Need advice on glass for front door?

[Rich W]

Hi, I need advice on external door glass...

I bought a Georgian-style hardwood front door with 9 panes in the top half. I need some glass for it. Ideally, I'd like something that will allow me to recognise the identity of a visitor standing outside, while not permitting that visitor to easily see inside. I'm envisaging something that you have to get your eye up close to in order to see through it. I think I've seen some like that somewhere. Can anyone advise where I can buy such glass?

Also, which kind of glass is most suitable: toughened, hardened, or laminated? I've no doubt that the most unbreakable will be the most expensive. Can anyone give me an idea of the cost?

Thank you,

Rich W

[The Natural Philosopher]

I am fairly sure any glass will do..safety glass is only required if you can fall through it and that's not the case with small panes above waist level.

However security issues may dictate you want something that can;t be smashed and an arm inserted through to unlock the door etc. Your choice. Your glazier can advise.

Also you might want to fit double glazing..glass is about twice as conductive as a hardwood door.

Unidirectional transparency is achieved mainly bu having the hallway dark. That makes you invisible and the outside crystal clear.

Or you might be thinking of 'bullion' glass? that's pretty expensive stuff, and looks fairly weird on a paneled door.

[Rich W]

Hi, Thanks for the input. Yes, I want something that will be hard to break, for the exact reason you described.

That's an idea; thanks. I will enquire about the price.

The door already has a couple of pieces of bullion glass in it. I like the look of that, but it doesn't give quite the level of privacy I'd like. It's very easy to see past the concentric ripples. Perhaps if it was green glass rather than clear it would be better.

The door will open straight into a living room, so the need for privacy is somewhat more than if, say, it was opening into a hallway.

Rich

[dom]

For security, I'd go for laminated (When laminated breaks, it remains in place. When toughened breaks it forms pea sized chips). Have a look at the glazing rebates in the door to see how thick glass it can take.

(float, toughened,laminated), 9.6mm.

For greater thicknesses you can consider sealed units. These are specified as 4/10/4 for instance - glass/gap/glass in mm's - nowadays it's usual to specify the inner as K glass for it's improved thermal performance.

Glass is very cheap compared to the cost of the door, to the point that it's probably worth having a spare piece cut at the same time (assuming they're all the same size - make sure you check!)

[The Natural Philosopher]

I hate to say it, but net curtains are the thing..

And a thwacking great interlined, *and* lined, velvet or brocade curtain for winter, and excellent draughtproofing around the edges.

[nightjar]

For security, any glass near or in a door should be laminated (preferable) or Georgian wired glass. Toughened only means that a burglar does not get hurt when he breaks the pane, while ordinary wired glass simply muffles the already quiet noise of it breaking. For privacy, you need a privacy film, which is applied to the inside surface and makes the glass opaque, and a door viewer to look at visitors through.

Colin Bignell

Colin Bignell

[Tony Bryer]

All wired glass on sale now is Georgian AFAIK: this just means that the wires are in a square grid. In times past you could also get wired glass with the wires in a chicken wire pattern. Wired glass will break fairly easily (the wires weaken the glass) but it's much harder to punch a hole through it as the wires hold the pieces of glass in place - thus its main use in fire resisting doors and screens.

[Stuart Noble]

Does it really matter how secure the glass is in a front door? Presumably it is mortice locked so removing the glass isn't going to achieve much. Most just get kicked in IME, although round my way burglary has gone out of style

[nightjar]

It should also mean that the wires are welded together where they cross.

Still could when I last went down the glaziers

Colin Bignell

[nightjar]

It is not a good idea to deadlock yourself inside a house at night. There should always be at least one door that can be opened easily from inside, in case you need to get out quickly in a fire.

Colin Bignell

[Lurch]

On Thu, 12 Jul 2007 23:48:41 +0100, "nightjar" mused:

Check your insurance policy!

[The Natural Philosopher]

That's what windows are for allegedly.

[chris French]

In message , Lurch writes

Check yours, it's unlikely that it requires you to lock yourself in the house

[Lurch]

On Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:54:39 +0100, chris French mused:

I never said yours or mine did or didn't, I just said check it.

[Stuart Noble]

Can't win, can you?

[Rich W]

I have to agree, they do solve the problem effectively, but only during daylight hours.

Rich

[Rich W]

Useful advice - thank you. This door will only allow for glass up to about 6mm thick, so I guess sealed units are not an option. From what you say, laminate seems the answer. Good idea about buying an extra pane... Thanks...

Rich

[The Natural Philosopher]

well the rest of my post showed how to use a nice thick curtain at night..

[The Natural Philosopher]

Visually neat, but not much heat insulation properties ;-)

[dennis]

Its probably toughened so it will shatter if you try to cut it.