There are now more types of glass in the market-place than ever before. Glass remained a virtually unchanged substance for literally thousands of years, until it suddenly became highly desirable and could have many other uses. The problems with glass in the past have been numerous. Glass shattered easily, and the jagged edges could cause enormous damage; glass is a good conductor of heat so didn’t keep hot weather out of a building during summer, or keep the cold out during winter; it also, for many years, had impurities which meant that the view through glass was distorted. All these problems have now been overcome through modern manufacturing methods. Glass can now be strengthened to the point where it is almost shatterproof. This type of glass, if it does break, forms shards that aren’t harmful. With double and treble-glazing, glass can be used for windows and even as walls and is actually a good thermal insulator. For all these reasons, glass has never been more popular, and its uses increase all the time.
How glass can be used in a home or office in Guildford
Glass will always be the substance of choice for windows. Its properties of allowing light to pass through it, and to creating an illusion that the outside can be brought inside, are irreplaceable. However, glass can now be used for entire walls, particularly in office buildings. It’s increasingly used in kitchens, either for countertops or for tiles. Areas where there is a lot of heat and steam, particularly where food is being prepared, needs to be hygienic and glass is particularly good in this respect. Unlike certain porous tiles, glass can be easily disinfected and doesn’t usually absorb odours.
Mirrors have always been a large part of interior décor, and a mirror is actually a piece of glass that has had an opaque coating applied to it. People enjoy using clear glass for shower doors or to separate bathrooms from bedrooms, as well as for furniture, such as tables, and this is particularly popular in European homes at present. The idea is to create a feeling of space and lightness, as opposed to the heaviness of wooden furniture. Glass can also be subject to a variety of treatments, be it frosting or having patterns etched on to it. In some areas, where homes are of a more period style, stained glass windows are also still very popular. In addition, glass can be combined most successfully with metal or wood. In short, glass offers an aesthetic appeal that is hard to beat.
Allways Glazing Works can provide you with every type of glass toughened, safety, mirrored, obscured and more in Guildford, UK and surrounding areas.