All glass installed in buildings shall comply with relevant Australian Standards. It is strongly recommended that builders, architects, building designers and building surveyors ensure evidence is provided. Marking of glass to ensure compliance to AS2208 is mandatory.

The use of monolithic toughened glass more than 5000mm above finished floor height may be at risk of spontaneous breakage. Toughened glass glazed monolithically should be heat soaked unless a barrier exists which will revert the fragments from falling and reduce the risk of injury.

An awning or a balcony would be considered a barrier which suits this purpose. Please refer to AS1288 for further clarification.

1.   Doors

• Small panels in doors 3mm and 4mm annealed glass is permitted to a maximum of 0.1m2 and a maximum panel width of 125mm.
• Small panels in doors 5mm and 6mm annealed glass is permitted to a maximum of 0.26 m2 with a maximum panel width of 300mm 
• Unframed doors other than those in bathrooms shall be glazed with toughened safety glass with a minimum of 10mm thickness. 

2. Side Panels (Glass which has its vertical sight line within 300mm of door opening)

• A minumum of 5mm ordinary annealed glass may be used up to a maximum area of 0.3 m2
• For decorated glass 3mm and 4mm glass shall not exceed 0.1m2 to a maximum panel width of 125mm.
• For decorated glass 5mm and 6mm glass shall not exceed 0.26m2 to a maximum panel width of 300mm.
• Grade A Safety glass to TABLE 5.1 if the panel is within 1200mm from floor or ground level and fully framed.

3. Windows (Low Lights)

All low level glazing where the lowest sight line is less than 500mm from the ground or floor level shall be Grade A safety glass to Table 5.1 except:

in fully framed glazing ordinary annealled glass not less than 5mm is permitted to a maximum area of 1.2 m2. Larger areas of ordinary annealed glass are not permitted regardless of glass thickness.

4. Glass which could be mistaken for a doorway or opening.

Ask yourself “could anyone mistake the panel for a doorway or opening ans potentially walk into the glass”?

If yes, use Grade A safety glass

***NOTE: The panel cannot be mistaken IF:

• Opening is equal to or less than 500mm wid.
• Lowest sight line is 500mm above the floor
• The sight size height is less than 1000mm
• The glazing is opaque or patterned
• A chair rail is provided with its upper edge not less than 700mm and its top edge not more than 1000mm above the floor level.
• The panels are louvres with a blade width not greater than 230mm
• A difference in floor level of 1000mm

5. Bathrooms

All Glass in bathrooms should use Grade A or B safety glass for fully framed glazing. The only exception being a mirror, which is either fully adhered to the wall or fully protected by a vanity or bench with a minimum height of 760mm and a minimum depth of 300mm.

• Partly framed glazing shall be glazed with Grade A Safety Glass with a minimum thickness of 5mm to an area not exceeding 2.2m3
• Frameless glazing in shower screen doors and returns shall be Grade A toughened or toughened laminate with a minimum thickness of 6mm.

6. Louvre blades subject to risk of human impact

Where Grade A safety glass is required and louvres are used, those louvres shall be Grade A toughened safety glass. A nominal thickness of 5mm up to 230mm in blade width and 1000mm in blade length ie: bathrooms, side panels, aged care and schools.

7. Two Edge Unframed Glazing

Glazing with two horizontal edges unframed shall be Grade A safety glass and comply with the following.

• 5mm toughened to a maximum 1000mm span
• 6mm toughened to a maximum 1200mm span
• 6.38mm laminated to a maximum 750mm span

8. Stairway Glazing

Glazing including mirrors in stairways, shall be Grade A safety glass in the following situations:

• Within 2000mm horizontally and at right angles to the bottom riser of each stair flight.
• Withing 1000mmm and parallel to any part of the stair flight or landing.
• Safety glass is not required where the glazing is protected by a solid barrier not less than 1000mm in height.

