Types of Glass for Windows

Annealed glass is the most common glass type available in modern windows. However, it’s not the most basic – annealed glass is a strengthened version of float glass. Float glass isn’t treated or cut, and it has no colour. As a result, it doesn’t offer a lot of strength, although annealed glass does have more resistance for your home.

Crucially, annealed glass is one of the most affordable types of glass for windows. And, for your investment, you’ll still get performance that lasts. With annealed double glazing, you’ll create a thermal barrier for your home that will keep cold air out and won’t suffer from condensation. As a result, it’ll be less likely to break than single glazing, and it can improve the performance of your home.

Other types of glass, though, can make a bigger impact. One area where robust glass can help is with your home’s security. If an intruder wants to get into your home, they might target your windows as an entry point. However, with stronger glass, you can make sure your home stays secure, keeping unwanted visitors well away.

Laminated safety glass is ideal for this, as it’s a security-conscious design. Laminated safety glass comprises two panes fused around a layer of polyvinyl butyral at high pressure. Because of this, it has superb strength, and it’s far less likely to break than annealed glass. And, with multi-point locking systems as standard, burglars won’t be able to separate the glass from your window frame either.

Most types of glass have no colour. They don’t do a lot to transform how your home looks other than by letting in more natural light. However, there’s one glass type that gives you the chance to make your living space pop. With tinted glass, you can change the colour of your windows with a wide range of shades available to give your home a unique look and feel.

With tinted glass, you’ll be able to design your windows around your home or vice versa. You can choose any colour you like and build your living space’s decor around it, giving you the chance to transform your home’s palette. Not only that, your tinted glass will perform excellently for decades, thanks to durable double glazing that is fully weatherproof.

Some types of glass, then, can make your living space stand out. But what if you’d rather do the opposite? We all want a bit of privacy in our homes, especially if we want to protect things. If you have a home office, you don’t want prying eyes looking inside at your work. In these situations, obscured glass can keep everything away from view. Obscured glass works by blocking the view into your home from the outside.

Patterns and textures can give the glass a stylish look, all while stopping potential burglars from getting a look at your living space. You can customise your obscured glass as well, selecting the right amount of obfuscation and picking the best design for your home. You could even invest in opaque glass for complete privacy!

Over time, the glass in your windows can go through a lot. Because of this, your windows can weaken over time. Impacts from flying objects like balls, extreme heat and even wind and rain can make the glass more fragile. But, with tempered glass, you’ll have a window that can withstand almost anything.

What makes tempered glass so strong is how it’s made; the design is manufactured under extreme pressure to make it four times more durable than annealed glass. Because of this, it won’t be at risk of stress and pressure fractures, internal shattering, or accidental damage. Instead, your window’s tempered glass will keep its strength for decades to come, and it can even improve your home’s insulation.

Saving energy is one of the biggest benefits of double glazing. But how do you save the most for your home? Low-E glass is the answer, improving your home’s insulation and making it more comfortable in the summer too. Low-E glass has a special coating applied to it to reflect thermal radiation, meaning you can reduce glare and keep your home cool in the heat. Low-E glass can be costly, making your windows more expensive as a result. However, you could make the additional cost of your investment back quickly. Low-E glass can considerably improve your home’s thermal efficiency, meaning you don’t have to rely on your central heating to stay warm. You’ll save money on bills and decrease your carbon footprint for decades to come!