Choose the Safety of Tempered Glass Table Tops
Posted by GuestPoster in Design Tips on November 30th, 2011 | No Comments »Tempered glass is much stronger and safer to use than regular glass, especially for high traffic areas. It is designed not to break easily and when it does, it should not leave sharp edges. This can be important if you live in a home with children. Serious injury can result from broken glass so it’s important to make sure you use tempered glass for all of your glass table tops.
If you need custom glass table tops that are a different size or shape, you will need to have that cut prior to tempering the glass. The edges will have to be polished flat and you may want to have them beveled for an elegant look.
When Do You Need Tempered Glass Table Tops?
Many people use round glass table tops to cover an existing wood top on a small table. You would not need tempered glass for that since there is a strong base underneath. However, any time you are using glass as the entire top, you will want to have it tempered.
Tempered glass is five times stronger than regular glass to hold up to frequent use. For instance, if someone sets something down on your glass table tops with force, regular glass could crack or break. Tempered glass will withstand rough treatment better than regular glass.
If you use glass for your outdoor furniture, you will need tempered glass table tops. There is even more danger of broken glass with strong weather conditions.
You will need to choose the width of glass you use, but the standard is 3/8 to ½ inch thickness to provide the best stability. If you want to go any thicker, you will have to consider the added weight onto your base.
Are Tempered Glass Table Tops Expensive?
The price of tempered glass table tops can vary, depending on the size and thickness. It also depends on the kind of design you select. The more complex the design is, the more expensive the glass table tops will be.