FT NEWS

Toughened glass is produced when standard glass is subjected to certain chemical and thermal treatments that increase its stability and strength to make it four to five times stronger than standard glass of the same size and thickness. This type of glass has enhanced properties, such high durability, resistance to corrosion, resistance to high temperatures and low maintenance. Toughened glass is also known as safety glass, because it is more difficult to break – in the event of a breakage, this glass breaks into small fragments that are less harmful than the sharp-edged shards formed by shattered standard glass.

Toughened glass is highly recommended for areas that require strength but transparency. Read on and find out about the various applications of toughened glass in the interiors and exteriors of your home.

1. As a transparent partition
Toughened glass partitions are strong, impart a seamless look and can divide a large span of space. Note that toughened glass can be manufactured up to a maximum length of 20 feet and a maximum height of 12 feet.

2. Exterior facades
Give a sleek, modern look to your home with a glass facade. Toughened glass is extensively used as the structural glazing of buildings, as it ensures a sense of transparency, elegance and lightness.

3. Skylights
For skylights, toughened glass is recommended as it reduces the risk of injury just in case any heavy object happens to fall on the glass to break or damage it.

4. Glass doors
All frameless doors should be fabricated out of toughened glass.

Make sure that the toughened glass door is cut to proper size and all the holes for nuts and bolts (for frameless doors) are drilled beforehand, because no modification is possible after production of the glass piece.

Sliding glass doors
Sliding glass doors are used as indoor partitions or balcony partition doors that open and close with a manual sliding mechanism.

Go for good-quality hinges or track systems for the sliding glass doors to ensure hassle-free maintenance.

Shower cubicle
Toughened glass should be used for shower cubicles that are customised as per the shape and size of the bathroom. The glass can be frosted for privacy or left clear.

5. Double- or triple-glazed windows
Double- and triple-glazed windows create a good acoustic barrier and help in noise control from the outdoors. These windows comprise layers of panes of toughened glass with gaps that are filled with inert gases such as xenon, argon or krypton to form an airtight seal within a uPVC or aluminium frame.

6. Glass balustrades
Frameless glass handrails and balustrades are also used to achieve a modern look within a home. Note there is always a question of safety, though toughened glass lessens the chance of breakage that may be caused from the stress of weight being put on it.

• For framed balustrades, the toughened glass thickness should be at least 10 millimetres.
• 15-millimetre-thick toughened glass is recommended for frameless glass balustrades that are combined with a handrail
• In case you want to opt for frameless balustrades without a handrail, like in this example, it is strongly recommended to go for toughened laminated glass – it is made by sandwiching a PVB (polyvinyl butyral) layer with strong adhesion between two pieces of toughened glass.

7. Wardrobes
Bring in a sense of lightness along with a sleek, high-end modern look, with toughened glass sections within the wardrobe panels. These wardrobes are becoming popular because they are easy to install, easy to maintain, highly durable, and resistant to scratches and moisture.

8. Kitchen backsplash
In this minimalistic kitchen, toughened glass is used as a kitchen backsplash. It brings in an element of lightness, unlike wall tiles, and imparts a luminous look to the kitchen because of its ability to reflect light.

9. Glass shelves
For glass shelves, it is advisable to go for toughened glass, because it can take extra load in comparison to normal glass. Additionally, chances of breakage are much less.