Imagine a scenario where you have to choose a single attire for the whole year. Inconceivable, right? Choosing the right windows and doors for a building is this hard. Only windows and doors are going to be there for more than a year. But don’t panic!
We are here to guide you on how to choose the perfect windows for your office or home.
Glass windows and doors contribute a lot to the overall look of a building. Their utility goes a long way from just visual appeal. Glass windows are the outlets to light. They let the natural light in and keep the interior well-lit and ventilated. Glass windows are also a great way to reconnect with the outside world while staying in the comfort of your home.
Another worth mentioning role of glass windows and doors is thermal insulation and temperature maintenance. Special glass windows and doors are designed to reinforce the home insulation systems. The glass windows are capable of keeping the absorbed heat in and preventing the air from going out of the building in colder areas, thus strengthening the thermal insulation system and lowering the bills eventually.
We can say that the doors and windows are the highlights of any structure. Therefore spending reasonable time and energy on getting the perfect windows for your home or office is completely justified.
Types of Glass for Windows and Doors
We all are quite familiar with the role and importance of glass windows and doors in our homes and offices. But not many of us are aware of the different types of glass available in the market. So let’s get acquainted with all the many options we have in our hands.
Technology has advanced a lot (we all know that!), so does the construction industry. Tons of different types of glass are introduced in the market. Each type of glass corresponds to a particular set of requirements. Many solid replacements for glass have also been invented through different manufacturing processes.
Here are some major types of glass that are widely employed in windows and doors nowadays.
Annealed Glass – The Basic Glass
Float glass goes through a cooling process to yield annealed glass. It is highly transparent and used mostly in applications where a high degree of optical clarity is required. Annealed glass cannot stand impacts and breaks easily.
Tempered Glass – Toughened to Stand Impacts
Tempered or toughened glass is manufactured through an extensive heating process which makes it impact resistant. Tempered glass can take hard impacts without even damaging which makes it a preferred choice for applications where high strength value and durability are required. It is also resistant to heat therefore used to reinforce the thermal insulation systems in the buildings.
Plexiglass – A Solid Alternative to Glass
Plexiglass or acrylic glass is a polymer of a plastic material. It is the perfect alternative to glass that caters to all the shortcomings of glass. It is damage-resistant, unbreakable, and above all very easy on the pocket. You can achieve an all-glass look with acrylic or plexiglass without breaking your bank. It also filters out UV radiations of the sun, thus suitable for windows and doors.
Insulated Glass – To Strengthen the Home Insulation System
As the name suggests, insulated glass is glazed to achieve high thermal resistance. Insulated glass, typically, consists of two or more glass panes. The space between the glass panes is glazed with some gas or vacuumed to restrict the heat transfer across the glass sheets. It is usually employed in windows and doors to enhance the performance of building thermal insulation systems.
Laminated Glass – The Best in Terms of Strength Value
Laminated glass is a safety glass that is extremely resistant to impacts. It can even stand bullets that’s why laminated glass is also referred to as bulletproof glass. It is manufactured by fusing a plastic adhesive material between two or more glass panes making it almost impossible to break.
Frosted Glass – Privacy Plus Beauty
Frosted glass is for people who love to maintain a high level of privacy without compromising on style and aesthetics. The visibility through the glass is obscured by acid etching or sandblasting. Thus allowing the light to pass through only.
Tinted Glass – For a Colorful Outlook
Tinted glass is another variant of the aesthetic glass series. The tint is added to glass to serve different purposes. Sometimes it is done to filter the harmful radiations while other times it is used to create different opacities.
Low Iron Glass – For High Transparency
It is a type of high-clarity glass that is manufactured by adding low levels of iron to remove the inherent greenish-blue color of the glass. It is mostly used for display purposes due to its transparency and optical clarity.
Perfect Windows for Homes
We have discussed different types of glass to give you a taste of the wide variety available in the market. You can choose any one of them to brighten up your home. But here are our two cents on the perfect windows for homes.
Homes are our comfort zones where we feel relaxed after a tough day. Thus the overall temperature and ventilation should be great to create the right ambiance. Glass windows have always been there to serve the purposes. But which type of glass to choose?
For homes, tempered glass works best. As it is a power-packed option. You score a number of benefits with this choice. Tempered glass stays put for years and years, it can easily withstand harsh weather, it filters out harmful radiation, it’s cost-effective, safe to use, and strengthens the home insulation system. So it’s a win-win choice.
As far as the style of windows is concerned, casement windows have the lead in this department. It is the double-hung style that allows you to scoop in the air on a pleasant day and shut off the harsh winds on a rainy day. The strong seals on the frames make this style the most energy-efficient as well.
Perfect Windows for Offices
Offices do have different interior and structural requirements as compared to homes. Office buildings usually have central cooling or heating systems and more attention is paid to their aesthetics. Therefore the perfect window would be one that supports these major considerations.
Tempered glass due to its cost-effectiveness and durability wins here as well. Its thermal resistance and optical clarity make it a preferred choice for office buildings. However, the glass is frosted most of the time to achieve exclusivity.
Offices usually go with the all-glass style. The windows cover a major portion of the walls to make the interior all airy and posh.
Where to Buy Top Quality Glass for Your Windows Glass?
As we are done with the top styles and glass choice, the question now arises, where to find the best quality glass for the perfect home and office windows.
Well, there are a number of options for that too.
We will list down some top glass brands here that ensure a five-star experience and high-quality product range.
Fab Glass and Mirror – If you want premium quality glass delivered right at your doorstep safely, go no further than Fab Glass and Mirror. They cater to all your glass and mirror needs.
Houzz – It’s one of the leading home improvement brands. You can get a wide variety of glass products here.
Wayfair – Wayfair finds its place in the queue of some of the best glass companies. They offer a wide range of glass and home improvement products.
Make sure to do your research and get recommendations from experts before investing in window glass. As we say, windows and doors are the perfect trinkets of a building!