These days, cubicle farms and total reliance on fluorescent lighting just don’t cut it. For you, your team, and your customers to be truly happy, you need to think outside the box—or the solid walls, to be precise. Custom glass is a great way to liven up your business space and give it a welcoming atmosphere. It serves plenty of purposes, too—design, safety, energy efficiency, and even foot-traffic flow!
There are various types of commercial custom glass you can use in your business space. Gaining an understanding of these different types helps you make selections that can boost team comfort, business efficiency, and overall success!
Tempered Glass
Tempered glass is designed with safety in mind. It’s been treated with heat to increase its strength. Like all glass, however, it does have a breaking point, and there’s good news on that front, too! If it somehow breaks, it’s designed to shatter into small pieces that are less harmful than big shards, meaning everyone in the area is a bit safer.
Tempered glass is commonly used in doors, windows, and storefronts—the latter two of which see heavy foot traffic. These popular spots call for a focus on safety, so the risk of injury can be mitigated as much as possible in any unfortunate event. In fact, this type of glass is four to five times stronger than standard glass!
Insulated Glass
Insulated glass is made of two or more panes that are separated by a layer of gas—argon or krypton, typically. This design minimizes heat transfer, making it a great choice for energy efficiency. It’s typically used in office buildings, retail spaces, and hotels, where it’s important to maintain a steady indoor temperature for the comfort of guests and employees.
Here’s an added benefit of insulated glass: it provides fantastic noise reduction! This is especially useful in an office environment where you want productivity to be maximized. Less noise means fewer distractions. Additionally, retail stores can benefit from using it to reduce noise pollution from the street.
Laminated Glass
This type of glass is made by bonding two layers of glass with an interlayer of plastic (typically polyvinyl butyral). This structure keeps the glass together if it breaks, preventing shattering and holding the pane in place. Think car-window glass.
Commonly used in high-security locations like banks, offices, and government buildings, laminated glass is able to resist strong impacts and provide protection against break-ins. In addition to its security benefits, it provides excellent sound insulation, helping to maintain a focused environment in the spaces it’s used in.
Low-E Glass
This is a great option for minimizing infrared and ultraviolet light in a space, thanks to a thin coating of treatment. Basically, this means your indoor temperatures will be easier to maintain without blocking natural light. Sunlight is welcome, but the heat it brings can stay outside!
Low-E glass is especially useful in commercial environments that prioritize energy conservation. It reflects heat back into the building in the winter and keeps it out during the summer. When an HVAC unit isn’t fighting to maintain the set temperature, it uses less energy, keeping costs and carbon footprints low.
Let’s go back to the ultraviolet light part. In addition to the energy savings low-E glass provides, it also minimizes the ultraviolet (or UV) rays that would otherwise make it through. Why is this important? For starters, it protects furniture and carpets from fading. It also reduces glare, which is always a welcome perk (we really don’t like glare).
Decorative Glass
Though it doesn’t offer much in the way of energy efficiency or safety, decorative glass can enhance a space by improving its visual appeal. You’ll typically find it in interior petitions, facades, signage, and more, where it offers a good balance between functionality and design.
This is where custom glass options are abundant. You can opt for frosted edges, etchings, patterned glass, or any combination of those that will suit your commercial setting. In short, decorative glass can help you add personality to your business!
Conclusion
Choosing the right type of glass for your commercial space is important to your brand, costs, comfort, and safety. Whether you need the durability of tempered glass and insulated glass, the energy-efficiency of Low-E glass, or the striking aesthetics of decorative glass, selecting the option that will serve your business will help you thrive! Luckily, we know some guys who can help you achieve those goals with expert custom glass solutions. Get in touch with The Glass Guys and we’ll give your business the custom glass upgrade it deserves!
