Laminated and Tempered Glass
Laminated and tempered glasses are two of the best glass products available on the market. Glass has always been a great product for cars, windows, house wares; almost every industry has benefitted from the glass products. Luckily, we’ve made some great advancements to glass in the past few decades, ranging from safety glass, tempered glass and laminated glass. These products help to make glass more versatile and safe for all consumers. So what is the difference between laminated glass and tempered glass? And more importantly, can we combine the processes into a laminated, tempered glass?
Laminated and tempered glasses have both undergone a process to help make the glass more durable to outside forces. Laminated glass is typically used in the windshields of automobiles and stands up to high winds. Tempered glass, on the other hand are commonly used in frameless doors and glass marker boards, since they are incredibly strong on their own.
When you think of laminated glass, you may just assume it’s a regular piece of glass that’s been bound on each side with a clear laminate. In reality, laminated glass is produced by bonding layers of layers together with a resin called polyvinyl butyral. This resin provides insulation as well as binds the layers of glass together with some flexibility. This glass stands up to wind so well because it is a mix of glass and plastic, and will flex quite a bit before shattering.
Laminated glass is strong, but tempered glass is one of the strongest kinds of glass available on the market. Tempered glass is also made through a special process and is up to ten times stronger than regular glass. Also known as toughened glass, tempered glass undergoes a chemical and thermal process to strengthen the molecules. When tempered glass is broken, it breaks into small, pebble-like pieces instead of large shards, which makes it much safer to use. Glassboards, glass tables and products you’d find in a classroom or office are often made of tempered glass, which is great to give off the sleek and modern look of glass with virtually no worries of breaking and injuring yourself.
Finally, there is a way to make glass both laminated and tempered. The process can be difficult and expensive, but the outcome is worth it. Many car manufacturers are switching to a tempered, laminated glass. Will more manufacturers turn to this hybrid glass in the future? As of now it looks like most are sticking to one process or the other, but if a better product can be made, there will always be companies looking to make it.
About Clarus Glassboards: Clarus is the leading manufacturer and innovator of glass whiteboards and glass visual display products. For more information about clear dry erase boards and our other glass architectural systems, please call 888-813-7414 or visit www.clarusglassboards.com.
