Glass Types

 

Laminated Glass
Laminated (or compound) glass consists of two or more sheets of glass with one or more viscous plastic layers "sandwiched" between the glass panes. The solid joining of the glasses takes place in a pressurized vessel called an autoclave. In the autoclave, under simultaneous heating of the already processed layers of glass and special plastic, lamination occurs. When laminated safety glass breaks, the pieces remain attached to the internal plastic layer and the glass remains transparent.

Tempered Glass
Tempered glass is particularly resistant to breakages. The glass sheet is heated to a temperature just below its softening point and then immediately cooled by special jets of cold-air. These harden the surface of the glass, giving the inside more time to cool. This allows the external layer to crystallize into a wider lattice while the inside solidifies with greater compression than in the crystal lattice. The result is a sheet of glass which is two or three times stronger than untempered glass and which, upon breakage, shatters into tiny pieces with blunt edges.

Wire Glass
Flat rolled glass reinforced with wire mesh and used especially for glass doors and roofing to prevent objects from smashing through the glass and also to hold pieces of broken glass together. By holding the glass together, it can also protect against break-in and the spreading of fire. Wired glass is produced by continuously feeding wire mesh from a roller into the molten glass ribbon just before it undergoes cooling. (See also "Boudin process", "Pilkington double-pass wired glass process"). Wire Glass is generally used for safety or security. Fire Rated Wire glass can withstand temperatures that may exceed 1600° F. Available in 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 3/8",1/2", & 3/4" clear.

Bullet Resistant
Bullet Resistant laminates consist of multiple pieces of glass with a poly carbonate spall plate bonded together by inter layers of polyvinyl butyral or aliphatic urethane. These laminates are designed to resist bullet penetration from a variety of small arms and rifle fire, as well as impact-induced spall. These products have a range of physical attack/ballistics resistance capabilities and the selection of appropriate glazing materials should be based on a careful review of your security requirements.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions concerning these and other types of glass installations.