# Glass types for front - toughened?



## BigWillieStyles (Jun 16, 2011)

Hello all,

just a question, I am finally looking at putting some sliding glass doors on my enclosure and just wanted to know what type of glass others have used. Is toughened glasses required for enclosures?

Thanks

William


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## Erebos (Jun 16, 2011)

Normal glass to suit your tracks is fine just make sure you polish the edges so there not sharp.


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## BigWillieStyles (Jun 16, 2011)

thanks mate


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## melluvssnakes (Jun 17, 2011)

Depends on the size of the snake. We have a 6foot BHP female that managed to smash the glass on the front of her enclosure. It was just plain glass. We will be replacing it with laminated glass


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## marcmarc (Jun 17, 2011)

Yeah, "Bevell" the edges of the glass.


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## solar 17 (Jun 17, 2011)

"working backwards" more often than not the glass can be the problem and the most expensive part of an enclosure....one cheap form of very suitable glass is out of old stereoes (glass swinging doors) that glass has bevelled edges and is toughened (somehow). but what l do is collect all "maybe" suitable glass and when l want an enclosure l work backwards from the glass....solar 17 (Baden)


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## zuesowns (Jun 21, 2011)

I use about 3m thick glass and pick it up for $10-$20 a sheet at demo yard... never had a problem in 4 years...


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 21, 2011)

3mm glass is too thin for any enclosure - in a big enclosure it will break very easily and it will be very loose in the track. The plastic track we (mostly) use is designed for 4-5mm glass - 5mm is a common size and is the most reliable. Glass cannot be cut once it is toughened, so it must be cut to size and then toughened - a VERY expensive option, and not necessary.

Jamie


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## Virides (Jun 21, 2011)

melluvssnakes said:


> Depends on the size of the snake. We have a 6foot BHP female that managed to smash the glass on the front of her enclosure. It was just plain glass. We will be replacing it with laminated glass


 
You will need to make sure the edges are sealed so no water/moisture can degrade the laminate layer. I have been told by my glass supplier that moisture will cause the panels to delaminate.


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## Just_Plain_Nuts (Jun 21, 2011)

Virides said:


> You will need to make sure the edges are sealed so no water/moisture can degrade the laminate layer. I have been told by my glass supplier that moisture will cause the panels to delaminate.
> 
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> 
> ...


 

Our glass suppliers have always steered us away from the water cutters saying that they are very very expensive.
3mm glass is too thin, for standard sliding glass applications, 5mm is the best option unless you start getting into large pieces or you are concerned about kids falling into it where you would opt for toughened. I dont think laminated glass is any stronger than the equivalent thickness standard float glass, the only benefit it has is that if it breaks it will still stay together. But dont quote me on that.


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## Virides (Jun 21, 2011)

Just_Plain_Nuts said:


> Our glass suppliers have always steered us away from the water cutters saying that they are very very expensive.
> 3mm glass is too thin, for standard sliding glass applications, 5mm is the best option unless you start getting into large pieces or you are concerned about kids falling into it where you would opt for toughened. I dont think laminated glass is any stronger than the equivalent thickness standard float glass, the only benefit it has is that if it breaks it will still stay together. But dont quote me on that.


 
Laminated glass will stay together in the same manner as the front windshield of a car (though these are also toughened as they seem to break into blocks and rather than shards as I would imagine normal laminated glass would do). With enough force like a bat or something you can pierce through.


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## Joemal (Jun 21, 2011)

I just finished putting glass and Pine frame doors on this enclosure .The glass is 830 X 890 X 5mm .They weigh in at 13.8 kgs each so just remember the thicker you go on your glass the heavier the finished product will be .I was surprised at how heavy the glass alone for these doors were . I personally would not go for anything smaller than 5mm .


