Safety glass created by heating annealed glass to high temperatures then rapidly cooling it, making it 4-5 times stronger than regular glass and causing it to break into small, less dangerous pieces.
What is Tempered Glass?
Tempered glass, also known as toughened glass, is a type of safety glass processed by controlled thermal treatment to increase its strength compared to normal glass. The tempering process involves heating annealed glass to approximately 650°C (1202°F) and then rapidly cooling it with jets of cold air.
This process creates compressive stress on the surface and tensile stress in the interior, making the glass much stronger and altering its breaking characteristics to be safer.
Key Features
- 4-5x Stronger: Significantly stronger than annealed glass of the same thickness
- Safety Breaking: Breaks into small, cube-like pieces that are less likely to cause serious injury
- Heat Resistant: Can withstand higher temperature differentials than standard glass
- Cannot be Cut: Must be cut and shaped before tempering process
- Optical Quality: Maintains excellent clarity and light transmission
Benefits
The primary benefit of tempered glass is safety. When it breaks, it crumbles into small granular chunks instead of large dangerous shards. This makes it ideal for applications where human contact is likely and safety is paramount.
Additionally, its increased strength allows for larger installations and thinner profiles in certain applications, providing both safety and design flexibility.
Common Applications
- Shower Screens: Standard requirement for bathroom safety glazing
- Glass Repairs: Replacement of damaged tempered glass installations
- Glass Doors: Entry doors and sliding doors in commercial and residential settings
- Automotive: Side and rear windows in vehicles (not windshields)
- Commercial Storefronts: Large glass panels in retail environments
- Balustrades: Glass railings and safety barriers
- Furniture: Glass tables and shelving where safety glass is required
Learn more about the tempering process at the Tempered glass Wikipedia page.