[27/01/2022]

Apologies for the pun title.

But knowing the right glass for you and your new build or renovation is no joke. Choose the wrong glass and at best you might be costing yourself big on heating and cooling costs. At worst you could violate any number of compliance rules and regulations.  

Let's go over all the types of glass that are on the market so you can make the best choices for your home.

Annealed Float Glass

Annealed float glass is essentially stock standard window glass. It's clear and provides almost complete light transmission - but it does have some downsides. It offers no insulate properties and when broken it can shatter into large, dangerous shards. 

For this reason, Australian Standards AS1288 and AS2208 dictate that all low-level glazing, internal and external glass doors, shower screens, balcony balustrades and overhead glazing must be Grade A safety glass. but we'd recommend you use safety glass with more protective value than Annealed Float Glass throughout your home anyway, because you and your families safety is about more than just meeting standards.

Toughened Glass

Toughened Glass is produced by passing cut-to-size pieces of annealed float glass through a heating furness. This process introduces stress into the structure of the glass and creates a product 4-5 times stronger than annealed float glass. 

Toughened glass can still be broken, but when it does break it shatters into small fragments, minimising the risk to you and your loved ones.

Laminated Glass

Laminated Glass is produced by adhering two or more sheets of glass with a flexible interlayer made from polyvinyl butyl (PVB) which stops the glass from disintegrating or being broken. This layer doesn't impact the transparency of the glass at all. 

Some types of laminated glass can be struck with considerable force and remain intact, making it an ideal choice to protect your home from intruders. 

Reflective Glass 

Reflective Glass is a useful option when you're looking to reduce the impact of Solar Heat Gain in your home. it contains a reflective metallic coating that can be used to create a unique look in certain building designs.

Low E Glass

This glass is covered in a thin metallic coating to reflect thermal radiation for better insulation performance than standard glass. 

Low E coatings can help you achieve energy efficiency requirements, like those stipulated in the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS), as well as saving you on heating and cooling costs.

Double Glazing

Double glazed windows are made from two panes of glass that are separated by a layer of air or gas and then sealed. they are designed to provide an even better barrier against outside temperatures. These two layers of glass act as insulation by reducing conduction. 

The use of gas, most often argon, between the layers of glass provides better insulation than double glazed windows that rely on a sealed pocket of air. Gases like argon allow less heat to escape and less cold to enter because they are more dense than air.  

If you'd like to talk to someone on our team about the right glass for your new build or renovation, get in touch with our team of experts.

Or browse our full range of window and door products in our catalogue.