tempered glass table tops are growing in popularity due to their many benefits. They are strong and durable and can withstand heavy use. They are also resistant to scratches and dents, which makes them a good choice for families with children or pets. Tempered glass table tops are also easy to clean, and can be quickly wiped down with a damp cloth.
However, tempered glass table tops do have a few drawbacks. They can be quite expensive, especially compared to other types of table tops. They can also be quite heavy, which can make them difficult to move around. And finally, they can sometimes shatter if they are struck with a hard object.
Overall, a tempered glass table top is a good choice for many households. However, it is important to carefully consider the pros and cons before making a final decision. Fortunately, there are many different types of tempered glass table tops available on the market today, so shoppers should not have any difficulty finding one that suits their needs and budget.
To care for your tempered glass table top, it is important to remember a few key things. First and foremost, always use a coaster or placemat when placing any hot or wet objects on the surface. This will help to prevent any potential damage. In addition, avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasives when cleaning the table, as these can also cause harm. A simple damp cloth should be sufficient for most cleaning needs. Last, but not least, be sure to place coasters and placemats in the proper position. This will help to prevent staining or other potential damage from occurring.
If you want to keep your tempered glass table top looking great over the long term, it is important to take care of it properly. By following these simple tips, you can help to ensure that your table top stays looking beautiful for years to come.
When you get a tempered glass table top, it is very important to take care of it and scratches can happen. If the scratch is small, you can try to buff it out with a soft cloth. If the scratch is bigger, you will need to replace the table top. You can talk to your local glass shop about getting the table top replaced. They will be able to let you know if the table top is something that they can replace and how much it will cost.
It is a good idea to try and avoid scratches on your tempered glass table top at all costs. There are some things that you may want to do to help avoid this. For example, you can place placemats under your glasses and cups to protect the top from scratches. Another option is to put coasters under your glasses so that they don’t rub against the glass as much.
There are a few reasons why tempered glass is often the material of choice for safety and security applications. For one, it is much stronger than traditional glass, making it less likely to shatter into dangerous shards in the event of a break. Additionally, tempered glass is less prone to heat damage, making it ideal for use in areas where there is a risk of fire. Finally, tempered glass is also more resistant to scratches and other surface damage than other materials, making it a longer-lasting option.
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Glass table tops can be a truly stunning addition to any home. Their clear surfaces have a remarkable way of opening up space and can even lighten up a room. The thing with glass tabletops, though, is that because they are made of glass, they can be damaged more easily than table tops made of other materials. If you want to keep your glass table surfaces in good condition, you need to take steps to protect them.
One of the first things you should do to protect your glass tabletops is to make sure they are located in good places in your house. Generally speaking, high traffic areas where they can get bumped into and knocked off probably aren’t the best options. Instead, place them outside of the flow of traffic. You can provide an additional layer of protection by using rubber bumpers on the bottom. Rubber bumpers can be great for helping glass table surfaces stay where they belong and prevent them from sliding off as easily.
In order to keep your glass table tops in good condition, it’s important to make sure you clean them properly. If you do it right, you can maintain the beautiful appearance of your glass table surfaces. If you don’t do it right or if you use the wrong cleaners or supplies, you run the risk of damaging and scratching the surface. Make sure you use lint-free microfiber cloths and cleaners that specify that they can be safely used on glass.
Improper cleaning isn’t the only way your glass table tops can be scratched. Items placed directly on the glass or slid across the surface can also cause damage. To prevent this, make sure you use coasters and mats. It’s best to have these already out and available for use in order to prevent guests and others from placing objects directly on the glass because they don’t know any better. Having a runner that you place centerpieces, coffee table books, and other decorative items on can also help. The best part is that there are a lot of different designs and styles of coasters, mats, and runners that you can use to not only protect your glass but enhance the overall appearance of the furniture.
If you have children or pets, a glass tabletop may not be the most practical option. That said, you can still make it work if you’re careful. Teach children to not play with their toys on the glass and train pets to stay off of the furniture. That can help prevent accidental scratches caused by endearing yet sometimes destructive members of your household.
Generally speaking, the glass used for tabletops should be tempered glass. Tempered glass is multiple times stronger than regular glass, and fractures into small pieces when broken, which makes it safer to handle. That said, no one wants to have to replace a broken glass coffee table or any other glass tabletop. As such, make sure you never place hot items directly on the glass. Hot surfaces that come into direct contact with glass run a much higher risk of cracking the glass. Be sure to use hot pads, coasters, or other appropriate barriers between hot items and your glass tabletop.
