Toughened glass, also called tempered glass boasts a wealth of diverse applications. Be it oven and microwave doors, laboratory equipment, indoor partitions, etc. Toughened safety glass provides top-notch structural strength and safety. Have you ever wondered, how toughen glass gains its strength and durability? It is a man-made phenomenon and not a naturally occurring one. Let us understand the secret behind the structural strength of tempered glass.
The Science behind Toughened Glass
Toughened glass is made from ordinary float glass panes that undergo the process of annealing or heat tempering. Pre-cut float glass panels are passed through a roller table inside a 650°C preheated furnace. This softens the panes and takes them beyond their transmission temperature. The outside surface of the glass cools more rapidly than the inner surface. This leads to “centre tension” in the glass pane that alters its physical characteristics permanently.
The end-product is a sheet of heat-tempered glass capable of withstanding higher temperatures and is four to five times stronger than ordinary float glass. Float glass must be cut to size or bent into the desired shape before going through the annealing process. Glass panes that undergo the toughening process cannot be re-worked on.
Advantages of Toughened Glass in an Office Space
The advantages of toughened glass outweigh the ones provided by ordinary glass panes. In shared spaces like offices, you need to use materials that are easy to maintain, award a sense of openness, and usher in oodles of natural light. Toughened glass checks all three boxes. Let us understand the benefits of tempered glass in detail.
Strength and Safety
People scuttle more frequently inside offices. A constant hustle of personnel moving around, rushing to attend meetings is common, which is why safety is key among all the rush and shove. One of the best things about toughened glass is that it does not shatter into sharp and jagged pieces upon impact. Even if someone walks into a pane or it breaks due to unforeseeable circumstances, people around it will not get hurt. Tempered glass is great for office cabins and dividers because it breaks into blunt pebble-like pieces and cannot cause serious injuries to employees.
Toughened glass is also a great solution for the exterior of office façades. Heat tempering provides glass panes undulating strength to combat rigorous environmental conditions, especially at higher altitudes. This is why several high-rise office buildings and skyscrapers are built using toughened glass.
Heat and Moisture-Resistant
Ordinary annealed glass can crack or shatter if exposed to unwarranted temperature differentials causing sharp shards of glass to sprawl all across your office floor. This can be perilous for your staff members. Toughened glass, on the other hand, is specifically designed to reliably endure extreme temperatures and humidity. You can use them inside your shared office bathrooms and windows. No amount of rain or heat will cause these panels to crack. They are resistant to thermal breakage and can last for years on end.
Easy to Maintain
In an office setting, from furniture to furnishings, everything needs to be ready for rough and frequent usage, and toughened glass is solidly up to the task. Tempered glass panels do not collect dust or grime, are scratch proof, and are very easy to maintain. Your janitorial staff can simply wipe them once or twice a week with a soft, damp cloth and they will keep shining like a new penny. You can also choose to give toughened glass panels a thorough soapy water wash once every six months but that is not an absolute necessity. Hire a professional window cleaning company to take care of your exterior tempered glass windows.
Scratch-Resistant
Scratches on glass windows kill the aesthetic charm of a glass structure. Since tempered glass is tough, it is far less likely to scratch as compared to standard float glass. This property of tempered glass comes in handy, especially during dust storms when unwanted debris can scratch your windows. Toughened glass is ideal for office partitions, cabins, cubicles, conference table-tops, bathroom and pantry furnishings, etc.
Design Diversity
Toughened glass can be combined with various styles and designs to set the correct tone inside your office. For example, you can choose from a range of frosted, translucent, back painted and clear glass panels for different rooms that serve different purposes in your office. Back painted toughened glass can make your office noticeably edgier, whereas frosted toughened glass can enhance privacy during important meetings. These design diversities can address all design as well as performance concerns in your office.
The Bottom Line
Toughened glass is the ideal choice for offices, with so many legit applications and advantages. Get toughened glass professionally installed by AIS Glass. We at AIS Glass offer a superior-quality toughened glass called Stronglas. Stronglas is adept at withstanding harsh weather conditions, is safe, durable and less prone to thermal breakage. Enjoy the best of toughened glass with AIS Glass. Get in touch today!