
If you are looking for a strong and safe material for your windows, doors, table tops or other applications, tempered glass is an excellent choice. This glass is made by heating it and then cooling it down quickly, making it much stronger than regular glass. Tempered glass is widely used in the construction and interior design industry because of the many benefits it offers. In this article you can read everything you need to know about tempered glass.
What is Tempered Glass?
Tempered glass is glass that is stronger than regular glass because it has been heat treated and cooled quickly. This process, known as tempering, makes the glass much less susceptible to breakage and cracking than ordinary glass. If tempered glass does break, it shatters into small pieces instead of large, sharp shards, reducing the risk of injury.
How is tempered glass made?
Tempered glass is produced through a special thermal treatment process called “tempering”. Following is the production process:
- The glass used to make tempered glass is first cut to size and polished to remove any surface irregularities.
- The glass is then thoroughly cleaned to remove dirt and grease.
- The glass is placed in a special oven where it is heated to a temperature of approximately 620°C. This is done to reduce the internal stresses in the glass.
- The heated glass is then rapidly cooled by means of a cold air stream. This process is called “quenching” and causes the surface of the glass to cool and solidify before the core of the glass cools completely.
- Due to this rapid cooling process, the surface of the glass is put under tension, while the core of the glass is put under compression. This ensures that tempered glass is many times stronger than normal glass.
- The tempered glass is finally inspected for any imperfections and prepared for shipment.
What are the advantages of tempered glass?
Tempered glass has several advantages over regular glass:
- Courage: Tempered glass is about five times stronger than regular glass. It can withstand impacts and pressure better, making it less likely to break.
- Safety: If tempered glass does break, it shatters into small pieces without sharp edges. As a result, the risk of injury is much smaller than with ordinary glass.
- thermal resistance: Tempered glass can withstand high temperatures, up to 200 degrees Celsius. This makes it ideal for use in ovens, microwaves and hobs.
- Scratch resistance: Tempered glass is harder than regular glass, making it more resistant to scratches and wear.
- Aesthetics: Tempered glass has a beautiful, smooth finish and can be used in a variety of applications, such as shower doors, tabletops and glass walls.
All of these benefits make tempered glass a popular choice for a variety of applications, both in residential and commercial environments.