9. Making Glass Visible

If the presence of glass is not made visible in a door, side panel or a panel capable of being mistaken for a doorway or opening and is not made apparent by other means, the glass shall be marked to make it visible.

Marking shall be in the form of an opaque band not less than 20mm in height and located so that the vertical height from the floor level is:

• Not less than 700mm from the upper edges of the band and
• Not more than 1200mm to the lower edge of the band.

Making glass visible is not a substitute for safety glazing.

NOTE: Toughened laminate can be substituted where toughened is required.

10. Balustrades

All balustrades require an interlinking hand rail where the difference in floor level is greater than 1000mm.

Glass in balustrades which have a load supporting handrail and use glass infill panels at 1.0kPa and 0.50kN, which are framed on two opposite sides or are fully framed on all four edges, shall be a minimum of 8mm toughened to a maximum span of 1070mm between supports.

10mm toughened to a maiximum span of 1650mm supports. 12mm toughened to a maximum span of 1930mm between supports.

Span is defined as the distance between supports. For glass supported on all four edges, span is the smaller dimension.

PLEASE NOTE

• This guide applies to glass that has a maximum wind load of 1.5 ULS and .80 SLS and an aspect ratio not greater than 4.
• It only applies where panels are supported on 4 sides (except where indicated)
• This guide applies to glass that is within 2000mm of ground or floor level

Disclaimer: This post has been developed to provide general guidance, awareness and education. It should not be viewed as a definitive guide. While every effort has been made to ensure all information is accurate True Blue Glass expressly disclaims all and any liability to any person for anything done in reliance on this publication.

No responsibility is accepted by True Blue Glass for any mistakes, errors or omissions in this publication.

Glass repairs Gold Coast, Brisbane and more!

When it comes to your windows at home, it might be fair to say that the first things that come to mind are the benefits that windows provide in colder and wetter months. Safe and secure windows keep your home interior from suffering from elements like moisture, low temperatures and strong wind, but you should also be remembering that windows are just as important and beneficial during the summer too! 

Here at True Blue Glass, glass repairs are a year-round activity for us, and we think it’s important for you to know that getting things fixed is just as crucial in the summer as it is in the winter. Here are just a few of the ways that having repaired, full health windows can help you during hot summer months.

• In cases of extreme heat, something that we have the potential to get in this country, glass that is compromised or weak in places can actually crack under the conditions. The last thing you want is to have to arrange repairs when it feels as hot as hell outside! This can be avoided with regular glass maintenance.

• Many modern varieties of window and door glass are treated in such a way that they react to insulate in the cold and react to withstand heat when it is too hot. With this kind of technology and innovation, your windows can be a first line of defence against the hot weather to keep the interior of your home as cool as possible.

• If you have a room like a conservatory, it is extremely important to make sure that the glass you use for it is treated to protect you from the harmful rays of the sun. Conservatories are wonderful places to spend time in the summer, but poor quality glass will just intensify the effects of the sun and put you in a dangerous position. With high quality treated glass, you can enjoy the sun whilst still having some sort of protection.

So, if you need one, two, or even more of your glass windows repaired in the near future, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our glass repairs experts. Our professional and experienced service is the best you can hope to receive in the region. Make sure that your home is prepared for all months of the year, including hot summers!

 

The Australian Window Association (AWA) and Australian Glass & Glazing Association (AGGA) are the national peak bodies representing and serving businesses in the window, glass and glazing industries.

Recognising that together the Associations can better serve and promote the interests of their members, the AWA and AGGA decided to join forces late in 2018.

Representing over 1000 member companies covering window manufacturers, glass manufacturers, glass processors, merchants, glaziers and suppliers of supporting machinery, services and materials.

Using an AGWA member when purchasing your window and door products significantly reduces the risk of purchasing the incorrect product for your application.

The AGWA provides window and door specific industry training to members lifting the level of competency within our industry.

AGWA members have access to the latest changes in regulation and industry standards and ensure their products are compliant.

