Laminated glass and toughened glass are both commonly described as safety glass, but they are manufactured differently and behave in very different ways when damaged.
Toughened glass is designed to resist impact and break into small pieces if it fails. Laminated glass is designed to hold together after it cracks, helping the damaged pane remain in position.
The right option depends on where the glass will be installed, the level of security required and what needs to happen after the glass breaks.
What is toughened glass?
Toughened glass starts as a standard sheet of glass that is cut, shaped and prepared to the required dimensions. It is then heated to a high temperature before being cooled rapidly in a controlled process.
This creates compression within the outer surfaces of the glass, making the finished panel significantly stronger than ordinary glass of the same thickness. Toughened glass can be up to five times stronger than standard annealed glass.
The additional strength makes it suitable for areas where glass may experience impact, pressure or changes in temperature. It is often used for:
- Shower screens and bath screens
- Glass doors
- Kitchen splashbacks
- Table tops and shelves
- Internal partitions
- Balustrade panels
- Furniture glass
- Some windows and double-glazed units
Toughened glass must normally be cut, drilled and shaped before the toughening process takes place. Once it has been toughened, attempting to cut or drill it can cause the entire panel to shatter.
What happens when toughened glass breaks?
Instead of producing a few large, sharp shards, toughened glass is designed to break into many small, granular pieces. These fragments can still cause injury, but they are generally less dangerous than the long, sharp sections produced by ordinary glass.
When toughened glass fails, the whole panel will usually collapse. This means it may no longer provide a barrier against weather, accidental falls or unauthorised access.
For example, a broken toughened shopfront panel may leave a large opening that needs to be boarded up until replacement glass can be manufactured and installed.
What is laminated glass?
Laminated glass is made by bonding two or more sheets of glass around a plastic interlayer. Polyvinyl butyral, usually shortened to PVB, is one of the most commonly used interlayer materials.
The layers are bonded together using heat and pressure, creating a single finished panel. The thickness and number of glass sheets and interlayers can be varied according to the required safety, security, sound-reduction or performance level.
Laminated glass is frequently used for:
- Shopfronts
- Entrance doors
- Security glazing
- Roof glazing
- Canopies
- Balustrades
- Juliet balconies
- Internal partitions
- Low-level glazing
- Windows where additional security is required
It can also be incorporated into a double-glazed unit where its safety or security characteristics are required.
What happens when laminated glass breaks?
Laminated glass may crack when it is struck, but the broken pieces tend to remain attached to the plastic interlayer.
The damaged panel can therefore remain largely in position rather than immediately falling out of the frame. This reduces the risk of loose shards and helps prevent an open hole from being created.
Although broken laminated glass still needs to be replaced, it can continue to provide a temporary barrier. This makes it particularly useful where retaining the opening is important for security or safety.
A determined intruder may still penetrate laminated glass, but suitable security laminates can delay entry by continuing to resist repeated impacts after the outer glass has cracked.
Is toughened glass stronger than laminated glass?
Standard toughened glass is normally more resistant to direct impact than standard laminated glass made with ordinary annealed panes.
Toughened glass can withstand considerably more force before it breaks. Standard laminated glass may crack more readily, but its main advantage is that the fragments remain bonded to the interlayer.
This means “stronger” does not always mean “more suitable”.
If the main concern is preventing the glass from breaking during normal use, toughened glass may be appropriate. If the opening needs to remain covered after impact, laminated glass may be the better choice.
Laminated glass can also be manufactured using toughened panes. Toughened laminated glass combines increased strength with the ability to retain glass fragments after breakage. This type of specification is often considered for more demanding architectural and safety applications.
Which type is better for security?
Laminated glass is generally the more suitable choice when security is the main concern.
Toughened glass is difficult to break accidentally, but once it shatters, it normally falls away and leaves the opening exposed. Laminated glass may crack under attack, but the interlayer helps it remain together and continue resisting penetration.
The security performance depends on more than whether the glass is laminated. The thickness of the panes, number of interlayers, frame strength, fixings and installation method all influence how well the complete glazed system performs.
Simply fitting stronger glass into a weak or unsuitable frame may not provide the intended protection.
Which type is safer around the home?
Both products can provide safety benefits when correctly selected and installed.
Toughened glass reduces the likelihood of breakage and breaks into smaller pieces if an accident occurs. This can make it suitable for shower screens, doors, furniture, shelves and other areas where accidental impact is possible.
Laminated glass stays together when broken, making it useful where falling glass or an unprotected opening would create an additional hazard.
Safety glazing is commonly required in critical locations, including areas in and around doors and some low-level glazing. The precise glass specification should be chosen according to the position, dimensions and intended use of the panel.
Which glass is best for a shower screen?
