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Glass Types

Clear Annealed Glass

Annealed glass is the standard clear glass commonly used in windows and doors. It provides excellent natural light and can be manufactured in both clear and coloured options. Because of its versatility, it’s often used as the base material for producing more advanced glass types. In residential settings, annealed glass is the minimum requirement for general installations.

Pros

  1. Cost-effective
  2. Performs well under wind pressure and temperature changes
  3. Allows maximum light to pass through
  4. Offers excellent clarity and visibility
  5. Available in opaque finishes and a range of tints

Cons

  1. Breaks into large, sharp pieces when smashed
  2. Strength limitations restrict the size of panels that can be safely installed

Patterned Glass

Patterned glass is widely used in both residential and commercial settings, particularly in bathrooms and other areas where privacy is important. Available in a range of designs and textures, patterned glass allows natural light to enter while obscuring visibility, creating a bright yet private environment.

Pros

  1. Provides excellent privacy
  2. Softens and diffuses light effectively
  3. Low maintenance and easy to clean
  4. A stylish alternative to blinds or curtains

Cons

  1. Patterned glass can be manufactured from either annealed or toughened glass, so any limitations depend on the underlying glass type chosen.

Tinted Glass

Tinted glass is created by adding colour during the manufacturing process, resulting in a stylish and functional glazing option. The most common tint colours include bronze, green, and grey, each offering its own aesthetic appeal and level of solar control. Tinted glass is designed to reduce glare and limit heat transmission from the sun, making it an excellent choice for areas exposed to strong daylight, such as balconies, large windows, and outdoor living spaces. It not only enhances comfort but also provides a subtle level of daytime privacy.

Pros

  1. Helps protect furniture and interior finishes by reducing UV-related fading
  2. Offers increased daytime privacy without the need for blinds or curtains
  3. Minimises heat and glare, improving indoor comfort and energy efficiency

Cons

  1. Reduces the amount of visible light entering the space
  2. Can decrease clarity and visibility when compared to clear glass

Mirror

Mirrored glass is designed with a specialised reflective coating that creates a mirror-like finish. It’s widely used not only as a traditional wall mirror but also in furniture, wardrobe doors, splashbacks, tabletops, commercial interiors, and decorative features. Mirrored glass is popular in both residential and commercial spaces due to its ability to enhance lighting, improve aesthetics, and contribute to a more open and spacious feel within any room.

Pros

  1. Reflects light exceptionally well, making it ideal for smaller or darker rooms by creating the illusion of additional space and brightness
  2. Highly versatile — can be cut into a wide range of lengths, shapes, bevels, and styles, allowing full customisation to match your design vision
  3. Works beautifully in modern interiors, gym spaces, bathrooms, hallways, and retail environments
  4. Helps distribute natural light throughout a room, improving ambience and reducing reliance on artificial lighting

Cons

  1. Once fixed to a wall, mirrored glass can be difficult and time-consuming to remove
  2. It is typically installed using silicone, and removal may damage the wall surface, plaster, or paint beneath
  3. Care must be taken during installation to avoid moisture contact with the mirror backing, which can cause deterioration over time

 Read more about mirrors

Safety Glass

Safety glass is specially engineered glass designed to minimize the risk of injury when broken. Unlike ordinary annealed glass, which shatters into large, dangerous jagged shards, safety glass is required by building codes in high-risk areas such as doors, shower screens, sidelights, balustrades, low-level glazing, and anywhere human impact is likely.

There are two primary types of safety glass: toughened (tempered) glass and laminated glass. Both meet safety standards, but they perform differently when damaged and offer unique additional benefits.

1. Toughened (Tempered) Glass

Toughened glass is made by heating annealed glass to approximately 620°C and then rapidly cooling it with high-pressure air jets. This process puts the surfaces into compression and the core into tension, making the glass 4–5 times stronger than regular glass and highly resistant to impact and thermal shock.

How it breaks: When the tension is finally exceeded, the entire panel instantly disintegrates into thousands of small, blunt granular pieces (like tiny pebbles) rather than sharp knives — dramatically reducing the risk of deep cuts or lacerations.

Key advantages

  • Extremely strong and impact-resistant
  • Excellent resistance to heat and temperature changes (ideal for ovens, fireplaces, and hot climates)
  • Safe breakage pattern
  • Suitable for large frameless panels, shower screens, glass doors, and balustrades
  • Available in clear, tinted, frosted, or patterned finishes

Limitations

  • Cannot be cut, drilled, or modified after tempering — all fabrication must be done beforehand
  • Slight optical distortions or roller-wave marks can sometimes be visible
  • Higher cost than regular glass

2. Laminated Glass

Laminated glass consists of two or more layers of glass permanently bonded together with a tough plastic interlayer (usually PVB or EVA). If the glass is struck hard enough to crack, the interlayer holds the broken pieces firmly in place, keeping the panel intact and maintaining a barrier.

How it breaks: The glass may crack or spider-web, but it does not collapse or create loose shards. It remains in the frame like a cracked car windscreen.

Key advantages

  • Outstanding security — very difficult and time-consuming to penetrate (widely used in shopfronts and high-security buildings)
  • Excellent noise reduction (popular for homes near roads or airports)
  • Blocks up to 99% of UV rays, protecting furniture and flooring from fading
  • Can incorporate tints, Low-E coatings, or decorative interlayers
  • Often more cost-effective than toughened glass for many safety applications

Limitations

  • Can be difficult to break deliberately in emergencies (though marked “break here” points or special tools can be used)
  • Edge sealing must be perfect; prolonged water exposure can (rarely) cause delamination in poor-quality products
  • Slightly thicker and heavier than single-pane equivalents

Which one should you choose?

  • Choose toughened glass when you need maximum strength, thermal resistance, and safe breakage into small pieces (e.g., shower screens, glass doors, balustrades).
  • Choose laminated glass when security, noise control, UV protection, or fall-through prevention is the priority (e.g., overhead glazing, shopfronts, windscreens, soundproof windows).
  • Many modern installations use toughened laminated glass (both processes combined) for the ultimate combination of strength, safety, and performance.

In short, wherever there is a risk of human impact, safety glass — either toughened, laminated, or both — is not just recommended, it is legally required in most countries. It provides peace of mind along with enhanced security, comfort, and energy performance.

Read more about safety glass for doors

Performance Glass

What is Performance Low-E Glass? Low-E (Low Emissivity) Glass is a type of window glass coated with an ultra-thin, virtually invisible metallic layer. This special coating dramatically reduces the transfer of heat or cold through the glass, helping homes stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer while cutting energy waste.

Key Benefits

  • Lower energy bills – Reflects heat back to its source, reducing the workload on heating and cooling systems.
  • Superior insulation – Provides better thermal performance than standard glass, even in harsh climates.
  • Versatile compatibility – Works seamlessly with double-glazed, triple-glazed, and laminated glass units.
  • UV protection – Blocks most harmful ultraviolet rays, helping prevent fading of furniture, carpets, and artwork.
  • Year-round comfort – Minimizes cold spots near windows in winter and heat gain in summer.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Slight tint or haze – In certain lighting conditions or viewing angles, some Low-E coatings can give the glass a subtle hazy or mirrored appearance (modern “soft-coat” versions have largely reduced this issue).
  • Higher upfront cost – Typically more expensive than regular clear glass, though the investment usually pays off through energy savings.

In short, Low-E glass is one of the most effective upgrades for improving a home’s energy efficiency and comfort, and it’s now considered standard in most high-performance windows.