Where is laminated glass used? 5 key applications
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Laminated glass is a material used in many settings. Discover 5 essential applications in our 5-minute read.
Laminated glass is a type of glass that's made out of two or more sheets of glass with a plastic interlayer sandwiched in between.
This means that if you strike a sheet of laminated glass with force, it won't shatter. Instead, it will crack but stay in its frame.
This makes it ideal in a number of scenarios, from car windscreens to glazing in areas vulnerable to extreme weather. Wherever you need toughness and extra security, laminated glass is indispensable.
In this article, we take a look at five key applications of laminated glass. First up: the humble car windscreen.
1. Automobile windscreens
"Mistakes," said James Joyce, "are the portals of discovery" – a statement borne out by seminal discoveries as diverse as penicillin, smoke detectors and, yes, laminated glass.
Windscreens are only made from laminated glass thanks to a laboratory accident by chemist and klutz Édouard Bénédictus. In 1903, he dropped a glass flask that had been coated with cellulose nitrate and was surprised to find that it didn't shatter.
Six years later, Bénédictus heard the story of two women who had been injured by glass debris in a car accident. He patented his glass laminate and started producing Triplex glass. His aim: to reduce the chances of injury and death in car accidents.
Today, laminated glass is the standard material for windscreens. It's why they're so hard to shatter. If you do see a windscreen that's been forcefully impacted, you'll see a distinctive spider-web pattern. It would take a heck of a lot more force to make it break entirely – certainly more force than gets applied in the average car accident.
In the 1920s, Henry Ford became the first car manufacturer to use laminated glass for windscreens. In the UK, it wasn't until 1930 that the government required cars to have windscreens made from safety glass – and even then it didn't have to be laminated glass per se.
Today, all windscreens are made from laminated glass. This increases driver and passenger safety by stopping glass fragments from causing injury in the event of a collision or other accident.
It's wild to think this wouldn't be the case if it weren't for that fateful day in 1903 when a Frenchman dropped his flask.
2. Walk-on glass
Structural glazing covers a lot more than just windows and doors. It also includes walk-on glass.
Staircases, balustrades and skylights all need laminated glass to take the load of the humans walking on them. The wrong materials can lead to fatal accidents. Laminated glass is ideal because – even in the rare event of a breakage – it stays intact. That means the risk of falling is massively reduced.
A further safety precaution can be taken in the form of anti-slip glass. These can be patterned, too, for added aesthetic effect.
In another article, we collected some of the
most impressive examples of walk-on glass – from London's Tower Bridge to glass bridges in China and Vietnam via a glass box suspended off the side of an Alp.
3. Hurricane-resistant construction
Some parts of the world are vulnerable to hurricanes. In the more affluent of these, laminated glass is often used for structural glazing.
In the event of a hurricane, a laminated glass storefront, curtain wall or window will withstand flying debris and stay intact. This reduces the chance of injury and death. That's right – laminated glass is literally a life-saver.
4. High security
All shops need to be secure – but some need more security than others.
Go to the jewellery or diamond district in any major city and you're in a land of laminated glass. The same goes for other luxury or boutique stores. From the entrance to the cabinets, everything is cocooned in the stuff.
This application doesn't just apply to the world of retail. Go up to the desk in a high street bank and you're looking at the teller through laminated glass.
It's a material that also gets used in places where people need to be restrained: prisons, detention centres, police stations and some types of mental health facilities.
Laminated glass is ideal for these settings because when it breaks, there's no hole for people to get through. Even when broken, it stays intact. This gives it the edge over toughened glass in settings that need high security.
5. Historical uses of laminated glass
In the First World War, both sides used poison gas on the battlefield. This meant that soldiers, dogs and horses all needed protection in the form of gas masks. Without them, they would have been incapable of fighting back – or, in the case of animals, aiding the fight.
These grotesque-looking hoods were fitted with eyepieces – and these were often, though not always, made of bulletproof laminated glass.
The material was also used for aviator goggles and aeroplane windscreens. Both protected those flying aces from bullets, flying debris and other hazards.
How is laminated glass made?
By this point, you might be wondering why laminated glass is just so tough. The answer lies in its manufacturing process.
Typically, laminated glass is made from two sheets of glass. Often, these sheets are toughened – heated in a furnace at a very high temperature and then rapidly cooled. This toughening process gives the glass its strength and durability.
Between these sheets of glass is sandwiched a plastic interlayer. It's this that holds the glass in place in the event of a breakage.
Conclusion
Laminated glass is a staple material in architectural glazing, high-security locations and places that are vulnerable to extreme weather. Its durability and breakage pattern make it ideal for settings that call for added toughness and security.
Next time you're out and about, see if you can spot some. In a town or city, you won't have to look far…
Are you looking for high-quality
toughened laminated glass? Look no further than ToughGlaze.
Get in touch today for a quick, competitive quote.
