Many homeowners like to handle small repairs around the house themselves. But what about cutting safety glass? Well, cutting safety glass at home is basically impossible unless you have the kind of equipment and training only professionals have.
This residential glass replacement company in Addison, Illinois is going to explain why safety glass can’t be cut like regular glass.
What makes safety glass stronger than regular glass?
There are two main types of safety glass you will find in homes. These are tempered glass and laminated glass.
Tempered glass is heated to an extremely high temperature and then cooled rapidly. That rapid cooling changes the glass’s internal structure and makes it several times stronger than standard glass. And when this glass breaks, it shatters into small, dull pieces that are much less likely to hurt anyone.
Laminated glass is made by sandwiching a thin layer of plastic, usually PVB (polyvinyl butyral), between two sheets of glass. If the glass cracks, that plastic layer keeps the pieces stuck together instead of letting them fall apart. You have seen this same type of glass in car windshields. And in homes, it is used in areas that need extra safety, like patio doors or skylights.
Both types of glass are made to protect you, only in different ways. But as you will see, that same strength is exactly what makes cutting safety glass so challenging.
Why can’t you just cut tempered or laminated glass?
Once safety glass is made, you can’t just use a glass cutter to trim it like a piece of tile.
Let’s start with tempered glass. After it undergoes that intense heating and cooling, the glass is full of internal tension. That is what makes it so strong. But it also means that if you try to cut or drill it after the fact, the entire glass will explode into hundreds of tiny pieces.
Tempered glass must be cut before it is tempered. A residential glass replacement company in Addison, Illinois will take precise measurements first, so the glass can be cut and treated to the exact size you need.
Cutting laminated glass might seem easier because it is not heat-treated the same way. But it has that plastic layer inside that makes it hard to cut cleanly. If you score and snap it like regular glass, the plastic stretches and resists. This can leave jagged, uneven edges on the glass.
A professional residential glass replacement company uses special tools that heat and slice through the plastic without damaging the glass layers around it. So, while laminated glass can technically be cut, you cannot cut it with anything you would find in a home workshop.
Why is cutting safety glass yourself a bad idea?
If you are trying to cut safety glass at home, the first and biggest risk is injury. One mistake can send sharp bits flying. Even tempered glass, which breaks into smaller and duller pieces, can still cut you. As such, it’s recommended that you leave this task to a professional residential glass replacement company in Addison, Illinois.
And let’s say you do manage to avoid getting hurt. Chances are that the glass itself will not survive. Once it cracks or splinters, it is done for. You will have to replace it anyway.
Looking for a residential glass replacement company in Addison, Illinois?
If you are looking for a top-rated residential glass replacement company in Addison, Illinois, look no further than Glass & Mirror America. Our experienced team can order the glass pre-cut to your specs and install it safely. Contact us at (800) 411-2801 to begin the process.
