Glass repair and replacement are common needs for many homeowners. When your home needs replacement glass in a window, door or other piece, it’s good to know the different types of replacement glass.
Types of replacement glass thickness:
- 3/32” Single Strength Glass. Light, flimsy easily broken.
- 1/8” Double Strength Glass. Significant gain in stability, less likely to flex.
- 3/16” Glass. Suitable for larger applications such as picture windows.
- 1/4” Glass. For very large insulated glass units, commercial use, or heavy glass frameless shower enclosures.
Types of replacement glass color or pattern variations and usage:
- Clear Glass: No added tint or coating, maximum light penetration
- Low-E Glass: Special coating scatters UV light. Reduces glare, greatly improves energy efficiency, and protects furniture, upholstery, and drapery from fading.
- Pattern Glass: During manufacturing, glass is processed through extra steps to press patterns into the glass, etch the surface, or impart deliberate imperfections to achieve an artistic look. Useful for decorative purposes, creating privacy, or replicating vintage glass.
- Tinted Glass: Minerals are added to the glass give a distinct color, such as aqua or amber, for dramatic architectural applications.
Specialty types of replacement glass:
- Mirropane: gives the appearance of a mirror on whichever side has brighter ambient light, yet offers visibility from the opposing side.
- Mirror: multiple layers are added to glass, both reflective coatings and then also an opaque layer to prevent light from passing through. Better mirrors feature 1/8” or 3/16” glass and give a clear, distortion-free image.
- Heat-treated Glass: Glass can be tempered, which results in what is commonly called “safety glass.” If broken, it forms small chunks. Used in doors, windows adjacent to doors or close to the floor, shower enclosures, and other locations where safety is a concern.
- Laminate Glass: Two sheets of glass are bound together with a sheet of polyvinyl carbonate (PVC), which holds to the glass, even if it is broken. Offers both safety and security.
- Bullet Resistant: Very heavy glass that features both heat strengthening and multiple layers bound together with laminating compounds.
Hurricane Rated Glass: Strengthened laminate glass used in areas where high winds may cause flying objects to impact glass.
Replacement glass or glass repair for your home is usually a job best suited for a professional. No matter where you live, there’s sure to be at least one glass shop that can help you with any of your needs.