Glass Strength Categories
Architectural glass has been around for thousands of years and has long been used as a building material to provide protection from different weather conditions and other outside hazards and perils. Today, it plays an even more major function and position in many living and working settings of many modern domestic spaces and commercial premises or offices.
Glass allows sunlight to get making rooms brighter and can give you that needed warmth in very cold days while protecting you from harsh outside conditions. With glass, you get protected without being deprived of the view of your surroundings. Due to these advantages, it oftentimes become a factor of comfort in many office spaces and homes which could perhaps be one of the reasons why many find it attractive to choose work spaces, homes, shopping places, and schools using glass materials on their walls, doors and windows.
There are many types of glass commonly used in buildings. These types of glass need to be extra and especially strong so they become suited for buildings which can encounter very tough weather circumstances.
Architectural glasses usually have three different strength categories – annealed, fully tempered and heat strengthened glass.
Annealed glass – Glass that went through the process of annealing – which is slowly cooling the glass. This is done to take out internal stress or force from the glass after it comes into form which then adds to the strength of the glass. Annealed glass does not go through heating treatments making it less prone to cracks and smashing to smithereens. This type of glass is the most common of all the architectural glass types available and used. On the downside, annealed glass, when broken, turn into sharp and pointed fragments.
Fully-Tempered Glass – Glass which is heat treated to encourage a compressed surface. It is most durable and resistive to strong winds and temperature issues. It provides quadruple annealed glass strength. Unlike annealed glass, fully tempered glass can turn into small shards when broken.
Heat strengthened Glass – Glass, similar to fully tempered, which is also heat treated. Heat strengthened glass is heated in such a way to create a compressed surface. Surface compression helps the glass to become twice as resistant to breakage in comparison with Annealed Glass. Its strength also grows double making it sturdier than other types. The drawback of Heat strengthened glass is similar to annealed. They both can break into large shards.
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Mona Lee is a Freelance article writer for Glass Now! (Glass when you need it fast)
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