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Types of glass

Glass is a beautiful material. It is versatile and functional. Architects, interior designers and consumers specify glass for many uses, because it lets light into your home, promises clear vision, and of course, it is easily cleaned.

Float/Annealed Glass

High quality, transparent flat glass is manufactured by floating molten glass on a 'tin bath' at an extremely high temperature. The glass is then gently cooled to enable cutting and further processing of the glass post manufacture.

Mirror is created by applying a silver coating to one side of the glass.

Mirror can not be toughened but a safety backing can be applied to it.

Toughened Glass

Achieved by heating annealed glass to approx 620°C within a furnace at which point it begins to soften, this is then cooled rapidly. When broken, Toughened Glass fractures into small pieces (called dice). As these particles do not have sharp edges and dagger points of normal broken glass it is generally regarded as Safety Glass.

Toughened Glass must be cut to a size and have any other processes (drilling, polishing etc.) completed before toughening because attempts to 'work' the glass after will cause it to shatter.

Laminated Glass

Manufactured by assembling two panels of glass which are sandwiched together with PVB. This is, therefore, a composite high performance product which combines the material properties of the glass with the unique properties of PVB such as adhesion to glass, elasticity and impact resistance.

Low-E Energy Saving Glass

Low-E Energy Saving Glass can only be used for glazing as part of a Double Glazed Unit. Low E Energy Saving Glass is designed to help insulate your home by keeping as much heat inside as possible. Low E Energy Saving Glass has a transparent metallic coating on one side that reflects heat back into the room rather than allowing it to escape through the window. It also allows optimum amounts of sunlight to pass through the window. There are two choices of Low E Energy Saving Glass, these are called Hard Coat and Soft Coat. They both perform the same job but the soft coat has better thermal insulation, therefore reducing heat loss even further. The inner surface of the glass stays warmer thereby reducing the likelihood of condensation. And there is less of a yellowish tint or dusty appearance to the glass.   See diagram and picture on the left.

Self-Cleaning, low maintenance glass

A transparent coating applied onto the outside surface of the glass harnesses the power of both the sun and rain to efficiently remove dirt and grime such as dried water marks, dust, resin and insect residues. It will always be easier to clean and it will stay cleaner for longer. It is an excellent choice for areas of glazing that are hard to reach.

Self cleaning glass can be glass that has the transparent coating applied during manufacture or we can apply a ClearShield Ritec Coating to the glass prior to glazing.

Solar Control Glass

Annealed, Toughened or Laminated glass can have a coating applied to provide a high performance Solar Control glass.

It has a slightly bluish tint that enhances visual comfort by filtering light and offers good solar control performance, therefore keeping rooms cool during sunny periods. Particularly useful on conservatory roofs, and large windows and doors.

This type of glass is best used as part of a double glazed unit.

Decorative Glass

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There are a number of choices in decorative glass and many different effects can be achieved.
Texture glass available in different patterns provides varying levels of privacy.

Etched glass otherwise known as sandblasted glass is also available in different patterns, it has a powdery appearance to the pattern and adds a touch of style to your home.

All of these glasses can be used as part of a double glazed unit.

Specialist Decorative Glass

Stained glass comes in many colours and can be used to create beautiful pictures when used as part of a leaded design.

There are also some traditional Victorian and Gothic designs that incorporate both colour stained and etched patterns, these are produced using materials and techniques of the period.

All of these glasses can be used as part of a double glazed unit.

Restoration Glass is a mouth-blown glass with a slightly irregular surface and individual bubbles.

Pilkington Texture Glass Warwick™

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This design is unique amongst our patterns because it is produced using a different manufacturing method. All the others are formed from an embossed roller that takes the design to the edge of the glass in a uniform way. Pilkington Texture Glass Warwick™ is a random pattern that is added along the central portion of the pane and this has implications when cutting the glass down into finished sizes.

It is possible that, if a pane is small enough, it could be cut with no evidence of the pattern at all. Warwick™ can therefore be used to replicate old / antique glass in a period property if the panes required are small. It is therefore important when cutting and optimising this glass that the appearance of the finished pane is considered so that the design is central to the pane and, where there are several panes to be glazed adjacent to each other, that the degree of design on each pane is similar.

None of the Pilkington patterns are designed to have an orientation (an up side) but care needs to be taken with adjacent panes that the pattern direction is maintained. There is a linear nature to Pilkington Texture Glass Warwick™ and so householders should be aware that there could be aesthetic implications when choosing this design for larger panes of glass. Also, for the glass supplier the result may be that this pattern is less accommodating when cutting and may result in a greater proportion of waste glass from the original glass plate.

Wired Glass

Wired glass is a clear or slightly textured glass incorporating a metal lattice of 12.5mm squares. Used as a single pane of glass it can provide some fire resistance. It is used in many applications, including overhead glazing, canopies, doors, windows, interior partitions, etc.

Wired glass may be used as part of a double glazed unit.

Fire Resistant glass and Anti-Bandit glass

Fire Resistant glass has a metallic coating applied to it to achieve 30,60 or 90 minute resistance. If the glass is also Laminated 120minute resistance can be achieved because, during a fire the PVU inter-layers expand to form an opaque barrier.

Anti-bandit glass is composed of multi layers of glass and a corresponding number of PVU inter-layers. The inter-layers must have a minimum thickness of 1.52mm. Basically the thicker the overall thickness the stronger it is.

One-way observation glass

This is a reflective glass with a coating to produce a mirror like appearance for the area under surveillance so preventing the subject from seeing through the glass. For the observer to see through the glass without being seen from the area under surveillance the lighting level in the observation area must be seven times brighter.

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