Toughened and laminated safety glass

Toughened vs laminated

• ToughenedHeat-treated so it is four to five times stronger than ordinary float glass, and shatters into small blunt granules rather than shards. Cannot be cut or drilled after toughening — it has to be made to the final size.
• LaminatedTwo panes bonded to a PVB interlayer. When it breaks it stays in one piece, held by the interlayer. Better for security, better anywhere a fall is possible, and it blocks nearly all UV.
• Acoustic laminateA thicker, softer interlayer that damps sound. The right answer for a bedroom on a main road — far more effective than adding a third pane.

Where the regulations bite

Approved Document K defines critical locations as: any glazing in a door or side panel between floor level and 1500mm, and any glazing in a wall or partition between floor level and 800mm. In those positions the glass must be safety glass.

It must also be marked. A toughened pane carries a permanent kite mark or manufacturer's stamp in a corner — if you cannot find one on existing glass in a critical location, it probably is not safety glass, and it should be replaced.

Ranges include VAT and installation. Final price depends on size, spec, access and site condition — a survey gives you a fixed number.