Toughened glass thickness opinion.....

[R D S]

I've screened off an outside area with a timber frame, balustrade clamps and 5mm toughened glass. The stuff that shatters into cubes.

The panels are roughly 1600x350mm.

I had the glass already (recovered from some display cabinets). Should the panes bust i'll replace them with something thicker as and when but i'm just wondering what to expect from them, they look quite flimsy in the wild!

I could test them of course, I have a couple spare, but rather than make a mess I thought i'd invite opinion?

[T i m]

If aesthetics aren't highly critical, could you do a sort of reverse laminated effect by skinning the panes (on one side at least) with some suitable transparent film?

The idea if they do 'go' for some reason at least the bits will stay in one place?

Maybe some clear vinyl film as used for signs? Probably cheaper to have the screen panes made up in thicker laminated glass ... ;-(

Cheers, T i m

[Steve Walker]

I assume that it is just screening against the wind and not to stop someone falling over an edge?

At 5mm thickness and only 350mm wide, I'd say that's far more than good enough - as long at the framing and clamps aren't moving around and imposing any twisting loads. 4mm, un-toughened glass used to be normal for pretty large, single-glazed windows.

[Dave Plowman (News]

I'd say it would depend on the application. If your screen is also protection against people falling through it (like round a roof terrace) I'd likely take the advice of a decent glass supplier.

I have a custom made unit for the AV system. The base unit - effectively three shelves of a table 1400 x 600 is made of 10mm toughened. What the glass supplier recommended. It has legs at each corner.

[Robin]

I think it depends on the risk of harm if the glass breaks. So eg glass to keep the wind off while you sup can be thinner than glass to stop people falling down your well. But IIRC the building regs used* to require only 6mm for 1400mm safety barriers so I'd have thought you'll be OK with what you have for most purposes.

*"used" as that was in 2000 and things may have changed.

[The Natural Philosopher]

From memory glass ann building regs is mostly about falling *through * a large panel and having your arteries shredded. The regs suggested two different approaches - first to use toughened glass of a certain size, or secondly to break the area up into panelets and/or use safety bars to span the larger areas.

My single glazed french doors are formed of 3mm panes of 'agricultural' glass, leaded together and feature two horizontal steel bars to stabilise the lot and met 2000 regs

Id say for a modern look 6mm or maybe 10mm toughened is the answer.

6mm is bloody tough - needs a hammer to break it

[Robin]

I think also about falling /down/ (eg on stairs, walkways) or /into/ danger (eg machinery). Hence Approved Document K with reference to BS

6180 which has things like the span limit I mentioned.

[newshound]

I'm not familiar with BS 6180 but IME "balcony" glazing especially if not substantially protected by metalwork is invariably laminated rather than toughened.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Probably - that wasn't relevant to my French doors :-)

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[R D S]

It's at ground level, a cat enclosure.

Sounds like we'll be OK then. We get proper wind here though and there is a bit of flex to them.

[Robin]

I can well believe laminate is needed to provide containment in most cases. But when planning a project that never happened in 2001 Pilkington reckoned toughened was OK if the free path to the barrier was less than 1.5m. Again, things may have changed.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Depends on whether you are going to get problems with the pressure changing due to wind direction etc. I've seen or rather heard so called toughened glass just bow a little too much and disintegrate due to the differential pressures of wind loading on each side.

Brian

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Often its the unusual pressures on either side that causes the failures in my experience, in places like pub gardens etc. I like the film idea, if you can find some cheaply available and get it applied tidily, then it does help. Brian