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## Banjo (Jun 21, 2011)

You can also get toughened glass laminated if you want to go the expense. 
All I use is 6mm toughened glass polished edges in plastic tracks designed for 6mm glass, works a treat on my enclosures and the panels are roughly 600mm X 800mm.
Interesting what was said about laminated glass delaminating because of moisture if not sealed on the edges, makes sense.


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## Daryl_H (Jun 21, 2011)

as a glazier there is no real way to cut toughened glass. (might be able to grind half the thickness of the glass off each edge)
but even if a waterjet could cut toughened glass it makes the glass very dangerous. and very fradgile. likely to crumble/explode


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## wokka (Jun 21, 2011)

i use 6.8mm secondhand laminated ex shopfront glass. I figure if it stands kids leaning against it in 2m square windows it must be strong.I used to just give my local glaziers an order and he'd cut it from repairs in the next month. $500 per hundred pieces.


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## Virides (Jun 21, 2011)

I have editted my posts to not have my advice on toughened glass.

I always wish to give advice which I believe to be correct which I have forwarded on by others in my line of work and I stand corrected on the Water Jet and Toughened Glass topic.

Source from wiki on Water Jet Cutter: "Materials commonly cut with a water jet include rubber, foam, plastics, composites, stone, tile, metals, food, paper and much more. Materials that cannot be cut with a water jet are tempered glass, diamonds and certain ceramics." - Tempered also being another term for toughened.

I think my Water Jet supplier either misheard me or he used the wrong term.

Sadly it looks like you can't cut toughened glass easily.


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## Jacobxvx (Jun 21, 2011)

I used 6mm Glass on aluminium tracks, it costs a bit but its worth it. At that thickness there is no need for it to be toughened either


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## cyco89 (Jun 21, 2011)

i use 5mm clear float, I find that its strong enough for what i want and can take a decent knock, but if you want to be 100% sure i'd go with 6.8mm laminate, also once glass has been toughened it cannot be re-cut with out it "shattering" on you.


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## Just_Plain_Nuts (Jun 21, 2011)

We have to use 6mm toughened on our enclosures because we use a frameless system and normal glass would not withstand the pressure. For normal applications 5mm flaot is fine. Heat treating or chemically etching glass is incredibly effective for increasing its strength. At uni we carried out an experiment on 5mm thick glass stirring rods. We suspended one on its ends about 15cm apart and hung weights of a wire from the middle and snapped it at 2.5kg as you would expect. Then we etched one in hydrofluoric acid to burn away any microscopic cracks thus making it technically thinner but without stress points. We hung 32kg of that one and ran out of weights. Impressive. Toughening glass works on a similar principle.


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## Banjo (Jun 21, 2011)

The reason I use toughened glass is just in case it does get broken, as I prefer thousands of tiny pieces going every where which can be easily cleaned up with a vacuum cleaner or dust pan & brush, but normal float breaks into shards which imo is far more dangerous.


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## Virides (Jun 24, 2011)

Researched into it a bit and it is possible to cut toughened glass.

This process requires an oven however at the bottom of the page a comment was made where someone did a different method without the oven.

How to Cut Tempered Glass | eHow.com


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## Just_Plain_Nuts (Jun 24, 2011)

sounds very expensive...


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## Banjo (Jun 24, 2011)

If you want toughened glass cut to size it is very easy, get the normal float glass cut to the correct size, get the edges polished then they do the tempering process, this way is cost effective so you don't have too worry about wasting time cutting the toughened glass.


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## BigWillieStyles (Jun 26, 2011)

wow, didnt expect to get anymore replies. Thanks heaps. I have finished making my first enclosure and working on the next one, so the glass is an important question. 

The tracks I have are the Bunnings ones that allow for 4mm glass. I rang a local glass shop and they quoted me 50 dollars for enough toughened glass for my 4ft enclosure with polished edges an extra 20 dollars. They send it away to do the toughening. But I think I might go with the normal glass. At this stage, I only have plans for housing geckos so Im not sure that I will need toughened.


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