GLASS AND GLAZING

BY: JULIE-ANNE PANEDA

BUILDING TECHNIQUES 01
GLASS
A NON-CRYSTALLINE, OFTEN TRANSPARENT AMORPHOUS SOLID, THAT HAS
WIDESPREAD PRACTICAL, TECHNOLOGICAL, AND DECORATIVE USES IN, FOR
EXAMPLE, WINDOW PANES, TABLEWARE, OPTICS, AND OPTOELECTRONICS. THE MOST
FAMILIAR, AND HISTORICALLY THE OLDEST, TYPES OF MANUFACTURED GLASS ARE
"SILICATE GLASSES" BASED ON THE CHEMICAL COMPOUND SILICA (SILICON DIOXIDE,
OR QUARTZ), THE PRIMARY CONSTITUENT OF SAND. THE TERM GLASS, IN POPULAR
USAGE, IS OFTEN USED TO REFER ONLY TO THIS TYPE OF MATERIAL, WHICH IS FAMILIAR
FROM USE AS WINDOW GLASS AND IN GLASS BOTTLES.
GLASS TYPES
• ANTIQUE: OR RESTORATION GLASS IS EITHER TRUE ANTIQUE GLASS THAT HAS BEEN SALVAGED OR IT IS AUTHENTICALLY
REPRODUCED OR ARTIFICIALLY SIMULATED. SLIGHT DISTORTIONS, OCCASIONAL PITS AND OTHER IMPERFECTIONS
CHARACTERIZE MOST ANTIQUE GLASS.

• BENT: GLASS THAT IS CURVED, BENT AT AN ANGLE, SPHERICAL OR SEGMENTED PORTIONS OF SAME
• BEVELED: PANELS OF STRAIGHTLINE OR CURVED GLASS WITH A BEVELED PERIMETER EDGE. EITHER MACHINE OR HAND
GROUND, BEVEL SIZES ARE AVAILABLE FROM LESS THAN 1/2" INCH IN WIDTH TO 11/2" AND MORE. THE BEVELED ANGLE IS
VARIABLE AND DEPENDENT UPON THE BEVEL WIDTH AND THE THICKNESS OF GLASS REQUIRED. GENERALLY, THE WIDER THE
BEVELED EDGE, THE THICKER THE GLASS. VARIOUS GLASS TYPES (IE. CLEAR, TINTED, MIRROR & SOLARCOOL BRONZE) ARE
AVAILABLE WITH BEVELED EDGES. BEVELED GLASS CAN ALSO BE INCORPORATED IN SEALED INSULATING PANELS AND A WIDE
VARIETY OF SHAPES AND SIZES ARE AVAILABLE.

• BULL'S EYE: OR CROWN BULLION IS EITHER AUTHENTIC ANTIQUE GLASS OR SIMULATED REPRODUCTION. WAVE LIKE
DISTORTIONS IN THE SHAPE OF CONCENTRIC CIRCLES GENERALLY CHARACTERIZE THIS GLASS.

• ETCHED & FROSTED: GLASS THAT IS RENDERED OPAQUE FROM CHEMICAL WASH OR SANDBLASTING. OFTEN,
INTRICATE DESIGNS ARE PERMANENTLY APPLIED TO VARIOUS TYPES OF CLEAR GLASS.
• FIBERGLASS: IS NOT REAL GLASS BUT RATHER INCLUDES EPOXY RESINS AND GLASS FIBERS. AVAILABLE IN VARIOUS
COLORS, FIBERGLASS IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN SEALED INSULATING UNITS BECAUSE THE VARIOUS SEALING
AGENTS MAY INTERACT WITH THE FIBERGLASS AND DETERIORATE.

• HEAT MIRROR: ONE OF THE LATEST HIGH PERFORMANCE GLASS PRODUCTS. THIS CONCEPT INCLUDES A SEALED
INSULATING UNIT OF TWO LAYERS OF CLEAR FLOAT GLASS WITH A SOFT-COAT LOW E COATING THAT IS APPLIED TO
ONE OR TWO THIN FILMS SUSPENDED BETWEEN THE LAYERS OF FLOAT GLASS. WHEN COMBINED WITH ARGON OR
KRYPTON GAS IN EACH CAVITY (THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO CAVITIES SEPARATED BY THE THIN LOW E FILM) REPORTED R
VALUES CAN RANGE AS HIGH AS R-7 TO R-10.

