Toughened vs. Laminated vs. Heat Soaked: Which is Best for Outdoor Balconies?
When designing any form of glass balcony or balustrade, you need to choose the right type of glass. It’s not just about aesthetics. There’s safety, compliance, and durability to think about. Making the wrong choice can be dangerous and expensive. So, which glass type should we be using?
Which Glass to Choose for Your Outdoor Balcony
What are the different types of glass for balconies?
Outdoor balconies typically use three main types of glass: toughened, laminated, and heat-soaked. The right choice for your project depends on the level of protection you’re likely to need.
What is toughened glass?
Toughened (or tempered) glass is heat-treated to increase its strength. It’s a common choice for glass balustrades because it can cope with high impacts. And when it does break, it shatters into small, blunt fragments rather than sharp shards, which makes it invaluable in areas where there’s likely to be a lot of people. However, it’s not always the best choice for raised Juliet balconies, because if it fails, the entire panel usually collapses. And that can clearly be very dangerous.
What is laminated glass?
Laminated glass is basically layered glass. It consists of at least two layers of glass bonded together with an interlayer, typically PVB. So, if one pane breaks, the glass remains intact rather than falling away. That makes it really useful for balconies, providing an extra layer of safety should anything go wrong.
Offering both structural integrity and peace of mind, laminated glass is widely recommended for:
- Juliet balconies
- Frameless glass balustrades
- High-level balcony edges
What is heat soaked glass?
Heat soaking is a secondary process applied to toughened glass. It is designed to reduce the risk of spontaneous breakage caused by nickel sulphide inclusions. These are pretty rare, but they can lead to unexpected glass failure over time.
During heat soaking, glass panels are placed in a controlled chamber and heated to encourage any defective panels to break before installation. So, you are less likely to include faulty panels on your balcony.
Heat-soaked glass is often used for:
- Heavily used balconies
- Commercial projects
- Areas where replacement would be difficult or costly
The key differences
Understanding how these glass types compare is essential when specifying a glass balustrade:
- Safety after breakage: Laminated glass remains in place; toughened glass does not
- Strength: All three options offer high structural strength when correctly specified
- Risk reduction: Heat soaking reduces the likelihood of spontaneous failure
- Compliance: Laminated glass is often required for external balcony applications
Which is best for your project?
The right glass choice depends on your specific project.
For Juliet balconies
Laminated toughened glass is typically the safest option. It also complies with building regulations. Because it ensures that if it does happen to break, there’s an additional barrier to keep you safe.
For frameless balcony balustrade systems
Laminated glass is usually the best choice for projects without a handrail. It is often needed to meet regulatory compliance.
Low-risk projects
Toughened glass may be suitable for lower-risk projects – in other words, low-level balustrades or projects where a supporting frame or handrail is in place.
When choosing glass for a balcony balustrade system, you have to consider safety and compliance. So, as a general rule, laminated glass is the preferred option. And if you have the budget or are working on a commercial property, consider heat-soaked laminated glass for added safety.
Need help finding the right glass for your balcony? Get in touch with Origin Architectural.