What if your windows could be more than just a view? What if they could protect you from break-ins, accidents, and even natural disasters?
With laminated and tempered glass, that possibility becomes a reality.
Tempered and laminated glass are super tough! They're built to handle big hits without breaking into a million dangerous pieces. It's like a sturdy shield, keeping you safe from intruders and accidents.
Explore the remarkable properties of laminated glass vs. tempered glass and how they can provide both safety and security for your customer's space.
Tempered Glass vs. Laminated Glass: The Differences
Comparing laminated glass vs. tempered glass, both safety glasses offer similar levels of protection. They do, however, have stark differences -- most of which stem from how they’re manufactured.
Breaking Down Tempered Glass
Tempered glass -- also called toughened glass -- stands up to the heaviest hits glass can take.
Heated to temperatures of more than 1000° F and then quickly cooled, the glass becomes up to 5x stronger than traditional glass. Through the tempering process, tension is created in a glass pane’s center, while its surface becomes compressed.
The opposing forces within a pane make tempered glass resist bending and breaking. This material also offers some protection from heat, though you shouldn’t install it in your fireplace.
In addition to its durability, tempered glass reduces the risk of injuries when broken. Rather than shattering into jagged shards, tempered safety glass breaks into small, pebble-like pieces.
Digging Into Laminated Glass
Laminated glass panes comprise a clear layer of vinyl bonded by heat between at least two plies of glass.
The additional layers give laminated safety glass enhanced integrity against heavy blows as well as some sound-dampening ability. With a special polycarbonate layer, laminated glass becomes bulletproof.
One of the biggest benefits of laminated glass is that it protects those nearby from broken glass. In the event of a breakage, laminated glass panes stay intact -- their middle layer holds the glass pieces bonded to it in place. People who are nearby when laminated glass breaks won’t have to worry about shards going airborne or falling on the ground.
Laminated Glass vs. Tempered Glass: Security vs. Safety
Meant to offer protection from both impacts and breakages, tempered and laminated glass fill many of the same applications. For instance, both types of commercial window glass are often used in commercial doors.
Tempered glass is the preferred material for interior applications. Why? Because of its durability and how it breaks. It takes a lot to break tempered glass, and its small, rounded pieces are less likely to cause injury should the pane shatter. Tempered glass can be used in various applications in windows. Some tempered glass window designs consist of:
- Skylight windows
- Shower enclosures
- Glass doors for tubs
- Furniture
- Glass cases
- Customer service windows
- Windows for ground-level storefronts
- Railings
- Entryway glass
- Glass partitions
Because it stays together when broken, laminated glass is most frequently installed in high-traffic public spaces. Except for shower enclosures, laminated glass is found in the same applications as tempered glass. In some coastal municipalities where hurricanes are common, local building codes require laminated glass windows installed in buildings.
In security applications -- such as storefront windows and doors or display cases, laminated glass gives you the benefit of time. Because laminated glass pieces stay together when broken, it’s very difficult to create an opening -- it’s not something that can be done in a few minutes. Made with polycarbonate laminated glass becomes much harder to break through. Laminated glass is often rated for the amount of time it withstands blows before being broken through.
Of note, glass pieces can have the best of both worlds -- a new trend in glass manufacturing is to create laminated glass pieces using tempered glass panes. Combining both glass types gives you the strength of tempered glass and the protection from shards that laminated glass provides.
Take a deeper dive into what makes tempered glass so strong.
Download our Glass Tempering 101 Guide!
Beyond Basic Glass: The Manufacturing of Laminated Glass & Tempered Glass
Though both commercial glass types are designed to resist direct blows, tempered and laminated glass pieces can be custom-fabricated to meet a project’s needs.
Regardless of what additional work either type needs for a project, it’s critical to share project details with your glass manufacturer from the beginning.
Any alteration to a piece of tempered glass must be done before the pane goes through the tempering process. The same goes for laminated glass pieces made with tempered glass.
The reason? It’s incredibly difficult to shape or bevel either glass type before processing, and you risk damaging the finished pieces.
Fabricating Tempered & Laminated Glasses
Though both commercial glass types are designed to resist direct blows, tempered and laminated glass pieces can be custom fabricated to meet a project’s needs.
Regardless of what additional work either type needs for a project, it’s critical to share project details with your glass manufacturer from the beginning.
Any alteration to a piece of tempered glass must be done before the pane goes through the tempering process. The same goes for laminated glass pieces made with tempered glass.
The reason? It’s incredibly difficult to shape or bevel either glass type before processing, and you risk damaging the finished pieces.
Learn more about our glass manufacturing and fabrication capabilities:
Need more clarity? Some Common Questions about Laminated and Tempered GlassWhich type of glass is better for areas prone to natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes? Laminated glass is generally better due to its ability to hold together upon impact, protecting against debris and high winds. Are there any special safety considerations for installing or replacing tempered or laminated glass? Professionals should install both types for proper handling and safety. Tempered glass can shatter if chipped during installation, and improper laminated glass installation compromises its integrity. Is one type of glass easier to maintain or clean than the other? Both are easy to clean with standard glass cleaners. The laminated glass might need extra care to avoid damaging the interlayer. |
Shatterproof Solutions: Laminated Glass and Tempered Glass
Whether you prioritize security, safety, or both, tempered and laminated glass offer solutions that redefine the capability of traditional glass. Don’t settle for ordinary glass when extraordinary protection is within reach.
Ready to explore which option is right for your needs? Contact our experts today to discover the perfect shatterproof solution for your customer's next project.
(Editor's note: This article was originally published in March 2021 and was recently updated.)
