Type of Glazing Required

[Jamie998]

Quick question ref a glazing quote I received.

 

ALL of the glazing within the quote is specified as 'tough and 'laminated.

 

This confuses me.  I was under the impression that they are two sides of the same coin - I.e. safety glass.

 

Toughened will shatter in 'safe' fragments whilst laminated will hold together - just reducing any risk posed to person involved in the breaking of said glazing.

 

Having read the approved document k, safety glazing is only required in certain areas - as I thought.

 

When I suggested this to the person issuing the quote (I included diagram 5.1 from Part K) I was informed that  building regs part Q requires enhanced security for all of the windows in a new build - hence specifying tough/lam for all my windows/doors.

 

I just checked part Q....I must be missing something as that is not what I interpret the document as stating.

 

My instincts say that tough/lam is significantly bumping the price up, unnecessarily.

 

Also why would you use toughened and laminated? Surely one or the other ticks the box?

 

A sanity check from my fellow self builders would be much appreciated.

 

TIA

 

Jamie

[lizzie]

I have laminated everywhere, toughened is the default standard I believe. I went for laminated as it is better for security and lots of big glass sections in toughened make the windows the most vulnerable part of the house. 

[Ian]

@Jamie998

toughened or laminated both comply with requirements for safety glass in the building regs.

 

For security glass the police tend to recommend laminated glass as it is a little more difficult to break through.

 

As an architect I specify toughened laminated (2 panes of toughened laminated together) for critical safety locations such as glass balustrades in busy shopping centres or in overhead glass applications. If a single sheet of toughened glass breaks it falls out completely whereas 2 sheets laminated together will hold in place if 1 is broken.

 

Toughened glass is also best specified as heat soaked to avoid potential spontaneous breakages due to nickel sulphide inclusions.

Edited April 4, 2018 by Ian

[Jamie998]

Thanks for the replies.

 

So, am I right in now thinking that although tough/lam is only required by Part K in vulnerable areas such as large areas of glazing/doors etc. it is now the standard spec, hence why it has been specified whole house in my quote?

[James H]

I read it as needing safety glass  (toughened/lamanated), need in certain areas. Home and public places have diferant regs.

In a house the reason to have lamanated glass is for surcurty, or some specal units which needs it.

But in my under standing toughend is with in regs. and is still being manufactured.