There has always been competition between Laminated Glass vs Tempered Glass when it comes to buying quality glass. Both types of glass are safety glass made by following some processes that strengthen the glass.
The demand for safety glass has increased as it keeps the residential and commercial settings safe and secure. Moreover, the safety glass is aesthetically valuable and keeps the burglars out of your property.
Read this informative article and learn the differences, similarities, and best applications of laminated and tempered glass.
What is Laminated Glass?
It is a type of glass that is made of two or more annealed glass panes joined together by a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) layer. The laminated glass is an alternative to the normal glass, offering toughness, robustness, and hard nature.
The toughness of laminated glass can withstand repeated strikes without any damage. Even if the impacts are extremely hard, the PVB interlayer keeps the glass together and prevents any forced entry.
What is Tempered Glass?
Tempered glass is also known as toughened glass and it has been manufactured by undergoing some chemical processes. The chemical process is carried out on an ordinary (annealed) glass and the process has known as ‘tempering’. The chemical process involves the heating of glass and then cooling it instantly. This process toughens the glass and makes it tempered.
Tempered glass is a single piece of glass whereas laminated glass can have two or more glass panes.
Key Differences Between Laminated Glass VS Tempered Glass
There are several features that differentiate between laminated and tempered glass. The differences mentioned below will help the homeowners and construction workers to know the required specifications they need in the glass.
Here are the key differences between laminated glass and tempered glass.
Manufacturing Process
When we look at the manufacturing process of both glass types, we witness that the core difference arises from here. The laminated glass is made by joining two or more glass panes bonded by the layer of polyvinyl butyral. The PVB layer holds the glass panes together, even if the glass breaks from an impact. The glass panes have bonded with PVB under heat and pressure to turn the ordinary glass panes into laminated ones.
On the other hand, the process of tempering the glass is entirely different. Glass becomes tempered after heating an ordinary glass at about 600 degrees celsius and instantly let it go under the cooling process. This process provides tension to the interior zone and puts the surface into compression. This whole process is responsible for toughening the glass making the tempered glass stronger.
Strength
Laminated glass has been considered to be very strong as it withstands the sheer impact and prevents the window or door frame from falling. The strength of laminated glass comes from the interlayer of PVB which makes the glass five times stronger than the standard glass.
Whereas the tempered glass also provides strength, toughness, and resistance to force. When it comes to comparing the strength of both glass types, tempered glass has lesser strength than laminated glass.
Glass Safety Differences
The tempered and laminated glass both have been designed to endure high impacts without breakage. However, this doesn’t mean that they are unbreakable. Tempered glass is breakable by an extremely strong force or impact, but the safety feature is that it would break into small curved cubicles that won’t harm humans.
Laminated glass offers higher safety compared to tempered glass. It is very difficult to break the laminated glass, but when it has broken, the broken glass pieces will still glue together with the PVB layer. It is the biggest advantage of laminated glass.
Applications
Another factor that creates a difference between the laminated and tempered glass is the use of glass in different applications. Due to the strength difference, the applications of glass change. However, there are some places where it is possible to have both glass types.
Applications of Laminated Glass
- Glass railings
- Glass floors
- Skylights
- Roofs
- Curtain walls
- Glass facades
- Sunspaces
Applications of Tempered Glass
- Windshields
- Aquariums
- Refrigerator trays
- Shower doors
- Doors and windows
- Partitions
- Glass table tops
Cost
The cost comes into play at the end while making the key differences between laminated glass vs tempered glass. The manufacturing process of laminated glass is more tricky and expensive compared to tempered glass. It is due to the more material involved in laminated glass manufacturing. The use of resin, dual or triple glass panes, and heating and treatment procedures also affect the prices and make it more pricey than tempered glass.
Tempered glass is also expensive but less expensive than laminated glass. However, it is highly expensive than the standard glass, and depending upon the constructor’s preferences, the tempered glass can also see a great price hike.
Related: How to know if Glass is Genuinely Tempered?
Conclusion
The laminated glass vs tempered glass comparison usually occurs when you need a quality glass material that serves your purpose. However, you must keep in mind that both types of glass are “safety glass” that have meant to bear the strong impacts and pressures.
This guide must have helped you in deciding which glass to choose for your needs. If you have done with the guide, you may visit the Glass Genius marketplace and order your desired glass product at affordable prices.
