Safety Glass Vs. Tempered Glass

Tempered glass and laminated glass are types of safety glass. Laminated glass is also referred to as safety glass. They are both used in areas where broken glass could be dangerous.

Tempered Glass

Tempered glass is made using high heat with a special cooling process to strengthen the glass. Tempered glass is about five times stronger than normal glass, is heat-resistant and breaks into many small fragments.

Laminated Glass

Laminated glass is made of two pieces of glass held together by a plastic film or resin. When broken, the pieces are held together by the plastic layer, reducing risk of injury from shards of glass.

Function

Tempered glass is used in most windows, especially in public buildings, oven windows, side and rear car windows, and glass cookware. Laminated glass is not heat-resistant and does not shatter into many tiny fragments, making it more useful in protective eyewear, and for car windshields and skylights.

Strength

Strength depends ultimately on the thickness and size of the piece of glass. Generally, tempered glass is four to six times as strong as normal glass. The strength of laminated glass varies widely depending on the thickness of the interlayer.

Considerations

Tempered glass cannot be cut after it has been tempered. Laminated glass is very difficult to cut, but it can be done unless it was made with tempered glass.

References

• Safety vs. Tempered Glass
• Tempered Glass
• Safety Glass vs. Tempered Glass

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish