It’s every house owner’s wish that their door and window glass last for a lifetime, due to the presence of weak glass material in the door glass which leads to breakage and it needs a fresh replacement. In this article, we will discuss how thick your safety glass is and the benefits of using it. To avoid chances of unwanted injuries and breakage of glass, safety glass is recommended for almost all doors and windows of your house.
How Thick Is Safety Glass?
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The actual thickness of safety glass is not the same for every purpose that you are going to use. The thickness of safety glass for doors and windows is different from the thickness of glass furnishings and tables.
- 3/16 inches thickness is used for big doors, single panel windows, and small doors, while on the other hand 1/8 inches thickness is required for photo frames, fridges, and small glass tabletops.
- 1/2 inches width is used for glass walls, hand railings, bigger tabletops, and shower tops whereas 3/4 inches width is suggested for glass floors, stone walls, and wider racks.
- 1-inch thickness is mainly used for glass furnishings, glass floors, and stepping stones.
It is crucial to choose the right glass thickness and the appropriate type for the required purpose, safety glass can also be attached with security alarms to ensure the safety of your house too.
Can I Install Safety Glass Manually?
Safety glass can be manually installed on all the doors, windows and glazed areas that are present below 800mm from the floor level. Installing a safety glass manually is easy as some simple steps need to be followed:
Total Time: 60 minutes
1. Remove old glass
One of the foremost steps in inserting safety glass into almost all doors and windows is by removing the old glass that is being damaged or worn out. Place the new safety glass in its previous existing position carefully and use a small pry bar to remove the trim around the doors and windows. A Putty knife can also be used to remove the small pieces of wooden or glass frames.
2. Remove the glazing compound
Use a putty knife or a small pry bar to remove the glazing compound from the doors and windows. Now use some mineral spirits or a heating gun to make harder compounds soften by heating them carefully.
3. Insert the glass
Now insert the safety glass into the door or a window carefully and apply some caulk or sealant to make sure that the safety glass sets properly. Apply some glazing compound around the edges of doors and windows, with the help of a putty knife try to spread it more uniformly. You can use a high quality glass cutter to cut a glass in shape.
4. Set the security glass
Set the security glass to its position properly while waiting for the sealant or caulk to dry it more properly. Apply extra pressure along the edges of doors and windows to make sure it is set properly. Use a glazing tool to remove the extra glazing material from the security glass. Moreover ensure that you put a good security film on your security glass.
Do make sure that you put a high quality glass break sensor on your security glass.
5. Paint the glazing compound
This step is additional but it gives an aesthetic look to your doors and windows. Make use of painter’s tape for sealing off the glass pane and paint the glazing compound of the same color as that of the color of the frame.
Tools:
- Safety glass
- Hinges
- Caulk/ sealant
- Pry bar
- mineral spirits
- Glazing compound
- Putty knife
How Much Does It Cost?
The main question that comes regarding the cost of security glass, the average cost of security glass depends on many factors such as:
- Thickness of the security glass
- Size of the glass
- Company of the glass
- Extra features (if required )
Cost Of Glass
- The average cost of the security glass starts from $10 to $35 per square foot, while for the door the average cost will be $20 to $25 per pane.
- For shelves, the security glass can cost you $30 to $40 for the height of 12” × 24”.
- The additional charges include the installation cost and expense of additional features such as color and cutting of the security glass.
- Security glass costs for front doors can cost you $150 to $600, whereas the cost for a sliding door can cost you $250 to $600 per panel of doors.
- The average cost of security glass for an acrylic window can cost you $7 to $40 per square foot, whereas for thermopane window glass it could cost you $50 to $80 per square foot.
Difference Between The Safety Glass And Security Glass
One of the major confusion that most of the customers have is regarding safety glass and security glass. It is important to know the differences between the two as only then we will be able to decide which glass will be best for residential and commercial purposes.
Why Safety Glass Is Used ?
Safety glass acts as a protective shield and provides extra security to the things inside your house or office. It also reduces the chances of unwanted injuries which is caused by the breakage of glass doors, windows, tables, and racks.
Examples of areas where safety glass is used:
- Glass windows
- Glass doors
- Stairs
- Bathrooms
- Tabletops
- Furniture
- Frames
- Racks and shelves
Safety glass is used to withstand the extra stress which can affect the glass and cause breakage. Even if the glass gets broken, safety glass ensures the safety and protection of your children by reducing the chances of injuries in the house. Apart from its common usage in doors and windows, it is also widely used in glazed doors, shower screens, glass balustrades, glass walls, etc.
For office purposes, safety glass is commonly used on glass floors, tabletops, shelves, facades, furniture, and even on railings of buildings.
Final Talk
Even being one of the common access points for burglars, the safety of glass doors and windows is not taken too seriously. Switching to security glass for your door windows, furniture, tabletops, and stairs will not only keep your house safe and secure but can also reduce the chances of unwanted injuries, especially in the case of children. Live a safe and secure life with security glass as it acts as a protective shield and ensures protection for the things inside your home and office.
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