Heat-soaked glass is widely used in the construction industry for building large glass structures, which require strength and durability.
With how versatile this glass is, it’s no wonder why it’s a top choice for builders and designers working on large glass installations. But what exactly makes heat-soaked glass different from any other? And why is it so crucial for high-traffic applications?
To find out more, stick with Tuffx as we guide you through what heat-soaked glass is, the UK regulations surrounding it, and what heat-soaked glass is commonly used for.
Browse our heat-soaked glass services while you’re here for residential and commercial renovations.
What is Heat-Soaked Glass?
Heat-soaked glass is a safety glass that undergoes a soaking process after the standard tempering or toughening process.
Through this process, the glass is placed in a heat-soaking oven, heating between 280°C and 290°C. The glass is heated at this temperature for around two hours to four hours to return the nickel sulphide to its natural state.
What this means is the nickel sulphide undergoes a phase transformation that would cause the glass to break in the oven instead of years down the line after installation. Not only does this eliminate spontaneous breakage, but it also prevents injury to residents of a property, as well as avoids the costly expense of repairs.
The Benefits of Heat-Soaked Glass
Heat-soaked glass is a key component in the construction industry purely for its reliability and unique manufacturing process.
During its rapid heating and cooling, NiS inclusions go from a low-temperature structure to a high-temperature crystalline structure, changing size and encouraging the glass to break under test if it is at risk of inclusions.
This results in a variety of benefits, which make it a reliable construction material. These include:
- Enhanced safety: The reduction in spontaneous glass breakage due to nickel sulphide inclusions prevents glass failure in public spaces or high rises and, therefore, the risk of injury
- Compliance with building standards: Heat-soaked glass meets the requirements of building codes and regulations for public applications, which is beneficial for overhead glazing, facades, and balustrades.
- Increased reliability: Heat-soaked glass offers unmatched strength and stability, providing architects, builders, and property owners with peace of mind during renovation projects.
- Long-term durability: When subjected to the rigours of daily use and harsh environmental factors, heat-soaked glass lives up to the challenge. It’s a great choice for ensuring longevity for large building projects.
- Risk mitigation in critical applications: Heat-soaked glass is highly beneficial for skylights, glass floors, and high-altitude facades, as it ensures the highest quality and safety standards.
- Cost-effectiveness: As the heating and cooling process reduces the risk of breakage, the risk of unexpected repairs is reduced, helping you save money in the long run.
Common Applications for Heat-Soaked Glass
Heat-soaked glass has earned its reputation for a reason, and it’s not an overlooked material when it comes to large construction projects and commercial applications.
1. Facades and Curtain Walls
Facades and curtain walls are often found on large multi-story buildings, including offices, educational institutions (like universities), and commercial properties.
As this forms the outer layer or exterior wall of a building, you can probably guess that it needs to boast exceptional strength while remaining appealing. When used for these purposes, heat-soaked glass provides great thermal insulation, resistance to outside force, and safety for the public.
2. Balustrades and Railings
Balustrades and railings often incorporate heat-soaked glass to help prevent structural damage from constant wear.
From offices to restaurants, shops, and commercial buildings, balustrades are railings that can be found on stairs, hallways, balconies, and patio areas. And what do these all have in common? They’re areas that are designed to handle frequent use by workers, clients, and customers.
So, it’s no surprise that heat-soaked glass is a popular choice for these structures, helping to protect against the risk of collapsing under heavy stress while keeping a property looking beautiful and modern.
3. Doors and Windows
Say goodbye to regular old traditional glass and hello to a safer and smarter solution. When it comes to doors and windows, safety is the main priority.
Heat-soaked glass can withstand thermal stress and harsh impact, making it a popular choice for commercial buildings, such as shops and offices, where preventing break-ins and vandalism is crucial. For this reason, it’s also great for adding an extra layer of safety to homes and residences.
4. Glass Flooring and Stairs
Flooring and stairs are two areas of a building that are constantly subjected to heavy traffic, so you need something that can keep up. Luckily, heat-soaked glass can tackle being constantly walked all over by heavy shoes, so it’s a great choice for installing glass floors.
Glass is a great way to add intrigue to any space, turning regular stairs into a stunning feature without risking structural integrity. This is bound to impress clients during meetings at the office.
5. Overhead Glazing
When it comes to skylights, atriums, and any overhead glazing application, heat-soaked glass is a great choice. Not only does it hold up great against impact, but it can handle everything from harsh wind to heavy rain and snow.
Plus, the heat-soaking mitigates the risk of the glass shattering into small pieces, protecting occupants from severe injury from large and sharp shards of glass. It’s also great for resistant UV rays!
6. Partitions
Office spaces and commercial interiors frequently use glass partitions to divide different sections of the building, such as meeting rooms, desk areas, and lounges.
Heat-soaked glass ensures that these partitions are safe for use, especially in environments where they may be subjected to accidental impact from heavy traffic and constant wear and tear. It also results in a sleek, professional, and bright working environment.
UK Regulations and Standards for Heat-Soaked Glass
There are various standards that heat-soaked glass must pass to be safe to sell and install, all of which our heat-soaked glass adheres to at TuffX.
This includes:
- Building Regulations Part K (Protection from Falling, Collision, and Impact): Outlines the need for safety glazing in critical locations, such as doors, low windows, and glass walls.
- Building Regulations Part N (Glazing—Safety in Relation to Impact, Opening, and Cleaning) ensures that glass used in public buildings minimises risk to occupants.
- EN 14179-1: The specifications for the heat-soaking process, testing methods, and quality control measures to ensure safety.
- BS EN 12150-1: Outlines the toughening process of heat-soaked glass and the characteristics it must meet to be classified as safety glass.
Browse Commercial and Residential Glass Applications with Tuffx
At Tuffx, we specialise in glass structures and applications for commercial and residential buildings.
This ranges from high-quality roof lights to walk-on glass floors, glass stair treads, and more! We can help bring any vision to life by upgrading spaces with eye-catching displays that don’t compromise on safety or the efficiency of a property.
Browse our services today and contact us here to enquire about our products.