Toughened Glass resists the high temperature differences experienced in spandrel glazing or where solar control glass is at risk of breakage from thermal stress. Toughened Glass is also used in situations such as showers and oven doors, where high temperature fluctuations and thermal shock can occur.

Applications

• Safety for human impact areas

• Frameless doors and shopfronts

• Planar and Total Vision Glass Assemblies

• Shower and bath enclosures

• Interior partitions

• Balustrades " freestanding and fixed

• Thermal resistance from direct heat or solar radiation

• Spandrel glazing

• Furniture " clean edge details

Characteristics

Strength

Toughened Glass allows large clear spans, with minimum fixings. Toughened Glass can have bolt fixings or patch fittings. Toughened Glass is resistant to most blunt object impact, such as basketballs, and has 4 times the strength of ordinary glass.

Thermal resistance

Resistance to temperature differences of 250C in a range from "70 to +300C means that it can be used in many appliances.

Heat Strengthened glass

Although it is not a safety glass, Heat Strengthened glass has approximately double the strength of ordinary glass. This glass is resistant to thermal breakage and, if broken, breaks into large pieces. This glass is used in building spandrel areas or where a safety glass is not required. If breakage does occur the pieces may remain intact in the frame.

Screenprinted glass

Pilkington Spandrel Glass and Pilkington Design Glass are Toughened Glass with a permanent fused ceramic coating. A wide range of colours and multicolour designs are available for building spandrels or where a unique decorative finish is required.

Safety

Under human impact Toughened Glass is highly resistant to breakage. In the unlikely event of breakage the glass breaks into granules, reducing the risk of injury.

Normal glass

Normal glass breaks into shards which could potentially cause serious injury.

Toughened glass Grade A Safety glass

Toughened glass is up to 4 times stronger than ordinary glass. On impact, it breaks into small pieces, reducing the risk of injury caused by glass splinters. Overhead glazing to standards

Heat Soak Treatment Creates a superior specification

Pilkington Armourfloat Toughened Glass can be specified Heat Soak Treated, and may be a warranty requirement. Heat Soak Treatment is a quality control check carried out by Pilkington which is designed to detect and reject any Toughened Glass with inclusions or edge defects that may cause breakage after installation. Heat soak treatment is recommended and should be specified where toughened glass is used in:

• Planar and structural glass assemblies

• Overhead glazing

• Spandrel Glass

• Structural balustrading.

Toughened Glass range:

• Clear, Toned, Reflective or Textured Glass in a range of thicknesses " note not all glass is available toughened

• Size is dependent on furnace limitations; refer to Pilkington specification charts

• A wide range of edgework is available (Toughened Glass cannot be cut or worked after processing).

Critical locations where safety glass must be considered