There are generally three common types of glass around your home or commercial property.
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.

The difference in the glass is not just the thickness but also the safety aspect.

Float Glass/annealed (image on left) is the minimum standard for glass in the home. You will find it mostly in your bedroom and lounge room windows and is generally 4mm thick. When broken it can be quiet dangerous as it breaks into large sharp pieces.

Toughened Glass (Middle Image) is suited to areas of the home most prone to injury from human impact such as bathrooms, splash backs, doors and full length windows. When broken it will generally shatter into tiny little pieces which will reduce injury.

Laminated Glass (Image on right) is referred to as a Grade A Safety Glass.

It consists of two or more sheets of glass permanently bonded together with an inter layer designed to improve acoustics and/or impact resistance.

The inter layer reduces the risk of the glass breaking and forming long, dangerous shards.

To learn more the other types of glass you can have installed go to:

A kitchen splash back is one of the most important aspects of a kitchen renovation.

Not only does it add style and a modern look to your overall kitchen design; it is extremely functional protecting your walls.

It can also revive a tired kitchen and revamp the whole room. gst the most important aspects of a kitchen renovation.

Not only does it add style and a modern look to your overall kitchen design; it is extremely functional protecting your walls.

It can also revive a tired kitchen and revamp the whole room.

Splashbacks are installed on the wall above and behind the sink, cook tops or bench top work spaces.

It helps to protect the wall behind it from moisture, grease, oil, food splatters, and other mess that occurs in the kitchen when you’re preparing food or washing up.

Splash backs were originally made of tile, but today the options are endless with a vast array of splash back materials available.

Among the most popular options are glass, reconstituted stone, aluminium composite panels.

So apart from quality there are a few other things that you need to consider before installing a splash back.

Budget

glass is very popular and arguably look better in the home but can be higher in price.

Aesthetics

Glass is a popular choice in modern kitchens. Available in an array of colours, it’s shiny and easy to clean.

If your budget allows, you will like this option.

But please keep in mind that it is glass and it will not tolerate inaccurate usage.

Fitting

Please make sure you ask about fire safety and the fitting requirement for the splashback you choose.

If installing behind a cook top, you will be looking at different minimum distances from the burner to the splashback to make sure it will not warp, or heat, or even melt.

A glass splash back will generally have a lead time of 2-3 weeks before installation?

Maintenance

Most splash backs can be wiped down easily but if you want to have it sparkling new you should follow these steps.

• Use a good quality glass cleaner to clean glass splashbacks.
• Micro-fibre cloths work better than other types of cloths on glass splashbacks.
• A white vinegar solution can do wonders for a glass splashback. Use one part white vinegar and four parts water. If you want to spray the solution on, just pour it into a spray bottle and use that.
• Use a lint-free cloth to wipe the glass. If you have a newspaper around, try wiping off the surface with newspaper. It helps create a streak-free finish on glass. Wear kitchen gloves when using the newspaper. While the newspaper won’t harm the glass, it could stain your hands.
• Try not to clean the glass if sunlight is striking it directly. The sunlight heats the glass and can dry out your cleaning solution, making it harder to get a streak-free finish.
• If you still get streaks when you clean glass splashbacks, try using distilled water in your vinegar/water solution. Distilled water doesn’t have the minerals tap water has. It’s the minerals that cause streaking.

If you have a particularly stubborn stain, try leaving the glass cleaner or vinegar solution on the glass for about one to two minutes.

Never try to remove stains with an abrasive cloth or you can ruin a glass splash back and there is no way to buff scratches out of glass.

Glass splash backs have a sealant on them and you may need to replace the sealant after five years or more.

So you have just signed a contract for one of the biggest investments you will ever make in your life and now you just cannot wait to move in to the home of your dreams.

However, did you know the safety hazards that may be lurking in your dream home?

Every year a significant number of people are seriously injured in their family home.

Amazingly, many of these accidents could have been prevented with simple forethought.

Although a building inspection is not a safety audit, building inspectors often see safety issues which need to be addressed urgently. This is not an exhaustive list, but some of the more common ones are:

Inadequate pool fencing

All swimming pools or spas should be fully enclosed on all 4 sides by a compliant pool fence certified by a licensed pool fence inspector.

This fence should be at least 1.2m high with no ability to be scaled and with a self-closing, self-latching gate.

Both pool fence and gate should be regularly checked and maintained and any items that can be used to either prop the gate open or scale the fence should be removed.

