Types of Glass – Glass is an artificial solid substance, usually transparent or translucent, hard, brittle, and weatherproof. Since ancient times, glass has been used to create functional and beautiful designs, and it is now crucial to many sectors, including building construction.
History of Glass | Types of Glass
It is unknown who first developed the art of producing glass. There is a tale about merchants cooking supper on the sand while utilizing chunks of nitrum from their ship as supports for their pots. Glass flowed as a result of the nitrum fusing and combining with the shore’s sands. Still, it is improbable that the temperature was high enough for this to happen.
It’s possible that other heat-producing industries, like metalworking and ceramics, contributed to the development of glass. Modern glass making involves melting natural raw materials, often sand and alkali, at extremely high temperatures.
Glass as a construction material
The glass’s modulus of rupture value determines its strength. Glass is typically a brittle material. Still, we may increase its strength by adding admixtures and laminates. Glass can be blown as it is molten or moulded into any shape. Glass’s ability to be treated is hence an excellent quality. Any type of glass is 100% recyclable. It can also be used as a raw material in the construction sector.
Limitation of Glass
Because of the high temperatures required for processing the raw components, glass manufacturing is highly energy-intensive. Because of its openness, using glass in a building raises the total cost of security and privacy.
Types of 5mm glass
Glass thicknesses vary in importance. However, thinner glass has the advantage of being portable, lightweight, and easy to install anywhere. The ideal glass for heavy-duty applications is thicker since it is more spectacular, durable, and substantial to make a statement in your house or place of business.
For example, a tiny side table can have 5mm glass, a dining table for four people should have 10 mm glass, and a large conference table will have 16mm glass. All these thickness differences in usage and load will be applied to the table. These thicknesses go up to 19mm. The strength of glass is proportional to its thickness; the more the thickness Tensile, the greater the strength.
When we talk about 5mm glass, it is used for fewer-load objects such as tables and small shelves in the bathroom or for less-load spaces, windows, shower cubicles, etc. Here are a few types of glass:
Clear Glass
Clear glass, often known as see-through glass, has numerous applications. It can be used for small windows, automotive windows, and even picture frame glass panes. In 5mm thickness, mostly low-iron glass is used: It is a form of glass that is comparable to transparent glass. However, because it is comprised of silica, it is significantly more transparent and is frequently used for store shelving or glass tiles. The above shown is Rs. 120/sq.ft. (Source: IndiaMart, subject to change in price in terms of design)
Pattern Glass | Types of Glass
These come in different patterns depending on the design and imprints. These are 200/sq.ft (Source: India Mart, subject to change in price in terms of design)
Frosted glass is one example of glass with a glaze applied to it, making it opaque. This offers the glass some seclusion, making it an excellent choice for glass closet doors or shower surrounds.
Reeded glass is patterned glass with lines running through it. Its contemporary, clean lines make it an excellent choice for office windows and walls. These are aesthetic options for windows, partitions, and décor items.
Tinted Glass
Tinted glass is a construction material that is nothing more than coloured glass. To make coloured glass, a specific sort of ion is added to the usual glass mix. Colour does not affect the qualities of tinted glass. In glass manufacture, for example, iron oxide produces green, and sulfur produces blue colour hues. You can see tinted glasses mostly on car screens. Above shown is Saint Gobain Optional Tinted Glass which is ₹ 60 / Square feet. (Source: IndiaMart, subject to change in price in terms of design)
Laminated Glass
As the name implies, this glass is made up of layers of ordinary glass held together by a transparent, flexible material. Because it is a sandwich of two or more sheets of glass, this sort of glass is frequently UV and soundproof, which explains its applications in bridge construction and aquarium construction. It is particularly suitable for building glass canopies since it can prevent harmful radiation. This glass is made up of two sheets of toughened glass and a laminate in the middle. Typically, this is 5mm hardened/2.28mm laminate/6mm toughened. The above shown is 250/sq.ft. (Source: India Mart, subject to change in price in terms of design).
Toughened Glass | Types of Glass
This is the most commonly utilized type of glass in balustrades and other structural applications. Conduction, convection, and radiation are used to heat the annealed glass to around 700 degrees Celsius. A consistent and simultaneous blast of air on both sides accelerates the cooling process. Distinct cooling speeds cause different physical qualities on the surface and inside of the glass, resulting in compressive stresses on the surface balanced by tensile stresses in the body of the glass.
This procedure strengthens and protects the glass four to five times more than annealed or untreated glass.
Glass is becoming more popular as a good and efficient building material in current times. Glass is now frequently employed in both high-rise buildings and local construction. Because of its ability to transmit, absorb, or refract light in any direction, the glass may bring beauty to structures. As a result, it might be regarded as a suitable building material.
Because of its transparency as a glazing material, it is used in numerous structural components. It is used in a variety of architectural applications, such as doors, windows, and partitions. It allows for visual communication with the outside world while also offering protection, security, and privacy.
Reference
- The-sun.com. When was glass invented? [online] Available at: <https://www.the-sun.com/news/4399845/when-glass-invented/>
- Fab Glass and Mirror. Available Glass Types, Edges & Thickness. [online] Available at: <https://www.fabglassandmirror.com/glass-types-and-thicknesses>
- The Constructor. 10 Types of Glasses [PDF]: Engineering Properties, and Applications in Constructions. [online] Available at: <https://theconstructor.org/building/types-glass-properties-applications-construction>
- Buy Glass. Glass sheet thickness and its applications. [online] Available at: <https://www.buyglass.in/blog/glass/24/Glass-sheet-thickness-and-its-applications>
- Supertuff. Clear Float Glass. [online] Available at: < https://supertuff.co.uk/glass-types-sizes/>
- CivicConcepts. Glass As a Building Material | 11 Types of Glass Used In Construction | Advantages of Glass | Disadvantages of Glass | Properties of Glass. [online] Available at: https://civiconcepts.com/blog/glass-building-material#3_Laminated_Glass>
