08/04/2014
Laminate vs Tempered Glass for Security & Safety:When choosing glass for your facilities windows and doors it pays to consider the pros and cons of laminate vs tempered glass.Laminated GlassLaminated glass is constructed by placing a thin layer of plastic laminate material over the glass panes. There are usually two layers of glass sandwiched with the laminate to create a substantially sturdier glass. If the glass is broken the laminate keeps the pieces together.Laminated glass panels, windows and doors are considered very safe and secure; they don't shatter easily, which helps reduce the risk of damage from flying glass. They are very effective in preventing break-ins and theft since breaking a laminated window requires substantial effort - with lots of noise. Laminated windows even offer some level of protection from minor explosions. Finally, for facilities in high traffic or noisy areas, laminated windows can offer very good soundproofing which varies depending on the qualities of the laminate material.Tempered GlassTempered glass undergoes a process that makes it 5 to 10 times harder than untempered glass. When the glass is shattered it breaks into small granular pieces rather than sharp shards.So Which Glass Do I Use?Well from a security standpoint it makes sense to use laminated glass on ground level doors and windows which a thief might smash to gain entry. Facilities in areas prone to severe weather might want to use laminate on all exterior glass. The interior glass usage can be decided by putting some thought into how the space will be used. For example laminated glass can offer increased protection and some sound proofing of sensitive spaces like a corporate meeting room but you'll need to be sure that a totally enclosed space has some sort of emergency exit as breaking out would be as difficult as breaking in.
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