Toughened safety glass is commonly used for shower screens because it is strong, resistant to normal temperature changes and designed to break into small pieces rather than large shards.
The panel needs to be measured and manufactured with all required holes, notches and hinge positions before toughening. It cannot normally be altered after manufacture.
Laminated glass may be used in certain specialist shower or wet-room designs, but toughened glass is the more familiar choice for many domestic shower enclosures.
Which glass is best for a balustrade?
The answer depends on the design of the balustrade and how the glass is supported.
Toughened glass may be suitable for some framed systems where the structure will continue to provide protection if a panel breaks. Laminated or toughened laminated glass may be specified where the glass needs to remain in position following damage.
Balustrades are safety-critical installations. The panel size, fixing method, glass thickness, supporting structure and risk of falling must all be considered before the glass is ordered.
The correct specification should be established for the individual project rather than choosing glass based only on appearance or price.
Which glass is better for a shopfront?
Laminated glass is often selected for shopfronts because it can help retain the opening after the pane is attacked or accidentally damaged.
A cracked laminated panel may continue acting as a barrier until a replacement can be arranged. Security laminates can also be produced with different levels of resistance to repeated impact.
Toughened glass may still be used in commercial glazing where strength and impact safety are the priorities. However, the opening will normally require immediate boarding-up if the panel shatters.
The correct option depends on the property, frame, panel size, security risk and how the premises need to be protected following breakage.
Does laminated glass reduce outside noise?
The PVB interlayer in laminated glass can help dampen sound vibration. Specialist acoustic laminated glass can be produced using different pane thicknesses and specially developed interlayers to provide improved noise reduction.
This can make laminated glass useful for properties near busy roads, railways, commercial sites or other persistent sources of noise.
However, sound insulation depends on the complete window or glazed system. The frame, seals, air gaps, glass thicknesses and installation quality all affect the final result.
Does laminated glass protect furnishings from sunlight?
Many laminated glass products reduce the transmission of ultraviolet radiation because of the interlayer between the panes. This can help slow the fading of flooring, furniture, artwork and interior finishes.
It will not prevent every form of fading because visible light, heat, material quality and the duration of exposure also play a part.
Where UV protection is important, the required performance should be discussed before the glass is specified.
Can laminated or toughened glass be repaired?
A cracked or shattered safety-glass panel normally needs to be replaced.
A toughened panel cannot be repaired once it has shattered because the entire sheet breaks into small pieces. Cracked laminated glass may remain together, but the structural and visual damage will still be present.
Resin repairs used for small vehicle windscreen chips are not generally a substitute for replacing damaged architectural glass in a door, window, balustrade or shower screen.
A glazier should assess the damage, check the frame and identify the correct replacement specification.
Can both types be used in double glazing?
Yes. Toughened and laminated glass can both be incorporated into double-glazed sealed units.
A unit might contain toughened glass on one side, laminated glass on the other or a specialist combination selected for safety, security, heat control, sound insulation or privacy.
The correct arrangement depends on where the unit is installed and which face of the glazing needs the relevant performance.
Replacing a failed or broken unit therefore involves more than matching its overall size. The glass type, thickness, coating, spacer width, pattern and safety requirements may also need to be identified.
Laminated glass vs toughened glass at a glance
Toughened glass is generally the better option when increased resistance to impact and heat is needed. It is harder to break than ordinary glass and breaks into small pieces if failure occurs.
Laminated glass is generally more suitable when the panel needs to remain together after breakage. Its interlayer retains the fragments and can provide additional security, acoustic and UV-control benefits.
Neither option is automatically better for every installation. The correct choice depends on what the glass must do before, during and after an impact.
How do you choose the right safety glass?
Consider the position of the panel, how people will interact with it and what would happen if it broke.
Important questions include:
- Is the glass in or beside a door?
- Is it close to floor level?
- Could someone fall through it?
- Is security a concern?
- Does it need to remain in place after impact?
- Will it be exposed to temperature changes?
- Are holes, notches or shaped edges required?
- Is sound reduction important?
- Will the glass form part of a balustrade or overhead structure?
A professional glass supplier can assess these requirements and recommend a suitable specification.
Speak to Dunstable Glass about safety glass
Dunstable Glass supplies made-to-measure laminated and toughened glass for domestic and commercial applications.
Our team can help with glass for windows, doors, shower screens, splashbacks, furniture, balustrades, shopfronts and other bespoke projects. We can also explain whether toughened, laminated or toughened laminated glass is likely to be suitable for your intended use.
Contact Dunstable Glass on 01582 663277 to discuss your measurements and request a quotation. You can also visit our Dunstable showroom for practical advice about the available glass types, thicknesses and finishes.
