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.

 

 

From Float glass to tinted glass, True Blue Glass stocks a wide range of glass types.

Every home is different and depending on the area and location you are wanting to install the glass determines what glass type would be best for you.

If you would like some advise call us to discuss what option would be best for you.

Float Glass

What is Float Glass

• High degree of light transmission.
• Range of colours available.

 

• The most common type of glass used in homes,
• Main glass type used in bedroom and lounge windows.
• Glass type used when creating laminated, toughened and coated glass.
• Variety of thicknesses and can be cut to size while onsite.
• In most cases float glass can be repaired on the first visit.

Toughened Glass

• Known as tempered glass and is created using a thermal tempering process.
• It is known for its structural durability and strength.

Tinted Glass

• Color is added to the glass to create the tint look
• Density of the glass can change with the thickness of the glass

• Tinted glass is great for climate control
• UV protection – tinted glass can reduce the glare and the amount of UV rays that can come through the glass.
• Transparency is maintained from the inside but the visibility from the outside is reduced dramatically and the color of the light is changed.
• Shopping centers install these to their ceilings to still allow light to shine in but reduce the amount of heat.
• Great for homes as it can reduce your power bill and also can keep your rooms cooler throughout the summer months.

Obscure Glass

• Obscure glass is patterned or frosted to prevent the glass from being clearly seen through.
• Can be used in float, toughened or laminate glass types
• Used in domestic and commercial buildings
• There are various patterns and textures available
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• Offers privacy but still lets light into your home
• Used as a form of decoration
• Great for bathrooms as its easily cleaned
• Used in windows and doors

Laminated safety Glass

• Laminated glass is made from two or more layers of glass separated by a bonded inter layer of plastic.
• All types of glass can be laminated
• The glass transparency is not altered.
• Considered to be a Grade A safety Glass

• Harder to break than ordinary glass.
• Sound Insulation – the extra layers can reduce traffic noises etc
• Energy efficiency
• UV reduction
• Grade A safety Glass
• Used in both doors and windows
• Will hold together when broken due to the plastic inter layer

Mirrored Glass

What is it

Metal coating is applied to one side of the glass. It is then sealed with a protective layer.

• Great for bathrooms and built in robes
• can create illusion of a larger space
• great for design and aesthetic purposes

 

 

Low E Glass

What is it?

• Developed to minimize the amount of ultraviolet and infrared light that can pass through glass without compromising the amount of visible light that is transmitted.
• Low-E glass has a microscopically thin, transparent coating

• Improves Thermal Insulation – The coatings tend to hold heat in the cod weather and reflect the heat when its warm.
• The coating is applied to the inside of the glass so it wont scratch off
• It helps protect furniture against fading
• Reduces UV lights
• It requires no special cleaning.

Coated Glass

What is it

• There are two types of coated glass, hard coat and soft coat
• Hard coat is manufactured by pouring a thin layer of metallic oxide onto a sheet of glass while the glass is still on production line.
• The metallic oxide becomes welded to the glass surface
• This process makes it very hard to scratch or remove the coating
• This sometimes creates a blueish tint to it
• Soft Coat involves the application of silver, zinc or tin to glass that has already formed and taken off the production line.
• The coating is softer.
• Soft coat is used in an insulated glass unit.

Patterned/Decorative Glass

What is it?

• Decorative design or pattern imprinted into.
• Available in toughened and laminated options safety
• Includes etched glass

• Design and aesthetically purposes
• Privacy
• internal partitioning in patterned glass gives greater light to rooms

Wired Glass

What is it?

• Wire is inserted into the glass.
• Treated to withstand breakages
• Used in fire doors
• Considered to be a Grade B safety glass in Australia

• Provides safety – it is much harder to break than standard glass
• Fire resistant
• Suitable for emergency fire doors.

Painted Glass

• Popular for splash backs
• Depending on the manufacturing process, the glass can be transferred to a large oven. This is where the paint will be “baked” onto the glass, ensuring proper adhesion.
• Some manufacturers are still able to cut, trim and polish the glass even after the painting has been completed.

Back painted glass injects style and color into any room.

Glass does not have to be used just on the windows and doors of your home. This article will cover a few different ideas.

One: Glass Benchtops

Glass isn’t the first material you think of when you’re looking for bench top materials, but it’s worth thinking about. Glass can be a perfect bench top material. It’s strong and easy to clean.

More importantly, glass bench tops have a certain elegance that can’t be matched by most other materials. It’s not for every kitchen or bathroom, but a glass bench top may be perfect for a modern kitchen or bathroom.

Two: Glass Bricks

Glass bricks are more common than glass furniture, but are often overlooked.

They resonably inexpensive and you can use them anywhere you want light to enter a room, but don’t want clear glass.

Glass bricks are hollow. This helps insulate the room against heat or cold transference into a room. You can even use them as an unusual, but stylish shower enclosure.

Glass bricks aren’t confined to the bathroom. Use them in any room of the house where you want natural light, but also want privacy and insulation. For an even more dramatic effect, you can use colored glass bricks.

Three : Glass Splashbacks

Are you looking for a stunning finishing touch to your kitchen?

This may be what you’re looking for.

Glass splashbacks are more expensive than acrylic splashbacks, but they can be perfect for the kitchen.

Four: Glass Stairs

Glass fencing and glass balustrades are fairly common now.

Treads are less common and can make a striking addition to a modern interior. Glass

stair treads can be used just like timber treads. Use them on a straight or circular staircase.

However you use them, they will be a stylish addition to your home.

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.