it like a winter garden or something of the kind, but right now it is a bit expensive in my place.
It is my dream to have such glass on my terrace and make it like a winter garden or something of the kind, but right now it is a bit expensive in my place.
It’s really important that we must think first of our safety rather that the cost. For me, it’s practical to use Safety Glass eventhough it costs more since there is assurance of safety and it can’t be damaged easily.
It’s really important that we must think first of our safety rather that the cost. For me, it’s practical to use Safety Glass eventhough it costs more since there is assurance of safety and it can’t be damaged easily.
I cringed at your second story balcony walkway story.. Today there are so many building codes about glass that it’s almost ridiculous.
But better to be safe than sorry.. dee 🙂
I cringed at your second story balcony walkway story.. Today there are so many building codes about glass that it’s almost ridiculous.
But better to be safe than sorry.. dee 🙂
Tempered glass are excellent for contemporary home designs and their durability is one of its best features. However, if you have old folks at home be sure to add some accessories on the glass so they would know its now hollow. Even at young age of 30 I still hit my nose on glass doors lol
Tempered glass are excellent for contemporary home designs and their durability is one of its best features. However, if you have old folks at home be sure to add some accessories on the glass so they would know its now hollow. Even at young age of 30 I still hit my nose on glass doors lol
Tempered glasses are really saftey glasses. They are good in saftey purpose as well looks good. Most of the cars have this type of tempered glasses because in the cars saftey purpose is on the top.
Tempered glasses are really saftey glasses. They are good in saftey purpose as well looks good. Most of the cars have this type of tempered glasses because in the cars saftey purpose is on the top.