Toughened vs. Laminated: Choosing the Right Safety Glass for Your Balustrade
When ordering a supply-only balustrade from Glass Balustrades Ireland, you'll typically choose between two types of premium safety glass: Toughened (Tempered) and Laminated. Both meet safety standards, but they handle impact and breakage differently. Understanding the distinction is key to choosing the right glass for your project.
Toughened (Tempered) Glass
How it's Made: Standard glass is heated and rapidly cooled, making it up to five times stronger than regular glass.
Safety Feature: If it breaks, it shatters into thousands of small, dull, pebble-like pieces. This dramatically reduces the risk of serious cuts, making it a safe option for residential decks and many internal spaces.
Uses: Excellent for most outdoor decks, internal staircases, and residential balconies where structural integrity is primarily handled by robust posts or spigots.
Laminated Glass
How it's Made: This consists of two or more panes of glass bonded together with a strong, flexible plastic interlayer (Polyvinyl Butyral or PVB).
Safety Feature: If the glass is broken, the pieces adhere firmly to the interlayer, preventing the panel from falling out or collapsing. The barrier remains intact, acting as a temporary safety shield until the panel can be replaced.
Uses: Often required by building codes for high-rise balconies, guardrails without a top handrail (frameless systems), and areas where the glass itself is the primary structural barrier against a significant drop.
For projects where the glass acts as the sole barrier against a fall (i.e., frameless systems without a top rail), Laminated Glass is often the necessary and safest choice. For all other projects, Toughened Glass offers excellent safety and value.
Visit www.glassbalustradesireland.com or call us for expert advice on which glass type best meets the requirements of your specific location!