Differences Between Toughened Glass and Heat Strengthened Glass

Whether it is our desktop or tabletop, our computer screens, ovens, doors, windows, lights, bulbs, phones, crockery, and any other thing under the sun, glass is a material that lends support like no other material can.

Glass is a versatile material. It occurs in numerous different forms and is processed in a variety of ways to suit all the different purposes that it does.

Toughened glass and heat strengthened glass are two of the most popular variants of glass that are commonly seen. Though by the names they can easily get one baffled, these two are different in the way they are formed and the uses they satisfy.

Here we will discuss toughened and heat strengthened glasses and see what makes them different from each other.

Toughened Glass

Toughened or tempered glass makes a certain category of safety glasses that are manufactured with the help of controlled thermal treatments. This helps it increase in strength and durability than normal, unprocessed glass. Toughened glass is tempered, which helps put the exterior surface into compression, whereas the interior surface is put into tension. This helps them break into small granular chunks instead of being broken into sharp shards of glass, which might otherwise cause serious injuries. Toughened glass is extensively used in ovens, motor vehicles, and architectural facades, and spider-fitting canopies and walls that take in a lot of heat.

Heat Strengthened Glass

Heat-strengthened glass is also a kind of safety glass that is processed by treating the glass with heat, much like the way toughened glasses are created, with the only exception being that the cooling process is much slower here. Heat-strengthened glass is usually used in the windows of cars, curtainwalls, etc.

Some Major Differences Between Toughened and Heat Strengthened

Glasses!

If you are wondering about the differences between toughened glasses and heat strengthened glasses then let’s look at the major ones:

1. Both toughened and heat strengthened glass are exposed to heat but the cooling method of the toughened glasses is slower than that of the other form of glass.
2. Toughened glass breaks into tiny pieces of glass, whereas the heat-strengthened ones break into relatively larger pieces that can remain in the glazing system until removed.
3. The heat-strengthened glass will need a surface compression of 3,500-7,500 psi without any requirement for edge compression whereas tempered glasses will either be having a minimum surface compression of 10,000 psi or an edge compression of greater than or equal to 9,700 psi.
4. Heat-strengthened glass is used in places that require a level of resistance from wind pressure and thermal stress and are seen as a popular option for doors and windows. On the other hand, tempered safety glass can bear weight and are safe enough to be used as tabletops, parts of foodservice equipment, furniture, and more.
5. When it comes to a glazing system, heat-strengthened glass is useful because these kinds of glasses will not come out of the glazing whereas it is just the opposite when it comes to toughened glass.
6. Toughened glass is often used in shower screens, canopy glass, spider-fitting walls, and glass facades that have penetrations.

Now that you are aware of both the variants – toughened and heat strengthened glass, their characteristics, and differences, it would be easy for you now to make your choice depending on the application.

Toughened Glass:

Heat Strengthened Glass:

Also Read: What are the benefits of using Double glazed curtainwall and why are they different from the standard single-glazed windows?