What is Toughen Glass?

Toughen Glass is a type of safety glass mainly used for structural purposes. Toughening is processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatment to increase the glass strength. Toughened glass is mainly used when strength, thermal properties and safety are of utmost important. It is used for projects purpose like buildings, offices, interiors, etc. Tempered glass is another type of glass that appears quite similar to toughen glass. These two glasses are often mistaken by home owners.

Let’s find out the difference between the two.

Difference between Toughen Glass and Tempered Glass

Tempered glass is glass made on gas Bhatti. Tempered glass is quite a stiff glass. Whereas toughen glass is manufactured on electrical Bhatti making it 4-5 times stronger than tempered glass. Due to poor strength as compared to toughened glass, tempered glass is more prone to breakage. When tempered glass breaks, it breaks into pieces that can hurt anyone. While on breakage, toughen glass turns into small particles like ash that wouldn’t hurt anyone.

Toughened glass is treated to bring 10,000-15,000 psi on surface and edge compression not less than 9,000 psi. It is this compressive strength that gives increased strength to toughened glass. Toughened glass provides greater thermal strength and is resistant to sudden temperature changes.

Cost-wise there’s not much of a difference in tempered glass and toughen glass. For a layman it can be very difficult to differentiate between the two is placed together. And therefore there are chances of him to get cheated. Usually toughened glass are always sold with certification. So we suggest all Home-owners to look for a tag or mark or sticker on glass that has glass details written while buying.

Toughen Glass for Interiors

Toughen Glass was initially used only for structural purposes. But with awareness of its features and benefits, Home owners, interior designers and contractors have started using it for home and office interiors too. It is most commonly used for doors and partitions without frames. Two main advantages of having toughen glass is, its strength and on braking it doesn’t hurt anyone like tempered glass.

Toughen Glass as Partition

Toughen Glass as Partition

How Toughened Glass Gained popularity

Toughen Glass is not a newly introduced product or concept. It was introduced to Indian market 30-0 years back. Toughened glass features were not known to all and therefore it wasn’t widely used. Another reason was toughen glass was quite an expensive product then due to limited factories/units manufacturing it. But now with increased number of manufacturing plants, and awareness, toughen glass has become quite an economical product and is easily available.

It was in year 2000 that toughen glass industry experienced sudden growth in India. Since then it is commonly used for not only exterior purposes but for interiors too. Toughen Glass in foreign countries has been used for any, many years now.

Toughened Glass has now become an important and compulsory product for project i.e. to build facades, partitions, etc. As mentioned earlier it gained importance mainly for its strength and features. Also its is quite a durable glass. Normal or basic glass is not used as on breaking it can hurt anyone. Infact there’s a rule passed by Indian Government to strictly use toughen glass only. A case can be registered if anyone uses basic glass especially for structural purposes.

Toughen Glass used for Facade of Retail Stores

Toughen Glass used for Facade of Retail Stores

Few other types of Glasses in India

There are different types of glasses like Designer glass, Imported Glass, China made glass available in Indian market.

Designer Glass are glasses that are created in different colors, designs on it mainly as per homeowners/constomers choice. For designer glasses a design is chosen from the catalog or any other reference which is then created as per desired size and style. The design on/off the glass is a lifelong design created. Designer glass are created in different ways like either it is handmade or if it is supposed to undergo any chemical process, then you have acidic, crystals, etc. process.

Designer Glasses for Offices Glass Partition and Doors

Designer Glasses for Offices Glass Partition and Doors

Other glasses are imported from various countries like Dubai, UK, UAE, America, Europe, etc.

China made glasses are clear glasses that were also heavily imported in India. But now it has been banned due to undue imported of glass from other countries. This adversely affected Indian glass market. In India there are 3-4 companies namely H&G, Saint Gobain, Modiguard, Gold Plus, ASI manufacturing glass. Glass is not made locally as no local or layman can afford heavy and expensive plants to set up manufacturing units.