There should also be a clearly visible, laminated cardio pulmonary resuscitation CPR poster within the pool or spa area. A licensed pool inspector should be consulted for advice.

See pool safety at www.hpw.qld.gov.au.

Absent smoke alarms

where smoke alarms which meet Australian Standards should be installed in all homes and units by a licensed electrician. These should be tested annually and kept dust free. See www.qld.gov.au/emergency/safety/smoke-alarms.

There should also be a fire blanket or fire extinguisher in the kitchen readily to hand near the oven and cooktop.

Safety guards

Safety guards should be attached to walls surrounding fireplaces, fuel stoves and heaters.

Excessive stored goods

An excessive build up of stored goods may not only pose a health and fire hazard but if built up against exits may also prevent escape to safety.

Unsafe lighting

Poorly installed roof batts around LED downlights may pose a fire risk in the roof cavity.

Inadequate or absent electrical

Safety switches which should be installed by a licensed electrician on each of the home’s circuits.

Where the home was built prior to 1992, it may not have any safety switches installed, so it may pay to have a licensed electrical inspection.

Otherwise, an annual safety switch check by a licensed electrician is advised. See www.worksafe.qld.gov.au.\

Hot water tempering devices

As of February 2013, all residential hot water storage systems must be heated to a minimum of 60° Celsius to prevent the growth of bacteria such as Legionella.

And a tempering device installed to ensure that hot water is delivered to taps of all sanitary fixtures including showers, baths and basins at a maximum 50° Celsius to reduce risk of scalding-related injuries.

In most homes where this device has not been installed, a licensed plumber should be consulted. See hpw.qld.gov.au.

Poorly safeguarded high risk structures

All built structures over 1 meter that pose a fall risk e.g. balconies, decks, stairs, retaining walls, should be intact, well constructed with adequate fixing, stable and well braced, and protected with appropriate balustrading.

The materials they are constructed of such as timber or concrete should be of adequate strength and weatherproof, not compromised by fungal decay, missing boards, missing fixings, or deterioration generally.

Fixings used such as nails or bolts should be of appropriate size and spacing, intact and not affected by corrosion and not missing.

Balustrades should be vertical without climbing footholds, at least 1200mm high and spaced such that a 125mm sphere cannot pass through.

Barriers or gates

Should be placed at the top and bottom of steps or stairs whenever young children are in the home.

Stairs should have a landing every 18 steps with each step of uniform height and depth to prevent tripping and falling. Where stone or rock has been used for stairs, these should be kept dry and moss free.

All high risk structures such as decks, balconies, retaining walls, stairs and landings should be checked at least annually, preferably by a licensed builder and kept well maintained, free of termite damage or fungal decay and rot.

Poorly lit stairwells

Stairwells should be kept well illuminated with lights replaced regularly as required.

Floor injury hazards

All floor nails should be punched in and stoppered with timber filler to prevent injury.

Wet Areas, Paths and driveways

All wet areas e.g. bathrooms and laundries should also have slip resistant surfaces to prevent falls.

Steep and slippery paths or driveways may expose children to traffic, pose a problem for vehicle parking or encourage falls especially in the elderly.

Window fall hazards

Upper storey windows should be fitted with safety glass and have a restricted opening of 125mm or better still, externally fitted security screens or window guards which, for fire safety, should be able to be pushed out by an adult.

Glass around the home

Sliding glass doors should meet Australian Safety Glass Standards, although most homes constructed prior to the mid 1970s will not have this installed. However a glazier can retrofit a thin sheet of polyester laminate to one side of the glass panel to make windows and doors safer.

Safety stickers should also be installed on glass at eye level for all sliding glass panels.

True Blue Glass can conduct a glass audit which will have every piece of glass checked to make sure it is up to Australian Standards.

Furnishings

Furniture, especially cots, beds and bunk beds, should be kept well away from hazards such as upper storey windows, hanging blinds and cords, and ceiling fans to prevent falls, strangling and chopping injuries, respectively.

Hot water Services and Air conditioning

Placement of hot water and air conditioning systems should not provide access to upper storey windows, balustrading, and pool fencing or proximity to hanging blinds and cords and ceiling fans.

Toilets and toiler doors

Inaccessible toilets. Toilet doors should be fitted with liftoff hinges so that an occupant can be rescued by emergency services.

