Many people love enclosed glass showers and bathtubs. Over time the glass used in bathrooms has evolved primarily to ensure safety. Originally, glass that was used for showers was an annealed or regular glass. However, annealed glass proved to be hazardous and a number of injuries have occurred with its use. This led to the invention of safety glass which is made from a tempered glass. M & M Glass would like to share more about tempered glass and why it is used in bathrooms and for enclosed glass showers.
Safety Glass for Shower Enclosures
Since 1961 building codes have made it mandated to use a safety glass for enclosed showers and shower doors. Safety glass is essentially a tempered glass that if broken, breaks into tiny pieces. Unlike regular glass, if broken it will break into large sharp pieces which is much more dangerous. Tempered glass when manufactured undergoes a process of rapid heating and cooling. The process in which tempered glass is made makes the glass much stronger. Tempered glass is also given an edge that helps prevent the glass from breaking too easily. Tempered glass has a number of different safety features which is why they are now mandated for enclosed showers and shower doors.
Do Showers Have to Be Tempered Glass?
As mentioned above, law requires that professionals use tempered glass when building shower doors. In the event that your shower door breaks, tempered glass will cause the glass to break into dull cubes while regular glass will break into jagged shards. Tempered glass comes in many different types. The different types of glass gives the homeowner different options to choose from. Following are the different types of Tempered glass that is often used in bathrooms.
• Clear – As the name suggests, this glass is transparent and is one of the more popular types of glass.
• Ultra Clear – This glass has lower Iron content, which reduces the greenish tinge in the glass.
• Acid Etched – Acid etched glass, or better known as frosted glass is a clear glass that has been etched by acid.
• Patterned – Glass that has patterns or texture on the surface of the glass.
• Tinted – Tinted glass is glass that has been colored, providing some privacy.
• Cast – Cast glass is a molding that has been filled with molten glass.
There is also laminate tempered glass that can also be used. A laminate sheet is placed on both side of the glass. The laminate helps to hold the glass together if the glass breaks.
Shower Glass Protection
One last step that has been taken to help ensure glass safety is glass protection. Where glass is installed in the bathroom, water and rust erosion can become a problem. A protective coating is applied to the glass which helps keep the glass safe from erosion. With so many different steps being taken to produce the glass, you can rest assure that the glass used for enclosed showers are completely safe.
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Glass shower enclosures are growing more in popularity. They add a bit of class to the bathroom and are easily cleaned. For those who want to have a glass enclosed shower or even enclosed bathtub, contact M & M Glass. We custom cut glass to fit your bathroom with a variety of different types of glass to choose from. For quality glass services, contact M & M Glass today.