• INSULATING (SEALED): SEALED INSULATING GLASS IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST METHODS FOR ENHANCING THE
EFFICIENCY OF GLASS IN WINDOWS AND DOORS. THE FIRST DOUBLE GLAZING PATENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1865.
INSULATING GLASS CONSISTS EITHER OF WELDED GLASS (THE TWO LAYERS OF GLASS ARE ACTUALLY CONNECTED
AT THE EDGES BY A WELDED GLASS SEAM) OR TWO LAYERS OF GLASS CONNECTED AT THE EDGES BY A
COMBINATION OF DESICCANT WITH BITUMINOUS , BUTYL AND/ OR SILICON COMPOUNDS. WOODSTONE SEALS
ARE USUALLY POLY-ISOBUTYLENE AND SILICONE.
• LEADED: A VARIETY OF GLASS THAT IS ASSEMBLED IN USUALLY INTRICATE CURVED AND STRAIGHT LINE PATTERNS AND
CONNECTED TOGETHER WITH LEAD OR OTHER METALIC CAME. LEADED GLASS IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH
STAINED GLASS AND IS NOT RECOMMENDED IN UNPROTECTED APPLICATIONS. SUNLITE DECREASES THE STRENGTH
OF LEAD CAME CAUSING THE GLASS PLANE TO WARP AND WEAKEN. IN MANY LARGE WINDOWS, STEEL FRAMES
REPLACE LEADED CAME.

• LOW E: OR LOW EMISSIVITY GLASS IS ANOTHER OF THE HIGH-TECH PRODUCTS WITH ENHANCED ENERGY
EFFICIENCY AND INCLUDES A SILVER OR METAL OXIDE COATING APPLIED TO ONE SURFACE OF CLEAR FLOAT GLASS.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF LOW E COATINGS; SOFTCOAT ("SPUTTERED"), IN WHICH THE METALIC DEPOSITS ARE
APPLIED TO THE GLASS IN A VACUUM CHAMBER, AND HARD-COAT (PYROLITIC) I N WHICH THE COATINGS ARE
APPLIED DIRECTLY TO MOLTEN GLASS DURING THE FLOAT MANUFACTURING PROCESS. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT,
WHILE SOFT-COAT LOW E HAS A MORE EFFICIENT ENERGY RATING, HARD-COAT IS MORE DURABLE AND RESISTS
SCRATCHING. SEE HEAT MIRROR FOR MORE INFORMATION.

• MIRROR: GLASS WITH A REFLECTIVE COATING OR BACKING MATERIAL. ONE AND TWO WAY MIRROR GLASS AND IS
ALSO AVAILABLE.

• OPAQUE: A TERM THAT APPLIES TO A VARIETY OF OPAQUE GLASS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ETCHED, TINTED,
OBSCURE, FROSTED, PAINTED AND STAINED GLASS. THERE ARE MANY VARIETIES OF OPAQUE OR OBSCURE GLASS.
• PAINTED: USUALLY CLEAR AND/OR ANTIQUE GLASS THAT IS PAINTED WITH CUSTOM COLORATION AND KILN FIRED.
PAINTED GLASS IS OFTEN INCLUDED WITH STAINED GLASS IN INTRICATE DESIGNS.

• PLATE: MANUFACTURED BY THE GRINDING AND POLISHING PROCESS, IS NO LONGER PRODUCED IN THE UNITED
STATES HAVING BEEN REPLACED BY THE FLOAT GLASS PROCESS. PLEXIGLASS: OR ACRYLIC GLASS IS GENERALLY
AVAILABLE IN SEVERAL THICKNESSES. PLEXIGLASS IS OFTEN A SUBSTITUTE FOR SAFETY GLASS. HOWEVER, PLEXIGLASS
SCRATCHES EASILY AND CAN BECOME BRITTLE IN COLD TEMPERATURES.

• ROLLED: MOLTEN GLASS FED THROUGH ROLLERS TO PRODUCE DESIRED THICKNESS. THREE GENERAL TYPES INCLUDE
FIGURES/ PATTERNED, WIRED AND ART/OPALESCENT/CATHEDRAL GLASS.

