# Glass thickness for heat retention



## kawasakirider (Aug 8, 2011)

Hey everyone, a member on this forum is knocking up 3 enclosures for my jungles for me. They are going to be 1200x600x600 each with swinging doors, so I need to buy 3 sheets of 1200x600 glass for the doors.

The best quote I got for 3 sheets was this

4mm thick - $132
3mm thick - $100

The question is, being that 1200x600 is quite a substantial area for heat to escape from, how much better would the 4mm glass do in terms of heat retention as opposed to the 3mm glass? I'm assuming it would be a fairly substantial amount, but if I could get away with the 3mm I'd go for it, as every dollar counts haha.

Thanks in advance 
Also, my snakes hatched dec 10 and have never been in a click clack. They've been housed in a 45x45x45 exo terra. Do you guys think they will do OK? I'm fairly sure they will be OK as long as they've got a bunch of places to hide and stuff.


----------



## Twitch_80 (Aug 8, 2011)

One of mine has 6mm and the rest have 5mm, the 6mm doesnt work as hard to stay warm but the 5 seems fine. I am in Melbourne though, city of amazing weather


----------



## kawasakirider (Aug 8, 2011)

I'm in Ipswich, it drops to -2 during winter  lol.


----------



## beeman (Aug 8, 2011)

We use 4mm on all enclosures, have done for years. 3mm is just a tad to light.
As far as heat loss it come back to the enclosure design, what its constructed from and the room it will be in.


----------



## Twitch_80 (Aug 8, 2011)

Sounds nice and warm hahaha. Would 3mm be strong enough for a large snake?


----------



## sutto75 (Aug 8, 2011)

@1200x600 i would be more worried about safety and use 5mm as a min and as beeman said heating needs to be sorted before you add glass.


----------



## beeman (Aug 8, 2011)

Twitch_80 said:


> Sounds nice and warm hahaha. Would 3mm be strong enough for a large snake?



IMO 3mm is a tad to light.

We keep some hefty BHPs behind 4mm and have never had an issue, Even when males are placed for combat (If you have ever witnessed combat it can get pretty full on)


----------



## sutto75 (Aug 8, 2011)

beeman said:


> We keep some hefty BHPs behind 4mm and have never had an issue, Even when males are placed for combat (If you have ever witnessed combat it can get pretty full on)




How big is the glass. 1200x600 is big


----------



## Twitch_80 (Aug 8, 2011)

Thats good to know, Im about to do the next enclosure so Ill prob go for 4 or 5, be a lot lighter as well.


----------



## Trouble (Aug 8, 2011)

I don't think 3mm will be strong enough for enclosures that big.
you could see how much _JP Glass and Aluminium_ will charge for glass that big. $30 for 4 pieces of 450mm x 320mm 5mm glass (these were flood affected, all I had to do was give it a good clean, it would've been $60 other wise. really great guy, too) http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/diy-zone-5392/glass-track-ipswich-163269/
If you're not wanting heat to escape, I'd go thicker glass. jmo though.


----------



## beeman (Aug 8, 2011)

sutto75 said:


> How big is the glass. 1200x600 is big



We did a trial enclosure that had sliding glass that was 1200wx1200d and housed a large carpet behind it for about 4 years, never got even close to 
breaking.


----------



## Rango (Aug 8, 2011)

Beeman, how thick was the glass for that size... Sorry if u have already said.. 


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-23.474264,148.521053


----------



## unseen (Aug 8, 2011)

id go 5m tbh. at least 4m due to strength. and yeah jp or albion glass would be the places id go.


----------



## kawasakirider (Aug 8, 2011)

I was thinking about 4mm for strength, but not out of fear of my snakes head butting it, rather me being clumsy. 

My budget is already stretched so 4mm is the max that I can go. I'll just spend the extra $30-$50 for the 4mm. 

Thanks for the replies everyone.


----------



## gozz (Aug 8, 2011)

I use 5mm .... i prefer my jungles in a 900x900x600 instead of 1200x600x600


----------



## kawasakirider (Aug 8, 2011)

unseen said:


> id go 5m tbh. at least 4m due to strength. and yeah jp or albion glass would be the places id go.



Hey mate, are these places in brissy? The cheapest I can get 3 sheets in the size I need in 4mm is $132, and it's right near my house. If these places are in brissy and they are quite a bit cheaper I'd consider it, but I don't have a registered trailer, so I'd have to "run the gauntlet" so to speak.



gozz said:


> I use 5mm .... i prefer my jungles in a 900x900x600 instead of 1200x600x600



Thanks for the info mate, I don't really have room for 3 foot of floor space coming out, and the way the sheets are purchased, it's cheaper to go 1200 high. I think they will look nice, and it shouldn't be too much of a drama, should it?



sutto75 said:


> @1200x600 i would be more worried about safety and use 5mm as a min and as beeman said heating needs to be sorted before you add glass.



Heating is already sorted mate, each enclosure will have a 90w 9m heat cord made into a panel, and my thermostat is 1300W so it should be good to run all 3 enclosures.


----------



## camspeed (Aug 8, 2011)

Have you been to the recycle centre (dump) ? Lots of glass doors get thrown out and can be had for cheap. I got my glass for my enclosure about that size for $10 and cut it myself


----------



## Trouble (Aug 8, 2011)

kawasakirider said:


> Hey mate, are these places in brissy? The cheapest I can get 3 sheets in the size I need in 4mm is $132, and it's right near my house. If these places are in brissy and they are quite a bit cheaper I'd consider it, but I don't have a registered trailer, so I'd have to "run the gauntlet" so to speak.



hey mate, JP is in Mining St, Bundamba. so close to you being in Ippy  
grab his number off of Google, and give him a call, I'm sure he'd be willing to help you out.


----------



## Jen (Aug 8, 2011)

For an area that size maybe you should look at double glazed stuff? More expensive but possibly worth it in the long run re heat retention.


----------



## jham66 (Aug 8, 2011)

JP usually charges around the $50/m2 for 5mm if you give him some time to organise offcuts or utilise a whole sheet with no offcuts.... 

Does your friend know how he/she is framing the glass door? you will have to allow for the frame... If there is no frame you will have to arris the glass (remove the sharps), this will cost a little more....


----------

