When people consider the materials used in constructing homes, they are most likely thinking about materials such as concrete, wood, metal, and glass. Of the last of those, glass, the most obvious use of glass is likely to be the windows in the house being built. However, whilst glass windows do account for a large proportion of the glass used in house construction or renovation, there are other reasons why glass is required.
Within a home, glass can be used as partitions, as panelling, for use on fitted wardrobes, on cupboard doors, on stairwells, as insulation, for skylights, balconies, and a greenhouse or conservatory. When we say that glass is used for all these, it should be apparent that the type of glass used for each of them is different. For example, the type of glass used for the double glazing in a home is different to the mirrored doors on wardrobes.
To give you further insights into these different types of glass, we have outlined ten of them below, along with their properties and common uses in home construction. We hope you find it helpful.
#1 – Sheet Glass: Molten glass is passed through rollers to create sheet glass. Usually supplied in standard sizes, sheet glass can be cut using glass cutters. It does create a degree of distortion, so it is rarely used for windows but instead on glass structures such as greenhouses or simple glass panels.
#2 – Float Glass: Produced by melting several ingredients, including silicates, lime, and soda and floating them on a tin bed. This type of glass is extremely cost-effective and is used widely in construction for partitions, doors, and windows. Tinted versions of float glass can also be created.
#3 – Textured/Patterned Glass: As the name suggests, this glass has a surface that either has texture or patterns and is thus unlikely to be clear enough to see through. The primary use of these types of glass is for decorative purposes, often in kitchens, for garden features, or in traditional or wooden windows.
#4 – Laminated Glass: This is effectively a “glass sandwich”, whereby two layers of glass are held together by a flexible, transparent material. Laminate glass tends to be soundproof, and it reflects UV rays. It is also one of the toughest types of glass available.
#5 – Wired Glass: Although more commonly used in commercial and public buildings, wired glass does have some uses in domestic settings. Given that it is strong and resistant to fire, you might wish to use it for the windows or in the doors of a home workshop or garage.
#6 – Shatterproof Glass: The addition of a plastic material called polyvinyl butyral is what prevents this type of glass from shattering into sharp pieces should it be broken. For domestic construction, it is used in windows, doors, partitions, skylights, and floors.
#7 – Tinted Glass: There are so many ways to use tinted glass in a home, with prime examples including partitions, kitchen units, bathroom units, and doors. Tints are created when the glass is being manufactured, whereby specific combinations of chemicals and minerals known to create distinct colours are added.
#8 – Extra Clear Glass: This is a high-quality glass created by removing much of the iron content that is usually found in standard glass. Examples of where extra clear glass can be used are windows, stairs, partitions, doors, and glass furniture.
#9 – Tempered/Hardened Glass: The main quality that makes this glass popular in home construction is its strength which is created using chemicals and thermal processes during its production. Prime examples of where this type of glass is used in homes are glass doors, kitchen splashbacks, shower screens, and partitions.
#10 – Glass Blocks: Also referred to as glass bricks, these are blocks of glass that are created by two pieces of glass being fused together, creating an internal vacuum. They can be used in several scenarios, both practical and decorative, such as facades, bedroom or bathroom walls, and garden or internal partitions.