Dorchester Glass & Glazing Company
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Frequently asked questions
Laminated glass products make float glass suitable for today's demanding architectural applications such as: noise reduction, hurricane impact-resistance, blast mitigation, forced entry, protection from broken glass – or a combination of these.
These glass sheets are held together permanently by an interlayer such as polyvinyl butyral (PVB). Laminated glass is about two times stronger than standard float glass of the same thickness, with the advantage that in case of breakage, it generally holds together by breaking into a spider-web pattern.
Float glass: This is the most budget-friendly and has no natural tint. It is a single piece of glass that breaks into sharp shards when hit with force. Float glass can, however, undergo a lot of chemical processes to be strengthened. It can be used in single-pane and even double-pane windows once it's been enhanced.
This type of glass adds additional strength to your windows. To gain entry, a burglar would have to strike the glass repeatedly in the same spot in order to make a small opening. Most burglars are reluctant to create this type of noise for fear of being detected.
Look closely at the glass edge: tempered glass will have a smooth, slightly rounded edge without sharp corners. Untempered glass has a sharp, unfinished edge. You may also notice small nicks or divots in the glass edge. Tempered glass has undergone intense heating and rapid cooling, so its surface is more durable.
Annealed Glass Less expensive, Good visibility
Laminated Glass Strong material, shatter-resistant glass
Low-E Glass Energy-efficient, thermal coating that lasts 10 to 15 years
Tinted Glass Promotes greater privacy, heat transfer resistant
As the most common type of affordable glass, float glass will often be used for low-cost windows and smaller display cabinet-style doors, as well as being the base material for almost every other application.
Toughened is around 5 times stronger than laminated. It, therefore, needs to be hit a lot harder for the glass to break. When toughened is hit with enough force, it will break up into lots of small, blunt pieces rather than long sharp shards.
