Grade A safety glass made by heating and rapidly cooling float glass to lock in surface compression. Stronger than annealed glass and crumbles into small, blunt fragments on breakage.
Definition
Toughened glass is ordinary float glass that’s heated to a high temperature and then rapidly cooled (“quenched”). This creates a strong compressive layer at the surfaces and a tensile core, improving strength and changing the break pattern to small, blunt fragments (safety glazing).
Typical Uses (Australia)
- Doors and side panels near doors (human impact areas)
- Shower screens and bathroom glazing
- Balustrades, shopfronts, partitions, splashbacks (where compliant)
Selection and installation must comply with AS 1288, and the glass itself must meet AS/NZS 2208 as a Grade A safety glazing material.
Key Benefits
- ~4–5× stronger than annealed glass of the same thickness
- Improved impact and thermal resistance
- Safety breakage mode (small, cube-like fragments)
Considerations
- Process first: All cutting, edge-work and holes must be done before toughening.
- NiS inclusions: Consider heat-soak testing for critical applications to reduce spontaneous break risk.
- Compliance: Marking and certification to AS/NZS 2208; selection/installation to AS 1288 and NCC.
Further Reading (Australia)
- Viridian VTough™ overview & data sheet: viridianglass.com
- NCC 2022 (ABCB) – Glazing & Human Impact: abcb.gov.au
- NSW Government – Safety standards & references to AS 1288 / AS/NZS 2208: nsw.gov.au
- AGWA – A Guide to Glass & Glazing (Handbook to AS 1288): agwa.com.au
- National Glass – Toughened Glass Design Notes & Heat-Soak guidance: nationalglass.com.au | Heat-Soak PDF
- Australian Glass Group – When to Heat Soak (Technical Bulletin): agg.com.au
Australian compliance reminder: always verify glazing selections against the current NCC and AS 1288 for your site conditions and usage.