Play Areas

Play areas need to be physically separated from the driveway or road by a gate or barrier and 50% of a pool or play area should be protected from sun by either natural shade or shade structures.

House numbers

House address numbers should be clearly visible from the street at all times including night, for emergency vehicles.

If a home has been built, modified or renovated without certification or compliance to the Building Code and Australian Standards,

as is often the case where it has been undertaken by the owner, it is always advisable to seek legal advice and have searches conducted as noncompliance may pose serious safety risks.

The above information is for your interest only and is limited to Queensland as it may vary for other states of Australia.

A pre-purchase building inspection is neither a safety audit nor a check for compliance to mandatory government regulations.

For advice, please seek out the appropriately licensed specialist e.g. glaziers, electrician, plumber or pool fencing inspector or your solicitor for compliance searches.

Finally, the Queensland Government provides a very handy Home Safety Checklist at health.qld.gov.au.

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.

 

 

While at a ceremony in China a man smashes through a glass door shocking all onlookers.

He really knew how make an entrance!

Now after watching the video you will see that the glass completely shatters into a million pieces.

This is because it is toughened safety glass and although it is a pain to clean up it can usually save you a trip to the emergency department.

It is unclear why the man smashed through the glass door, or how he was even able to.

But it looks like it had not been fitted properly.

Here at True Blue Glass we will complete every job efficiently and safely so things like this will not happen.

Want to know if we can help in your area then take a look at our service area

Although we are known as the “Broken Glass Specialists” we can do some much more. If you want to see a list of our services go to our Product Range.

We mentioned Toughened safety glass in the article earlier would you like to learn more about other types of glass?

True Blue Glass have touched on this subject before.

But we thought it was time to revisit after one of our clients sent through some footage that gives us definitive proof to one of the main questions we get asked in the glass industry.

Can a glass panel “just shatter” without something hitting it?

There have been plenty of home owners and tenants alike that have woken up to a shattered balcony door panel or come home from work to a pool fence spread throughout the back yard.

There a couple of reasons a panel can spontaneously shatter and they can include;

Internal defects and inclusions in the glass –  MOST COMMON

• Nickel sulfide inclusions (“stones”) can be present in the glass which can change the structure and cause stresses in the glass.
• The most common cause of these is the use of stainless-steel machinery in the glass making and handling process

Installation damage

• While glass is being moved and installed, it is easy for the glaziers to nick or chip the edges of the glass. Over time as the glass expands stress can develop leading to breakage.

Binding in the frame

• Glass expands and contracts with changes in temperature and deflects due to wind. If no space is provided at the perimeter of the unit, the glass will bind against the frame. Causing stress and breakage

Inadequate glass thickness

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

If you would like to read more in regards to these reasons then head to our full article on Spontaneous Glass Explosions by clicking here.

A frightening series of spontaneous glass explosions on balconies of Melbourne apartment buildings has highlighted the dangers of cheap and faulty construction products flooding into Australia.

The falling shards luckily missed passing pedestrians by just a few metres.

The failures are suspected to be cases of spontaneous glass breakage linked to poor manufacturing.

It is thought the balcony balustrades contain nickel sulfide.

This can cause glass to fail when exposed to extreme temperature change, wind or other stresses.

It is also a startling example of growing issue of poor quality building materials making their way into Australia.

These items arrive by boat and plane unchecked.

Where they are then being installed in homes and on buildings – in some cases threatening lives and property.

“It’s a huge problem and more than we know about it,” said chief executive of the Australian Window Association.

Ms Gramlick said the prevalence of building products that did not meet Australian standards,

Ccombined with poor workmanship and installation, meant many buildings would have to undergo repairs in years to come.

The Housing Industry Association said the majority of building products entering the country were not being tested.

This is allowing poor quality items to get through that are not up to Australian Standards.

While spontaneous glass breakage is thought to be rare

There has been made at least three buildings in Melbourne where a number of explosions have occurred.

A builder was recently forced to replace a number of glass balustrades on a residential tower, This was due to the discovery of nickel sulfide impurities.

To read the full article please click below

The Age Article 

Although this incidents occurred in Victoria it is only a matter of time before more cases start to appear here in QLD.

Like most of our articles regarding glass incidents;

We cannot continue to stress enough the importance of using Trades people that you trust.

Read the reviews online to see if they have had many complaints for cutting corners.

Here at True Blue Glass we have shown over the years that we strive to continually exceed our customer expectations

And we do our research on where we are getting our glass from.