• STAINED: GLASS THAT IS MANUFACTURED WITH VARIOUS PIGMENTS. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH PAINTED GLASS,
STAINED GLASS CONTAINS ITS SPECIFIC COLORATION DURING THE MOLTEN STATE OF GLASS MANUFACTURING.

• STANDARD SINGLE & DOUBLE STRENGTH: THE MOST WIDELY USED FLOAT GLASS. SINGLE STRENGTH GLASS IS 3/32"
THICK AND DOUBLE STRENGTH GLASS IS 1/8" THICK. USUALLY SPECIFIED AS CLEAR GLASS, QUALITY GRADES INCLUDE
A, B & C. A GRADE IS GENERALLY A CUSTOM ORDER WHILE B GRADE IS THE MOST WIDELY USED.
• SAFETY GLASS, TEMPERED & LAMINATED: GLASS REQUIRED IN HIGH RISK AREAS INCLUDING AUTOMOBILES, DOORS
AND ADJACENT AREAS, SLOPE GLAZING, ETC.
• TEMPERED SAFETY GLASS IS HEAT TREATED, AS THE NAME IMPLIES. THE HEAT TREATING PROCESS INCREASES THE STRENGTH OF
THE GLASS BY UP TO SEVEN TIMES THAT OF STANDARD FLOAT GLASS. TEMPERED GLASS IS ALSO RATED BY RESULT OF
BREAKAGE INTO SMALL PIECES TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY.
• LAMINATED SAFETY GLASS IS USUALLY TWO LAYERS OF GLASS WITH A PLASTIC LAYER SANDWICHED BETWEEN THEM. SOME
LAMINATED GLASS IS ALSO TEMPERED. LAMINATED GLASS IS AVAILABLE IN MANY THICKNESSES. CHECK YOUR LOCAL BUILDING
CODES FOR SAFETY GLASS REQUIREMENTS.

• TINTED: A GENERAL TERM REFERRING TO VARIOUS FLOAT GLASS WITH METALIC AND REFLECTIVE TINTS IN A VARIETY
OF COLORS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SPECIFIC TYPES OF GLASS & GLAZING, CONTACT WOODSTONE'S
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
GLAZING
-WHICH DERIVES FROM THE MIDDLE ENGLISH FOR 'GLASS', IS A PART OF A VILLA OR WINDOW, MADE
OF GLASS. GLAZING ALSO DESCRIBES THE WORK DONE BY A PROFESSIONAL “GLAZIER". GLAZING IS ALSO
LESS COMMONLY USED TO DESCRIBE THE INSERTION OF OPHTHALMIC LENSES INTO AN EYEGLASS FRAME.

