How we supply it: Glass is arranged through a partner glass fabricator who measures, quotes, processes, fixes and bills it and pays us a referral commission. The fabricator measures on site after the frames or fixing points are ready, because toughened glass cannot be cut afterwards.
In one line: Toughened (tempered) glass is float glass heated and cooled rapidly so its surfaces are in compression, making it much stronger and safer when it breaks; laminated glass is two or more panes bonded with a plastic interlayer that holds the pieces in place if it cracks.
Which glass where
| Use | Glass | Typical thickness |
|---|---|---|
| Small window panes | Float or toughened | 5 mm |
| Sliding window shutters | Float or toughened | 5–6 mm |
| Shower partitions and doors | Toughened | 8–10 mm |
| Frameless glass doors | Toughened | 10–12 mm |
| Balcony and staircase railings | Toughened laminated | For example 6+6 or 8+8 mm |
| Skylights and canopies | Laminated or toughened laminated | Per design |
| Rooms facing a busy road | Laminated or double glazed | Per design |
How toughened and laminated glass are made
Toughened (tempered) glass is float glass heated and cooled rapidly so its surfaces are in compression, making it much stronger and safer when it breaks; laminated glass is two or more panes bonded with a plastic interlayer that holds the pieces in place if it cracks.
Both are safety glass under IS 2553. They protect in opposite ways: one breaks safely, the other stays in one piece.
Glass types
| Glass | Breaks into | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Float (annealed) | Large sharp shards | Small panes away from impact |
| Toughened | Small blunt pieces | Doors, partitions, large panes |
| Laminated | Cracks but stays bonded | Overhead, railings, noise control |
| Toughened laminated | Pieces held by the interlayer | Railings, frameless balustrades |
| Double glazed unit (DGU) | Depends on panes used | Heat and noise reduction |
| Frosted, tinted or reflective | As its base glass | Privacy and sun control |
Ordering rules for toughened glass
- Every hole, notch and cut-out is made before toughening; it cannot be cut or drilled afterwards
- Measure on site only after frames or fixing points are ready
- Ask for polished or arrissed edges; a chipped edge is where breakage starts
- For large overhead or partition panels, ask for heat-soaked glass, which reduces the rare spontaneous breakage caused by nickel sulphide inclusions
Checks on delivered glass
- Each toughened panel should carry a permanent mark in a corner.
- Measure thickness and look along the edges for chips.
- Check holes and cut-outs line up with the fittings before fixing.
- On laminated glass, look at the edges for bubbles or lifting of the interlayer.
- View toughened glass through polarised sunglasses: faint strain patterns confirm the treatment.
Storing and handling panels
- Store panels upright on padded A-frames, leaning slightly, never flat.
- Protect the edges; a knock on an edge can shatter a toughened panel.
- Keep glass away from welding spatter and cement slurry.
Glass mistakes
- Ordering toughened glass and then needing a new hole on site.
- Plain float glass in doors and low windows.
- Single toughened glass, not laminated, for overhead canopies.
- Unpolished edges on frameless panels.
- Glass fixed hard against metal or concrete without gaskets or setting blocks.