My mum wants a glass/steel balustrade fitting externally and it needs to have a gate in it about 800mm wide.
She would prefer a glass one (with steel frame) but is concerned about the glass shattering if the gate were to slam. Is laminated or toughened glass better for this application?
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Which is stronger, toughened or laminated glass?
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Posted 4 months ago #
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I may be wrong, but I'd be surprised if there weren't building regs you had to comply with, which should stipulate what minimum spec to use.
Posted 4 months ago # -
toughened, and it costs a bomb
Posted 4 months ago # -
and what geoff said
Posted 4 months ago # -
it costs a bomb
I just had an 8mm, 130cm/40cm piece of toughed glass made up for a shower screen - was about £50 which was less than I thought it would be.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Yeah, I'd go with toughened, less likely to break/crack with the movement of the gate, but when it does it'll shatter into small fragments. Laminated won't shatter like that, but I'd guess it might break more easily in that application.
First thing to do though is check building regs, almost certainly stipulated what is required.
Posted 4 months ago # -
It will all be done to building reg standards but I was just wondering if the regs stipulated the best matterial for the job of if there is something better suited for the gate (which will have more movement than a fixed panel.
Obviously if we could stop it from slamming in the first place then it would be less of a worry.Posted 4 months ago # -
you'll be wanting holes for hinges etc and they can do all that on glass before they toughen it so that should be cheaper than trying to make holes in laminated stuff.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Cheap option would be perspex.
But for glass I would use toughened. Not sure what thickness the regs will state but it is amazingly strong when you actually get hold of it.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I would really contact a specialist manufacturer as I don't believe that very many of the above posters fully understand the relative merits of each type of glass.
Posted 4 months ago # -
aP - Member
I would really contact a specialist manufacturer as I don't believe that very many of the above posters fully understand the relative merits of each type of glass.
of course they do, this is STW ! Minimum 8mm thick, Toughened Safety Glass. Explain to the supplier what you require and where it's for. If it's not framed in some way it will need to be drilled pre-toughening and have edges ground/polished. But, as aP suggests, talk to the glass supplier
Posted 4 months ago # -
For what you are doing with it either would do, except laminated will end up fairly seriously thick (and so heavy) to be strong enough, plus I beleieve that unprotected laminate will de-laminate pretty rapidly exposed to the elements.
Toughened is the only practical option
Posted 4 months ago # -
Toughened is approx 5 times stronger than laminate glass (in the centre of the pane). However is surprisingly easy to break during installation. All it takes is one tap on the edge/corner and it blows rather than just chipping/shelling like a laminate would.
In either case, if it was for a gate, i'd have it framed, as you're likely to catch the edge of the glass with something at some point in time (so causing a toughened piece to blow, or a laminate to shell). (Small pointed objects are your enemy with toughened such as small stones etc)
As someone above has mentioned, a laminate will often delaminate over time if water can sit on top of the glass.
To cut a long story short - toughened, with a small frame/something to protect the edge. I believe the balustrade code calls for 10mm toughened as a minimum if using toughened (although get the supplier to confirm this)
Posted 4 months ago # -
Cheers guys. Slackman, by framed do you mean a frame that the glass will actually sit in or something like this:
Posted 4 months ago # -
Something like your pic will be fine. It really just needs something to protect the edge/corner of the glass, otherwise what can seem like a small knock can break the glass.
You can throw a brick at the centre of a 10mm toughened sheet and it'll bounce off. Nick the edge with the same brick and it'll blow!
If the glass is in a swimming pool/spa area then i'd always use laminated. If the glass does break, you aren't having to don your pyjamas and swim to the bottom of the pool hunting small pieces of glass!
Posted 4 months ago #
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