Tempering Glass

by Linda
(Ontario Canada)

I would like to use simple glass panels when we replace our stair railing which is open. Can I fuse glass to strengthen it?

Milly's reply: Hi Linda, it's the dreaded health and safety question! I'm not sure if the regulations are the same as in the UK, but here tempered glass is required for anything under 800mm. So your stairs would come in under that height - I'm usually sniffy about regs, but this is obviously a sensible one! Tempering glass means that if it does break, it will break safely and not in lethal shards. It's also 5X stronger than regualar float glass, so less likely to break in the first place.
The tempering is done in a toughening plant - the glass is heated and cooled extremely quickly, forming an outside protective skin.
With regard to fused glass - this in itself doesn't strengthen the glass or make it safe when it breaks. What you would have to do in this case is to make your fused panel/s, and then get them laminated to a sheet of tempered glass using the pouring method. You can get a specialised glass company to do this for you. Don't forget the holes for the fixings, and ask the company before you start fusing glass for their advice on how to go about it.
Tempering glass that has been fused is fraught with difficulty due to the uneven thicknesses that normally occur. Many glass tempering companies won't touch this kind of work because they fear that the glass will explode in the toughening plant and ruin their expensive equipment.
It's all a bit confusing, but there is a way through the tempering glass minefield! Good luck with it all. I'm really interested in these structural dilemmas, so let me know how you get on.

To find out more about how to make stained glass, click here and return to the Everything Stained Glass home page.