By choosing an AGWA member when purchasing your window and door products, you are guaranteed that:

• All window and door products have been manufactured in compliance with all relevant Australian Standards.
• The windows design performance is verified using a NATA accredited testing laboratory. NATA Brochure Download
• The windows are accurately labelled with the ‘wind pressure’ and ‘water penetration’ requirements of AS2047.
• The windows are subject to annual NATA inspections.
• Business is conducted with honesty and integrity, upholding the right to a fair return for goods and services supplied.

Reduce the risk of getting it wrong, choose an AGWA member for your window and door products.

 

It is fair to say that being a glazier probably causes a few confused looks when you tell some one what trade you are in but being a glazier means you have to have a wide range of knowledge and expertise.

So glaziers are tradies that deal with all aspects of glass supply, repair and installation.

With specially designed architectural designed homes on the rise it has created a greater use of glass to create the dream of the owners.

This in turn has made the glazing trade evolve and all glaziers new and old have had adapt as its no longer good enough to just be doing “hack outs” which is the term for “hacking” out broken glass and replacing with new glass.

Glaziers now specialise in all different types of glass applications which is why making sure customers need to make sure they are getting a reputable and knowledge company when replacing there glass or installing a new shower in their home.

For the older generation if you think of your family home now compared to when you were younger, we had smaller windows which were generally double hung windows. Internally would mostly just be a cabinet mirror in the bathroom and that’s about it.

Now glass makes up almost 30% of our external cladding including big picture windows, glass sliding doors and glass balustrading.

Internally we have kitchen splash backs, huge mirrors in our bathrooms and internal glass doors throughout.

So really the question is not “What do Glaziers do?” but should be “What do I want my Glazier to do?”.

Glass Splashbacks – can come in almost any colour you can think of. And with advances in technology and design you can even get glass splashbacks with imbedded graphic designs.

Glass Balustrades – for pool surrounds, decking and stairwells can add a clean and spacious feel to an area.

Showerscreens repair & new installations– there are so many choices when it comes to shower screens including framed, semi-frameless and frameless. We can also service and repair your existing shower screen.

Glass Tabletops & Shelving – glass tabletops can be used to protect timber or marble surfaces or can be the table top itself. Tabletops that not fully supported should be Grade A toughened safety glass. Glass used to protect a surface may only be in ordinary float glass.

Glass Replacement – repair of broken windows and glass in doors.

Mirrors – Mirrors are often features in bathroom to bring in light and add bring a contemporary feel.

Pet Door Installations – we all love our pets and by adding a pet door to your glass window or door we can provide easy access in and out of the house.

External Cladding – often includes high rise glazing and requires a whole unique skill set.

Commercial shopfronts and Commercial Fit outs – think retail shops and all the glass required to fit it out. This could include curved glass, shelving, mirrors and internal partitions.

Install new aluminium doors and window Glazing – This is glazing new frames -timber, aluminum or steel.

Architectural Glazing Features – such as slumped glass and lead lighting as well as specialised coloured glass and often involves aluminium fabrication.

Double Glazing – or Insulated Glazing Units which are so prevalent now that it’s almost standard in all new homes being built in Queensland.

Supply & install new security screens to doors windows – Install extra security around the home by getting fly screens or security screens to your windows and doors around the home.

Window Tinting – Reduce the amount of heat coming into the home by tinting your windows.

 

 

When it comes to home fixes and solutions that absolutely cannot be achieved via DIY means, the repairing and securing of glass is definitely one of them. Whilst you can put up a shelf and paint a room with the best of them, glass repairs of any kind require a higher degree of skill and training. 

Here at True Blue Glass, we have that essential training, and we are dedicated to making sure that all homeowners don’t have to live with dangerously fractured or broken glass in their properties. The sooner you can get things fixed, the better. So that you are more comfortable and abreast of the situation, here are some of the steps that we take towards repairing glass.