And that the materials we use are of the highest quality.

Call us today for any of your glass needs on 3209 8774 we are available 24 hours 7 days a week.

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.

Pet doors have many benefits.

First off, it allows your pet to come and go as they please.

And of course, the small fact that it allows you more time to put your feet up.

These are just a couple of reasons why customers call to inquire asking us to install a pet door.

But installing a pet door is not as simple as us coming to your home and putting it in your current door.

Below are a few FAQs regarding pet door installations.

Can’t you simply just cut a hole in my existing glass?

This is a question we are frequently asked when customers decide its time to install a pet door in their home.

The easiest answer to this question when customers call to inquire is ‘no’.

Going into more detail it is simply because or current glass would more than likely be float or laminated glass.

Unfortunately these types of glass are not suited to having a hole cut and a pet door fitted into them.

These types of glass would either shatter or become damaged.

Toughened A-Grade safety glass is the only type of glass that is suited to having a pet door installed.

and it is also the only type of glass that complies with the safe glazing code and Australian Standard AS1288.

But my door is already made of toughened glass so does that mean I still need a new glass panel?

Unfortunately yes you still would still  need a new glass panel.

When a piece of glass goes through the toughening process making a hole after for a pet door is impossible.

This is because it would shatter due to the stress and force used.

To ensure your pet door does not compromise the integrity of your glass.

The pet door is pre-cut through the glass prior to it being toughened,

Thus the end result is strong enough to handle the day to day wear and tear, the weather and your pet!

3 Benefits of  pet doors

The convenience for you and your family –

Sometimes after a hard days work you just want to come home and relax.

Unfortunately you find your relaxation time is taken up by a pet wanting to come in and out.

As its the first opportunity they have had to explore all day.

It doesn’t matter what the reason except it is stopping you from enjoying that nice glass of wine or beer.

Well with a pet door you no longer have to feel like your second job is being the door man

Health Benefits –

By allowing your pet to come in and out as they please allows them to stay stimulated throughout the day.

Prevent damage to your door or other furniture –

As we all know some animals can get a little excited when they want to go out side.

This can lead to them scratching your doors or even damage your screens.

Some pets may even chew furniture or urinate throughout the home if they are unable to get out of a room.

These issues can be resolved by the installation of a pet door in your home.

 

It is important to note that while there are plenty of benefits when you install a pet door in your home,

it does not take take over the role of taking your pet for walks or a good old fashioned game of fetch in the backyard.

_{**All  pet doors at True Blue Glass pet are installed into A-Grade toughened safety glass}

_{(in full compliance with Australian Standards)}

If you would like to learn more about the glass process please see our toughened glass section.

What glass is best for my table?

Glass table tops are usually a hot topic so we will address some of the usual questions we receive here.

Firstly, there are no strict rules on what you can and can’t have with regards to glass on table tops.

Table tops are furniture and therefore do not fall under the glass and glazing code.

However, common sense must prevail.

When is annealed glass ok?

Table tops with a flat surface for the glass to sit on like the one featured, with little to no overhang of glass would be best suited to the option of annealed glass.

Whilst annealed glass is weaker than toughened glass, the surface is actually more durable to cups, plates & cutlery etc. and if it were to break in this situation, the glass would not fall to the floor (and onto people’s feet).

For a table of this size (2000 x 1000) 6mm thickness is a good fit.

If it’s considerably smaller you may want to go down to 5mm, or possibly even 4mm.

When should safety glass be used?

Toughened glass on a table top like this one is not required and is actually more susceptible to scratches and marks, as the surface is softer.

In a situation like the one pictured below where the glass could break and fall to the floor it is recommended to use a safety glass.

Either toughened or laminated will suffice.

Is there a time I should not use laminated glass?

Keep in mind if using laminated glass that if the table top is exposed to the elements, eventually water will get in between the two sheets of glass and you’ll get what is called ‘lam rot’ with the water slowing creeping into the inter layer.

If the table is undercover, you don’t need to worry about this.

Because this one has a frame around it, again, 6mm would be fine up to a diameter of 1000mm. However the table top below is another matter again.

This one has no frame so it would require a heavier glass.

With a diameter of about 1000mm or more, 10mm to 12mm glass should be used as a minimum.

These are just a few examples and should be used as a guide.

Feel free to call us to discuss your options on table tops. Remember to send us photos if possible.

To read more about our services please click here