Walk on glass floors are a beautiful, sleek and modern installation that is ideal for internal use. These glass installations boost the amount of natural light that comes into the building (whether that is commercial or residential) and improve the aesthetics of the room. TuffX is a glass specialist, and we manufacture and fit some of the strongest glass installations in the UK. We work on all types of bespoke glass projects, and carefully follow all regulations laid out by the law. Within this guide, we will discuss how thick glass has to be to walk on, read on to find out more…
Building Regulations Guidelines
Building Regulations lay out the conditions the glass must tick off to be safe. It suggests the load the glass must be able to withstand. The regulations are different in residential and commercial settings.
There are two main British standards for walk on glass, which are:
- ‘BS EN 1991-1-1 : 2002 : Actions on structures
- BS 5395 : Part 1 : 1997 (1984) Code of Practice for the Design of Straight Stairs.
In residential settings, the glass must be able to withstand a uniform load of 1.5kN/m2 and a concreted load of 2.0kN.
How Is Walk On Glass Made?
Toughened glass is used for walk on glass, and there are two main methods of making this type of glass, these are:
Tempering Glass With Varying Heats
Firstly, the edges of the glass are made smooth by evening the uneven edges. Then, the glass is heated up to temperatures between 620°C and 650°C, and spurts of freezing cold air are released from jets. This compresses the glass, therefore making it extremely tough and durable.
Tempering Glass With Chemicals
Glass is placed into a pool of potassium salt, which is then heated to 300°C. During this process, the larger potassium ions take over the smaller sodium ions. Therefore, the glass becomes compressed and creates tension, making the glass toughened and appropriate for walk on glass.
You can find out more about what toughened glass is on TuffX’s blog post ‘What Is Toughened Glass?’ It covers everything from how it is made to popular installations.
How Safe Is Walk On Glass?
When you purchase walk on glass from a trusted manufacturer that carefully abides by all building regulations and considers all safety elements, it is extremely safe. Toughened glass is sturdy, strong and can withstand immense amounts of pressure, there are endless benefits to it. If you need to purchase toughened glass that is suitable to walk on, then work with TuffX today!
Here are just a few of the reasons you should purchase walk on glass from TuffX:
- Vigorously tested in all weather and load conditions. All glass that is manufactured for this purpose goes through the PAS 24 – 2016 C4.4.3 Mechanical infill test as well as BS 6375 – 1 – Weather test. If you are interested in finding out more, then you can read the test report.
- The walk on glass that we sell has a matte black, aluminium frame that is marine quality.
- Glass produced by TuffX is triple heat soaked to make it durable and tough.
- We offer three types of glass finishes, which are clear, opaque and anti-slip. Depending on the project you bring to us will determine the finish you will need.
- TuffX is one of the few companies to have certification, which confirms that it is completely structurally safe.
Are you interested in using walk on glass for a project in your house or business? Then get in touch with us at TuffX today! We can have a chat about your project and discuss costs and timelines. Or, if you just have more questions about how thick glass has to be to walk on, then our excellent customer service team can help you out.