In order to get the most out of your glass tabletops, it’s important to take steps to protect them. Reducing the risk of people bumping into them, scratching them, or breaking them are all vital to the protection of your glass table surfaces. Take the time and effort to properly care for your glass tabletops so you can enjoy their beauty as long as you have them in your home.
Tempered (heat-strengthened) glass is 4 times more impact-resistant than regular annealed glass and is safer because it breaks into harmless “popcorn” fragments. But tempered glass is more expensive than annealed – is it worth the extra cost? Find out if glass tabletops should be tempered in this definitive post.
Etched glass at Govinda's Restauran...
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Etched glass at Govinda's Restaurant, TucsonEtched glass at Govinda's Restaurant, Tucson
Patio glass tabletops should always be tempered. Protective glass tabletops may or may not be tempered, & heavy glass tops generally do not need to be tempered.
Modern architectural glass is made by the “float” process invented by the Pilkington Company – a ribbon of molten glass is floated on a bed of molten tin to form a continuous sheet of very flat and uniform glass.
The molten glass is cooled slowly to create the standard flat product – called annealed glass – that is sent to glass companies for further processing. Jump to this section for more details about tempering.
Annealed glass breaks into dangerous shardsAs the image above shows, annealed glass has the disadvantage that, when it breaks, it forms very sharp and dangerous shards that can be life-threatening. For this reason, a process called “tempering” was invented to make glass much more impact-resistant and also much safer when broken:
See the instantaneous shattering of tempered glass in this Artistry in Glass video – where a glass worker strikes the vulnerable corner of the glass with a sharp bradawl.
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Cracked Glass TabletopCracked Glass Tabletop
This deliberately broken tabletop is made for decorative purposes. The 1/4″ thick tempered glass is sandwiched between two sheets of glass that keep the “popcorn” fragments contained (the edges are held in place by a bead of clear silicone).
To decide if your glass tabletop should be tempered let’s first find out about the benefits of tempered glass:
Benefits of tempered glassBenefits of tempered glass
Compared with annealed glass, tempered glass is stronger (more impact-resistant), safer, and also heat-resistant. Tempered glass is identical to annealed in appearance, translucence, and hardness but is slightly more (about 12%) expensive.
Tempered glass is 4 to 5 times more impact resistant than annealed glass.
Tempered glass is impact-resistantDo not try this at home – but tempered glass is very hard to break, even when struck with a hammer. (caution: do not whack a sharp corner – these are vulnerable!)
Tempered glass is slightly more brittle and easier to scratch than annealed glass. For everything you need to know about fixing scratched glass follow this link.
The breaking characteristic – harmless fragments rather than dangerous shards is a vital advantage for applications like shower and patio doors where building occupants are in close proximity to glass.
Tempered glass breaks into harmless “popcorn” fragmentsTempered glass breaks into harmless “popcorn” fragments
Tempered glass is less likely to chip than annealed glass – for all you need to know about fixing chips in tabletops – follow this post.
Annealed (non-tempered) glass forms curvilinear cracks when heated unevenly.
Tempered glass resists thermal stress (uneven heating) – that’s why it is used for stovetop backsplashes and for the windows in ovens. Unlike tempered glass, annealed glass forms distinctive curvilinear stress cracks if it is heated unevenly.
Placing a very hot saucepan directly on your annealed glass top will set up a temperature gradient between hot and room-temperature glass. The internal structure of the glass becomes a battlefield as molecules attempt to accelerate in response to the asymmetrical heating. The result is very interesting, but unrepairable, curved cracks in the glass.
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Should glass tabletops be tempered - find out from the experts!Should glass tabletops be tempered - find out from the experts!
Should your tabletop be tempered?Should your tabletop be tempered?
The decision to order annealed or tempered glass is very important from the point of view of safety.
Artistry in Glass cannot be responsible for the consequences of any information given in this post. Broken glass can be life-threatening – always consult a glass professional if you are in any doubt.
The decision to use tempered glass is not always cut and dried. There are a lot of factors involved. The bottom line is summarized below but be sure to read on to learn the full details.
The decision to spend a little more money on tempered glass depends entirely on your concept of risk.
Engineers define risk as the probability of failure multiplied by the consequences
High-risk Skydeck needs extra safe glassSkydecks and glass bridges are the epitome of high risk in the architectural glass business. Obviously, the consequences of glass failure for occupants of this elevated skydeck are totally catastrophic. The solution is to engineer the deck out of unbreakable, laminated, and tempered glass.
Risk in the context of glass tabletops is less catastrophic than a collapsed skydeck but can be no less deadly.