Glass Repair Steps:

• The first step is to remove the broken glass in question. This is done safely by taping up the pane before moving it to avoid any shafts coming away and causing injury. If the pane is on an upper level of a property, then it’s usually procedure to remove any sash as well.

• We always strive to match the kind of glass that is being installed with the kind of glass that is being removed so that is still matches the rest of the glass on the property. In order to achieve this, we may take a shard away after the first appointment to compare it to our stock.

• There will be lots of newspaper and tarp taping to the inside and outside of the window area in order to catch any small fragments that might come away during the removal process. Regular fragments of glass need to be disposed of in the general trash, as window glass usually cannot be recycled.

• For more simple scratches and blemishes on glass, a less drastic approach is taken in the form of applying clear nail polish and other dedicated substances to fill in surface dents and bring them back to a brand-new looking condition.

Contact us

So, for all essential and professional glass repairs in Brisbane, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us when you need a fast and reliable service. A member of the team will always be on hand to talk you through the process and book an appointment with a trained, highly experienced technician. When it comes to glass safety and integrity True Blue Glass are here make your repair go smoothly.

Check out our previous post:

https://www.trueblueglass.com.au/2019/07/man-smashes-through-a-glass-door/

Is it possible for glass explode spontaneously?

This is one of the most asked questions we get from people in the Real Estate Industry.

Spontaneous glass breakage is a phenomenon by which toughened glass  may spontaneously break without any apparent reason.

The most common causes are:

Installation damage

While glass is being moved and installed, it is easy for the glaziers to nick or chip the edges of the glass.

It is also possible for fasteners such as nails used to attach glass stops to nick the glass edges.

These small nicks or chips may not result in immediate breakage.

However, over time, as the glass expands, stress concentrations can develop around the nick, leading to breakage.

In the case of tempered glass the entire unit usually breaks.

Binding in the frame

Glass expands and contracts with changes in temperature and deflects due to wind.

Because of this modern glass is set on resilient blocks at the bottom and with space for expansion at the sides and top.

The gaskets holding the glass in the frame are also usually resilient to cushion the glass against wind buffeting.

If no space is provided at the perimeter of the unit, the glass will bind against the frame

This will cause internal stresses to develop in the glass which can exceed the strength of glass, resulting in breakage.

Internal defects and inclusions in the glass

Nickel sulfide inclusions (“stones”) can be present in the glass.

The most common cause of these is the use of stainless-steel machinery in the glass making and handling process.

Small shavings of stainless steel containing nickel change structure over time and grow, creating internal stresses in the glass.

When these stresses exceed the strength of the glass, breakage results.

This type of breakage is almost always found in tempered glass and is indicated by a distinctive “figure eight” pattern.

Alternatively, small pieces of refractory brick can be eroded by the molten glass from the internal walls of the furnace during processing and become embedded in the finished glass.

These are also known as “stones”, and can also break the glass when the glass is heated, as they create thermal anomalies.

Thermal Stresses

Breakage due to thermal stress is most common in large pieces of sealed insulating glass with heavy heat-absorbing (reflective) coatings.

The coating is usually applied to the “number two” surface (the inside face of the outside lite).

This causes the outside lite of glass to heat up more than the inside lite as the coating converts radiant heat from the Sun into sensible heat.

As the outer lite expands due to heating, the entire unit bends outward. If the spacer bar or other edge condition connects the two lites of glass in a very rigid manner, bending stresses can develop which exceed the strength of the glass, causing breakage.

This was the cause of extensive glass breakage at the John Hancock Tower in Boston WHERE ALL 10,334 PANES OF GLASS HAD TO BE REPLACED

Inadequate glass thickness

A pane that is too large or thin, having not been properly engineered for wind loads on the site, can be broken by the wind.

So as you can see the answer to your question can glass just explode is a yes there a ways that this can happen.

But please be aware if you are a property manager, parent or landlord.

Unless there is clear evidence such as a brick at the scene we cannot accurately determine the cause.

True Blue Glass will not become involved in any disputes between the parties involved.