Why We Should be Extra Careful with Glass Installation

USA, 9 Dec 2024 — Adding cool windows, doors, or glass walls to your home? Glass looks amazing, but as per glass experts Bold City Glass, it needs special handling so it doesn’t crack or shatter during installation. In this article, we’ll examine why glass needs extra care, and how crews take extra precautions when putting it in.

What Makes Glass So Fragile?

To understand why glass breaks easily, you must first know how it’s made. The glass starts as super hot liquid sand. It’s cooled in a way that makes the molecules stiffen up and get “frozen” randomly instead of forming an organized crystal.

This gives the glass its transparent, see-through structure. But it also makes the glass more brittle and vulnerable to cracks compared to materials with orderly crystalline bonds.

The brittleness also depends on the type of glass. Annealed glass is cooled slowly so it can be cut and etched. It’s soft and shatters into large, jagged pieces. Tempered glass is cooled rapidly with blasts of air. It’s 4-5 times stronger but still cracks under too much stress.

Either way, the irregular molecular structure means glass needs to be handled gently. A small nick or tap against a hard object can start a rapidly spreading crack. Vibration from construction can also cause invisible micro-cracks. That’s why special care is crucial for installation.

Factors that Make Glass Prone to Breaking

There are a few key factors that make glass highly prone to cracking and breaking during installation:

• Rigidness – Glass has very little flexibility or “give” before fracturing. Even small bends introduce tension.
• Weight – Glass doors, shelves, or large windows are heavy. Their weight puts strain on the materials.
• Aging – When installed glass panes are exposed to long-term vibration, sunlight, temperature swings and general wear, they become more brittle.
• Unsupported Edges – Glass depends on all edges being completely supported. If the frame doesn’t support it evenly, cracks develop.
• Invisible Flaws – Micro-cracks from manufacturing or handling can cause major cracks down the road when stressed.
• No Grip – The perfectly smooth surface makes sheet glass slippery and tough to get a solid grip on.

Given these innate traits, pros take extra steps to pamper the glass each step of the way. A meticulous process prevents expensive replacements down the road.

Handling and Transporting the Glass

Before installation even starts, glass needs to be delivered to the site undamaged. Transporting large panes introduces the first risks:

• Strapping glass properly to pallets and trucks prevents shifting that causes edge chipping. Foam dividers also protect the glass.
• Securely covering glass prevents debris on roads from causing pitting or chipping.
• Driving slowly and avoiding bumps limits bounciness that leads to crack-causing vibration.

Once on site, the way installers handle the glass makes a huge difference:

• Wearing clean gloves prevents oils from hands creating streaks and impairing transparency.
• Carrying large panes vertically on the edge maintains stability. Tilting glass risks flexing.
• Multiple people coordinate to share the massive weight of large sheets.
• Glass is lifted using suction cups to avoid slipping. Handles are never used.

Careful Prep Work is Crucial

Before installation, the framing and foundation need meticulous prep:

• The framework must be level, plumb, and square – improper alignment stresses glass.
• No frame obstructions should cause the glass to catch unevenly during placement.
• Sealants are applied to all contacting surfaces so glass can’t slip.
• Shims precisely tune frame dimensions to avoid tight squeezes.
• Holes for bolts and hardware are pre-drilled to proper sizes.

Rushing through prep almost guarantees glass cracking when being set into place. Precision here prevents problems down the road.

The Installation Process Itself

During the actual glass setting, specialists use several tricks to keep things gentle:

• Panes are lowered straight down into frames using straps, not leaned in. No torquing.
• Thick rubber fittings pad all contact points between glass and framing.
• Straps stay secured until seals, bolts, and shims are fully set.
• Slow, even tightening of hardware and bolts prevents concentrated stress.
• Edge alignments are painstakingly perfected to distribute weight evenly.
• Frame bolt holes are slightly oversized so glass can move naturally.

A meticulous installation process avoids putting concentrated tension on glass that leads to fractures. Rushing causes mistakes.

Post-Installation Care Principles

Once installed, certain care principles prevent future cracking:

• Allowing a proper time frame for sealants and epoxy to fully cure and set. No weight or use too early.
• Keeping glass out of direct sun until completely settled to avoid thermal expansion popping it out.
• Attaching window treatments to the frame or wall, not to glass panes directly.
• Using padded window cleaning tools instead of abrasive scrubbing.
• Checking for seal failure indicators like fogginess between panes.

When glass isn’t babied both during and after installation, breakage is almost inevitable. Handled with care, it will sparkle permanently.

A Team Effort for Satisfying Results

As you can see, proper glass installation is a total team effort. Manufacturers inspect for flaws, transportation teams handle them delicately, installers prep meticulously, and homeowners practice ongoing gentle care. With so many vulnerabilities and risks, everyone must play their role to avoid shattering.

Glass adds beauty and modern appeal to any home. But respecting its fragile qualities through precise installation and handling ensures it dazzles for the long haul. That’s true for mirrors, tabletops, doors, and any glass elements you add. So next time you see glass being worked on, appreciate the specialized care that goes into the process.

Media Details.

Company Name: Bold City Glass
Contact Name: Bold City Glass
Email: contact@boldcityglass.com
Country: USA
Website: https://boldcityglass.com