Our customer related the dramatic saga of his student son’s activities on one fateful evening at the University of Arizona. This promising but exuberant undergraduate got drunk in his dorm room and danced on top of his glass coffee table. The annealed glass broke and the student was impaled by a shard of glass that entered through his back and punctured his lung. The ashen-faced father, fresh from the emergency department, ordered tempered glass!
Student fell through a larger version of a table like this (supported only around the rim)Student fell through a larger version of a table like this
So, although accidents are rare, they can be fatal and great caution is advisable. Read on for an expert analysis of risks – in other words – the likelihood of failure and the consequences of failure.
Likelihood of failure: patio table glass is generally thin (3/16″) to reduce the weight on flimsy aluminum tables, so it is intrinsically more likely to chip or break unless it is tempered.
It is also the most likely table glass to break because of its vulnerable outdoor location. In high winds, a patio tabletop can act like a sail and go flying onto the concrete floor. Also, inebriated homeowners often forget to remove the umbrella – contributing to wind-related breaking. Finally, kids and teenagers playing games around the pool contribute to the risks.
Consequences of failure: patio glass risks are also rather high because scantily clad homeowners, partying on the patio are likely to be in close proximity to the patio table glass.
Learn all about replacing broken patio tabletops in this post.
In conclusion – be sure to specify tempered glass (often aquatex) when replacing a broken patio table.
Patio glass can be aquatex, clear, or tinted but MUST be temperedLikelihood of failure: a typical 1/4″ thick tabletop resting on a wooden table to protect the surface is very unlikely to get broken in a residential setting, Read all about protective tops in this comprehensive post.
Breakage is most likely to occur by thermal stress: that is when a careless homeowner places a very hot skillet directly on the glass without a placemat or trivet. The other causes are direct impact with a hard object (unlikely in a peaceful household without domestic violence), or breakage while moving the glass for cleaning or a holiday party.
Consequences of failure: protective glass generally presents a rather low risk of personal injury because the broken pieces will likely remain safely on the wooden table top. So the customary advice is to use annealed glass for most tabletops.
Exceptions: nervous homeowners with rambunctious teenagers or cooks who like to place hot saucepans on the glass should choose tempered glass (for the modest extra cost).
A second category of protective glass that needs to be tempered is a desktop with holes and notches for electric cords, or with an irregular shape. Holes, notches, and inside cuts weaken the glass – so stronger tempered glass is recommended.
Tempered glass is recommended for this notched desk topCommercial setting: note that the consequence of failure increases substantially in a commercial setting where your responsibility to customer safety and your insurance liabilities make tempered glass advisable.
Heavy (1/2 & 3/4″) thick glass is intrinsically strong so it is very seldom tempered for residential interior use. The glass is so thick that the risk of breakage is very low. However, be aware that it is possible to chip the edge or scratch the surface of heavy glass and these defects are very hard to fix – so take care.
Exceptions: intermediate thickness (3/8″) glass is also not normally tempered but should be if it is in a risky position in your house. All heavy glass should be tempered if it is used on a patio over a tiled or concrete floor – breakage, although unlikely, would be very dangerous.
Commercial: heavy glass in commercial settings, restaurants, bars, and retail shops should be tempered because of your potential liability to customers.
Heavy (1/2″ and 3/4″) glass is generally tempered when it is manufactured overseas and shipped to the US (for example from China).
This 36″ round clear tempered glass tabletop is 3/4″ thick with a beautiful flat polished edge. This is the same quality as US-manufactured glass at about 1/2 the price. (Make sure the shipping is free).
Annealed glass is tempered (heat-strengthened) in special ovens at the modern glass factory. Glass is cut to the required size and then passed through an oven that heats it to about 1,165 Fahrenheit (630 degrees C) then rapidly cools the surface to produce a “frozen” skin.
Tempering oven (note – this is a repeating gif – the glass only goes through once!)The glass is then cooled slowly so that the, still fluid, center of the glass contracts gradually and pulls inwards producing compression in the frozen skin.
The slowly cooling center contracts putting the surface under compression.The slowly cooling center contracts putting the surface under compression.
Once tempered, glass cannot be cut, drilled, or ground: breaking the surface skin will result in catastrophic failure (breaking into popcorn fragments).
Follow this link to find out how to tell if glass has been tempered and other interesting facts.
As you have seen – the answer is “it depends”. Always consider the safety and well-being of your family and get expert advice.
However, the following summary of recommendations is a guide. Always temper patio tables; sometimes temper protective tables, and seldom temper heavy (1/2″ & 3/4″) tables,