Gone are those days when glass was a luxury building material. Modern-day glass solutions have become the sine-qua-non of the architectural and interior designing space. After all, glass, as we know it today is not limited to providing aesthetic appeal to a space but has left behind its humble origins to provide much-needed functionalities of energy-efficiency, noise-insulation, and security. And when it comes specifically to matters of security, heat-strengthened glass or toughened glass is the member of the glass family that you should be looking to.
Let’s take a look at how exactly toughened glass is manufactured and what are the wide pool of services it has to offer -
What is Toughened Glass?
Glass has always been thought of as a rather fragile material but due to scientific and technological advancements, glass is made to go through processes to make it more durable. Toughened glass, also known as heat-strengthened glass or tempered glass is a processed glass and falls under the type of safety glass. A safety glass’s unique characteristic is that it is processed by controlled chemical or thermal treatments to increase its strength and impact-resistance. To make toughened glass, normal glass is heated to about 650 degrees Celsius by conduction, convection, and radiation. Then the glass is put through a rapid cooling process. This cooling process is initiated and is quickened by a simultaneous and a uniform blast of air on both surfaces. You might be wondering as to how exactly this process works. Well, due to differential rates of heating and cooling, tempering puts the outer surface of the glass into compression whereas the interior of the glass into tension. This process is the reason why toughened glass is called safety glass as it increases the strength of the glass four to five times more than standard glass. Not only this, the stress imbues the glass with the characteristic that on the rare occasion of breakage, the glass will break into small, blunt, pebble-like pieces unlike the sharp shards in the case of normal glass. This makes toughened glass safer than untreated glass and far less likely to cause injuries.
Why Should You Choose Toughened Glass?
You should choose toughened glass for the following reasons -
Strength
Apart from being four to five times stronger than normal glass, research also shows that toughened glass can withstand surface compression of at least 10,000lbs per square inch. Toughened glass is the apt safety glass as it is physically as well as thermally very strong.
As toughened glass is incredibly tough, it is difficult to break. Moreover, even if it does break, it does so into small, blunt, pebble-like pieces that are incapable of causing injuries unlike the sharp shards of standard glass.
High-Resistance
Not only is toughened glass highly resistant to external impacts but equally so to electric shocks. It also has incredible thermal resistance which is why it can easily cope with intense temperatures.
When glass comes in contact with uneven heat from sunlight then it can expand and contract at inconsistent rates. This expansion and contraction creates stress on the glass which can easily lead to breakage. This risk of thermal breakage can easily be prevented if you use toughened glass. Toughened glass can withstand high temperatures of up to 250 degrees Celsius.
Versatility
Not only is toughened glass less likely to get you injured, but it is also highly versatile and flexible. Meaning, you can customise toughened glass to match the vibe of your homes and offices. Toughened glass is available in the market in various styles, thereby rendering smart aesthetics in addition to providing high functionalities.
Enhanced Safety
As toughened glass breaks into blunt, circular chunks and not sharp shards. As a result, you do not need to worry about getting yourself injured on the rare occasion that this highly-resistant glass does break. This makes them less dangerous than normal glass as it is less likely for it to injure you. Moreover, toughened glass is extremely useful for areas that are prone to high weather disturbances owing to its resilience and strength.
As toughened glass is highly resilient to impact, it is the safest option for you as it adds to your property another layer of security.
Noise-insulation
Toughened glass also has noise-cancellation properties. This is especially useful in today’s day and age where noise pollution has become a leading cause for compromised well-being of the masses. Using toughened glass windows can help in soundproofing your homes and offices to render you a peaceful and distraction-free environment. This is especially useful if your home or office is in a noisy vicinity.
Applications of Toughened Glass
Toughened glass has risen as a popular and essential material across the industry. Possessing a variety of indispensable features, toughened glass can be used in a variety of projects. Moreover, it can be made available in a number of varieties – clear-coloured, tinted, frosted, et al. Here’s a couple of ways toughened glass is generally used in residential and commercial projects -
Due to these qualities, toughened glass has become an ideal material with various applications. Here is a list of the applications of toughened glass.
Toughened glass has become an important building material in the construction of modern, sky-rise buildings. As toughened glass provides maximum protection against high impacts and fire breakouts, it is often used as doorways, stairways, sliding doors, windows especially picture windows and floor-level windows.
Toughened glass is also the best choice for escalator side panels, room dividers handrails, balustrades, roofs, glass floors in buildings due to their safety feature.
If you have small children in your home and you wish to choose a glass that won’t harm them or cause them any injuries, then toughened glass is an excellent choice for your homes. Though toughened glass is difficult to break, on rare occasion of breakage, it does so into small, blunt, pebble-like pieces instead of sharp shards like normal glass, thereby ensuring the safety of the house members, especially the most innocent of them all. You can install toughened glass in your shower doors, glass cabinets, glass shelves, dividers, balcony doors, and also glass table-tops. Toughened glass is also an apt choice for your fireplace. Installing toughened glass in your homes will add a modern and sleek look to your place while making your rooms feel lighter and more spacious.
You can also incorporate toughened glass in your office to make cabin doors, showcases and display cabinets.
Toughened glass has excellent heat-resistance properties which is why it becomes ideal for you to use it in places where heat-resistance becomes a priority such as in kitchen as kitchen cabinets, shelves or even as a kitchen backsplash.
A modern way of using toughened glass in your home would be to use it as a wardrobe. These wardrobes with panels made up of toughened glass add an element of high-end modern style to your interior decoration. Apart from being stylish, these wardrobes made of toughened glass are also highly durable and are resistant to moisture and scratch which makes it very easy and convenient for you to maintain.
Toughened glass is also a very convenient option for skylights or big windows as they become the source of natural light of your home or office. Along with being the source of natural light, it also adds an element of freshness and lightness to your home or office.
Looking for seasoned experts that can help you with your requirements for toughened glass? Well, look no further than AIS Glasxperts. We, at AIS Glasxperts understand that the space that you inhabit whether it’s your home or your office is an extremely personal space and is a means for self-expression. Hence, it should showcase your personality, your vibe, your taste, your individuality while providing you comfort. Along with this, we also understand your need for quality products that will give your home the functionality you desire. Our team of experts will provide you with all-around solutions, starting from expert guidance for product selection to product purchase, from the installation of the project to post-installation support. We at AIS Glasxperts believe in not only providing you with innovative choices but also cutting-edge solutions in glass. Our toughened glass solutions will provide your home with the safety and security that you wish to have. Be done with the fear of burglars by installing our toughened glass solutions.
So what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today!
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