What is laminated glass, and why do you need it?

When it comes to glass for your windows and doors, you have a lot of options. Modern glazing means you’ve got a lot more choice than the standard single or double glazing, and now you need to put a bit of thought into what kind of glass you want fitted into your home. One of those new types of glass is called ‘laminated glass’ – a term you might have heard floating around before. At Truglaze we love laminated glass, and today we want to tell you all about it, and why you might want to use it in your home.

What is laminated glass?

When it comes to strength, laminated glass is the top dog. It’s a tough, robust structure that’s really hard to break. It’s essentially made in the same way as a car windscreen – with a thin layer of plastic sandwiched between two layers of glass, bonded together with something called interlayers. These interlayers create a supported structure that creates a strong, uniformed layer even when broken. This means that if the glass is broken, it will shatter in a uniform sheet but not break and create a hole, making it the most secure type of glass out there. Altogether this makes the pane around 6.4mm thick, which is why you might also hear it called 6.4mm glass. It’s used in a lot of different places, from aquariums and animal enclosures, glass floors and stairs, skylights, display cabinets and even for the windows and doors in your home.

Why you should consider laminated glass

Laminated glass is becoming a more popular option for homeowners every day, and for good reason. Just some of the benefits of using laminated glass over traditional glass include:

Increased Security: The big benefit of laminated glass is that it’s very, very strong. That makes it very difficult to break – good news for you, bad news for would-be intruders. And even if a break was to happen, the interlayers hold up the strength of the glass, making it really hard to widen the gap and actually allow access.

Lower Emissions: Laminate glass is classed as ‘low-emissivity’ glass. This means that it will reduce heat gain from the sun and stop rooms getting so hot. In turn this means you’ll be running air conditioning less, meaning lower emissions and a home that is better for the environment.

Less Noise: Installing a piece of glass as thick as laminated glass is also great for noise reduction. It disrupts the sound waves as they travel through it, muffling the sound and allowing you to enjoy your home in peace. Particularly good if you live near railways or busy roads!

More Choices: Laminated glass isn’t a one-choice option. It comes in a lot of different colours, tints and tones, and can be manufactured straight or curved, so it can be custom-made to fit into your home beautifully.

It’s The Law: Pretty soon, building regulations will be bringing in a new rule that states all ground floor windows and doors on new-build properties have to be fitted with laminated glass. This is to protect owners and tenants against break ins and make the house more secure. If you don’t have a new build then this won’t apply to you – but it’s still a good idea to upgrade, as it does make it harder to break into your home.

At Truglaze we want to make sure you get the best quality and security from your windows and doors. We supply a full range of glass types for windows, doors and conservatories, and are always happy to talk you through your options and help you choose the right thing for you. No hard sell from us – just honest advice and information. If you’d like to find out more about laminate glazing, we’d be happy to help. Just give our team a call or drop us an email today.