THE USE OF SINGLE AND MULTIPLE LAYERS OF VARIOUS TYPES OF GLASS WITHIN ANY GIVEN SASH OR DOOR.
GENERALLY, THERE ARE THREE COMMON GLAZING CONFIGURATIONS. THEY ARE SINGLE, DOUBLE & TRIPLE
GLAZING. AS THE NAMES IMPLY, SINGLE GLAZING INCLUDES ONE LAYER OF GLASS, DOUBLE GLAZING
INCLUDES TWO LAYERS AND TRIPLE GLAZING INCLUDES THREE LAYERS. UNTIL THE RECENT AVAILABILITY OF
VARIOUS HIGH PERFORMANCE MATERIALS, THE GREATER THE NUMBER OF GLASS LAYERS, THE GREATER THE
INSULATING VALUE OF THE WINDOW OR DOOR. NOW, WITH THE ADVENT OF SUCH PRODUCTS AS SEALED
INSULATING GLASS, LOW E GLASS, HEAT MIRROR AND OTHERS, INSULATING VALUES CAN BE ENHANCED
WITHOUT THE USE OF MULTIPLE GLASS LAYERS. OFTEN, COMBINATIONS OF CERTAIN GLAZING OPTIONS,
GLASS TYPES, METALIC FILMS AND CHEMICAL GAS FILLERS CAN PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT INSULATING EFFICIENCY.
DRY GLAZED
• IN THIS APPROACH, COMPRESSION STRESSES
ARE APPLIED TO FIX METAL PANELS OR GLASS
UNITS INTO THE GLAZING POCKET OF THE
FRAMES. THE NECESSARY COMPRESSION
FORCE CAN BE OBTAINED USING RUBBER
GASKETS AND OCCASIONALLY STRUCTURAL
TAPES.
• GENERALLY, THE RUBBER GASKET, WHICH IS
COMPRESSED IN ADVANCE, ARE PLACED ON
EITHER SIDE OF THE GLAZED ELEMENT, AND
PANELS MAY BE GLAZED FROM THE EXTERIOR
OR INTERIOR BASED ON THE SYSTEM.
WET GLAZED
• THE INFILL ELEMENT IS PLACED AND
ATTACHED TO THE FRAME USING PROPER
ATTACHING AGENTS SUCH AS SILICONE
SEALANT. THE SEALANT APPLICATION
PROCESS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED PROPERLY
OTHERWISE THE ATTACHMENT AGENT
WOULD NOT WORK SUITABLY. FOR EXAMPLE,
THE PERIMETER NEED TO BE PREPARED
SUFFICIENTLY AND THEN THE SEALANT
ELEMENT IS APPLIED TO THE PERIMETER.
POINT SUPPORTED GLASS SYSTEM
• THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN USED SINCE 1960S
AND IT HAS UNDERGONE SOME
DEVELOPMENT BUT ITS BASICS REMAIN THE
SAME. IT CONSISTS OF STRENGTHENED OR
TEMPERED GLASS THROUGH WHICH HOLES
ARE PROVIDED TO ATTACH IT TO THE
STRUCTURE USING PROPER MEANS SUCH AS
BOLTED FITTINGS
• CABLE IS ANOTHER TYPE OF GLAZING PANEL
CONSTRUCTION THAT PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL VIEWS. IT IS
AN ELEGANT GLAZING PANELS THAT DOES NOT NEED
FRAMING BUT IT COULD BE COSTLY AND EXPENSIVE.

• DUE TO THE EFFECT ON LOADING ON THE PANELS, NOT

ONLY DOES CABLE NET STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS IS
REQUIRED TO BE CARRY OUT ACCURATELY BUT ALSO
CONSTRUCTION WORKS NEED MASSIVE
COORDINATION.

• CABLE NET WALLS ARE COMMONLY FLEXIBLE THAT IS

WHY THEY ARE LIKELY TO DEFLECT EXTREMELY. THIS MAY
MAKE OCCUPANTS UNCOMFORTABLE BUT THE
FUNCTIONALITY OF THE BUILDING WILL NOT BE
INFLUENCED AND ITS AESTHETIC VIEWS WOULD NOT BE
DISTORTED.
• DOUBLE SKIN WALL CONSTRUCTION IS QUITE
COMPLEX AND CONSIST OF TWO SKIN OF
GLASS OR FAÇADE, AND THE SPACE BETWEEN
THE FACADES IS EMPLOYED TO MANIPULATE
ENERGY COMES FROM SUNLIGHT AND
VENTILATION ARE INSTALLED THAT EMPLOYS
THE WARM AIR IN THE SPACE BETWEEN GLASS
WALLS. IT SHOULD BE SAID THAT THE
VENTILATION COULD BE NATURAL, FANS, OR
MECHANICALLY CONTROLLED.
BRANDS
• SAINT-GOBAIN. LA DÉFENSE CEDEX, FRANCE. • SCHOTT AG.
• CORNING INC. CORNING, NY. • COORSTEK, INC.
• ASAHI GLASS CO., LTD. TOKYO, JAPAN. • MORGAN ADVANCED MATERIALS
• MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD. KYOTO, • VITRO S.A.B. DE C.V.
JAPAN. • RHI AG
• MORIMURA GROUP. TOKYO, JAPAN. • VESUVIUS PLC
• NIPPON SHEET GLASS CO., LTD. ( NSG • CERAMTEC HOLDING GMBH
GROUP)
• KYOCERA CORP.
 REFERENCES:

HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/GLASS

HTTP://WWW.WOODSTONE.COM/PDF/GLASS.PDF

HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/GLAZING_(WINDOW)

HTTPS://THECONSTRUCTOR.ORG/BUILDING/GLAZING-PANELS-TYPES-METHODS-CONSTRUCTION/17626/

HTTPS://WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM/2017-TOP-14-GLASS-CERAMICS-REFRACTORIES-MANUFACTURERS-LIST