A recent article from Glass on Web: Glass breaks when it is under stresses that it cannot withstand. Each type of glass has different breakage characteristics. In the case of annealing glass, when broken it splinters into sharp fragments, which represent a hazardous situation. Annealing glass may break for many different reasons. We will be focusing on the most common ones.
Thermal breakage: Generally, thermal stresses on glass occur as a result of exposure to sunlight and interior heating. When glass is exposed to high temperatures, it absorbs heat and expands. At the same time, its edges remain cooler, creating a differential between the two surface areas of the pane. These expansion differences cause stress and consequently thermal breakage.
Different loads: Glass is subjected to different types of environmental and human loads, which can cause the malfunctioning or breakage of glazed surfaces. Since each load has a specific impact on glass, and different calculation formulas, it is important to understand each of these phenomena in order to determine the appropriate glass thickness.
Poor glazing: Poor and improper glazing may also lead to glass failure and breakage. Correct handling and glazing of the glass is essential to avoid edge damage and minimize the risks of fractures due to thermal and mechanical stresses.
Impacts: Glass can break as a result of several types of impact, which can be categorized as accidental or deliberate (vandalism). As normal annealed glass is relatively fragile in comparison to tempered glass, a strong impact almost always causes glass breakage.
We recently installed this 3/8” Satin Etch glass shower screen in a Scottsdale home. Notice how the etched screen provides privacy even without a door.
Our new CRL Solid brass Designer Robe Hook is available in eight popular finishes including chrome, oil rubbed bronze, brushed nickel, polished nickel, broze and antique brass. The hook is designed for through-glass mounting on 5/16 to 1/2 inch (8 to 12 millimeter) glass.
How many times have you wished you had a television in your bathroom but never had the counter space? Now you can have an TV in your bathroom mirror. Incorporating A television into the mirror is a simple and elegant way to conserve space without the clutter a conventional television presents.
DWM Magazine reports Arch Aluminum & Glass Co. Inc. of Tamarac, Fla., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on November 25, but chief executive officer Leon Silverstein says the company is “not going away.”
Arch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in the Southern District of Florida federal bankruptcy court. The bankruptcy filing does not include Arch’s Canadian holdings or Trulite. AWP, a subsidiary of Arch Aluminum and Glass which serves the residential door and window industry, is also included in the filing.
The company says it has reached an agreement to sell substantially all of its assets to an affiliate of Grey Mountain Partners LLC, a private equity firm located in Boulder, Colo.
For years, Arizona builders have built homes with shower-tub combinations. The design appears to be more spacious and open than dividing the bathroom with walls. Below is a picture of a 90 degree frameless shower enclosure with stationary panels.
CRL introduced a new shower door stop for mounting on a 180 degree fixed panel to prevent the door from going into the shower enclosure. The door closes into a soft rubber portion of the doorstop. Several stock finishes are available to match most popular decors. The door stop fits glass thicknesses from ¼” to 3/8” (6 to 10 millimeters).
CRL introduced a new Ladder Style Shower Door Pull. Notice the extra height on either end of the mounting posts, when compared to typical shower door pull handles. This makes for a unique appearance and contemporary design. Ladder style Pull Handles are for back-to-back mounting on ether 3/8 or 1/2 inch (10 or 12 millimeter) thick glass. Stock sizes are offered in many popular finishes including chrome, brass, oil rubbed bronze, brushed nickel, polished nickel and many more finishes.
A Cut Above Glass recently started providing a service specializing in custom cut vinyl lettering. We have a new product made of vinyl that looks just like sandblasted glass. We are able to provide you with sandblasted looking signage or art for a fraction of the price. This product can be applied to shower doors, windows, entry doors and mirrors.
If you have ever gone to a gym or a spa, there will be mirrors everywhere you look. The mirrors help you keep good posture while exercising. Proper exercise is done with a straight back, shoulders back and legs in a proper stance. Therefore, home gym mirrors will aid you in doing your routines at home just like in the gym. When planning your home gym, you need to consider a mirror or two to help with your technique.
This neo angle shower enclosure utilizes an overhead transom for extra support. By using a transom we were able to delete extra hardware from the top of the glass.
If you are trying to minimize the overall appearance of your bathtub enclosure, a shower screen is your answer. Take a look at this ½” clear glass shower screen we installed in a Phoenix home .
A growing trend in bathroom design is to install vanity mirrors from the counter top to the ceiling and from wall to wall, making the opening and the room look larger than it is. Notice how we installed these beveled edge mirrors and provided holes for lights.
C.R. Laurence Co. introduced a frameless vertical post systems for all-glass look shower enclosures. The systems can be mounted in front of the glass panels or behind, and used with ½-inch, 3/8-inch and 5/16-inch glass thicknesses. Models include floor-to-ceiling posts and two-point ceiling mounted posts, and shapes can be round or square with a maximum length of 33 inches. The system comes in polished stainless, polished brass, brushed stainless and oil-rubbed bronze finishes, as well as custom finishes.
A recent article in the Los Angeles Times about the toxic effects shower curtains have on consumers health, said vinyl shower curtains sold at major retailers emit toxic chemicals that have been linked to liver damage, as well damage to the nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems, reported by the Los Angeles Times Staff Wrighter Tami Abdollah, June 13, WWW.latimes.com. The findings are a result of a study conducted by the Falls Church, Va.-based Center for Health, Environment and Justice to determine what caused that "new shower curtain smell" Abdollah reported. Researchers tested the chemical composition of five unopened polyvinyl; chloride, or PVC, plastic shower curtains bought from major retailers according to the article. "One of the curtains tested released measurable quantities of as many as 108 volatile organic compounds into the air, some of which persisted for nearly a month," Abdollah stated.
We installed this satin etch shower enclosure in a Cave Creek remodeled home. This demonstrates an alternatve to using sandblasted glass in showers. Sandblasted glass has a tendancy to pick up fingerprint stains, and soils easily. With Satin Etch the staining problem is eliminated. Satin etch glass is available in 1/4, 3/8" and 1/2" thick pieces.
The following mirrors are held off the wall ½”. We are able to mount mirrors anywhere from ¼” to 1” away from the wall making them appear to be suspended in mid air.
Above is a shower door we installed in Paradise Valley. Notice the heavy European door mounted to glass tile using brushed nickel jamb-mounted hinges. Also notice that the tile setter finished off the tile at the outside edge with a stainless steel trim. The stainless trim gave the shower a modern look.
A growing trend in shower construction is to install rope or bull nose accents. If the homeowner chooses to install a European shower enclosure, the accent has to be notched in order for the door to pivot in and out. Below is a picture of a solution to notching the accent. This Phoenix customer finished their rope accent before it obstructed the doors’ installation point, thus creating a clean look.
PPG Industries of Pittsburgh, has announced a 13 percent price increase for all clear, tinted, coated and tempered glasses from its performance glazing, formerly flat glass business and an 8 percent increase for all Starphire ultra-clear glass products, both effective June 16.
We recently installed a 1/2" glass shower screen on a tub and inset the panel into the stone. This procedure requires coordination between your tile setter and and your glass company. The extra effort is well worth it.
Thermal breakage: Generally, thermal stresses on glass occur as a result of exposure to sunlight and interior heating. When glass is exposed to high temperatures, it absorbs heat and expands. At the same time, its edges remain cooler, creating a differential between the two surface areas of the pane. These expansion differences cause stress and consequently thermal breakage. 
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