The Definitive Requirements of a Fire-resistant Glass

In most cases, if we should chance to think about glass, it is highly unlikely that the fire-resistant variety will be the first that springs to mind.  One tends to think of this commonplace material as a good conductor of heat, and anyone who may have inadvertently brushed their bare arm against the window of a car left for too long in the summer sun will be sure to confirm this. Even in winter, we often become aware of how much heat is lost via the windows in our homes – a process of heat exchange that can only be effectively overcome with the aid of a double or even triple glazed installation.

Many will have experienced a tumbler cracking when filling it with water that was a little too hot. It is also likely that they will also possess oven dishes made of glass that are designed to withstand high temperatures without succumbing to thermal shock, even though they may not actually be fire resistant in the strictest sense of the phrase.

A normal window pane, like those fitted in most average homes, will break when exposed to a temperature of about 120°C. By contrast, the tempered variety can generally survive until the temperature reaches around double that level, which makes it a good choice for use in the manufacture of the see-through doors that have become the norm for most models of domestic ovens. Where there are concerns for the safety of the occupants of a building, especially one in which there is a predominance of glass, installing a proven fire-resistant product is essential. In many countries, this is a standard building safety requirement and to be considered suitable for this purpose, the material used must be able to resist temperatures of between 850°C to 900°C.

The purpose of windows, doors and partitions constructed from this type of material is to provide good visibility and ambient light levels, while also acting as an impenetrable barrier against smoke and flames. The latter property serves to shield a building’s occupants from any immediate danger, while providing them with the time needed to vacate the structure safely in the event of a fire.

Labotec Industrial Technologies is a specialist in the field of both exterior and interior, architectural glazing. We offer a wide range of products, many of which are aimed at meeting both the aesthetic and the practical requirements of our clients. Among the most crucial of those needs is often to protect their employees and visitors from risks, such as ionising radiation and, of course, fire. To this end, we offer a selection of highly-resistant glass for these purposes.