Toughened Glass

There are some situations in which you would choose toughened float glass over laminated glass, even though both conform to all current safety and building standards. Toughened float glass breaks into hundreds of small harmless pieces, similar to cubes in shape. It is commonly used in bus shelters and other areas of high pedestrian traffic as well as for shower screens, cook tops, splashbacks and balustrades. In all of these situations it is essential that any breakage be easily contained to minimise risk of injury.

The disadvantage of toughened glass is simply that once it has been toughened it cannot be altered or cut in any way. Therefore, all toughed glass is processed on a custom made basis and cannot be used in other locations unless they fit the measurements exactly. It also appears to have a slight corrugated distortion, visible on very close inspection, which results from the toughening process. Because toughened glass disintegrates into a myriad of small, harmless pieces upon breakage it will also leave a large open space where it once stood, reducing security of the area. For these reasons it is important to ensure that you have chosen the right place in which to place toughened glass. If you are unsure about which type of safety glass to choose simply give us a call and we will help to guide you to the right choice.