Search Results for: Toughened Glass

Revised Datasheet on IGU visual quality

The GGF is pleased to announce the launch of the revised GGF Datasheet 4.10, Appearance and Visual Quality for Insulating Glass Units (IGUs).

Data Sheet 4.10 details all of the appropriate optical and visual quality factors of the glasses used to manufacture the IGU, that influence the appearance of an installed IGU.

The most important criteria is the view through the IGU from the inside of a building, which is covered in detail. However, it is appreciated that the appearance from the outside of the building (i.e. in reflection) can also be important in certain applications and Data Sheet 4.10 also makes reference to this.

The origins of glass visual quality standards and why GGF Data Sheet 4.10 is the go-to document:

The standard for float glass in Europe in EN 572 Glass in Building – Basic soda lime silicate glass products. Part 2 defines optical and visual faults and the relevant acceptance levels. The viewing distance for standard float glass is 4.5 metres.

A glass manufacturing float line typically produces around 700 tonnes per day. The raw materials are mixed and melted down at high temperatures within a refractory lined furnace. The molten raw materials are then floated on a bath of tin and moved through the float line to create a continuous ribbon of glass.

Most glass installed within buildings is manufactured from float glass in accordance with EN 572. In many installations the glass requires additional processing to provide the correct performance in terms of safety, security, and energy requirements.

Glass can then be coated to provide a specified level of solar control or thermal insulation, screen printed, coated with ceramic frit or the surface altered, to provide decoration or privacy.

In addition to this the glass may undergo a heat treatment processes to add certain characteristics. It can be thermally toughened for increased strength and safe fracture behaviour, heat strengthened for additional strength, heat soaked to reduce the risk of spontaneous breakage when installed on site, or laminated for safety, sound attenuation and security.

All of these additional processes involve changes to the original float glass product and usually results in varying amounts of alteration in the visual quality and appearance of the products. The visual quality rules in EN 572 are no longer applicable so we need to look elsewhere.

For Thermally Toughened Glass manufactured in accordance with EN 12150, the standard does not contain any visual quality limits but does stipulate that visual inspection should be included during the manufacturing process. However, the standard does mention the existence of roller wave, pitting and anisotropy, but does not define any limits regarding these characteristics. This is the same for Heat-Soaked Glass Manufactured in accordance with EN 14179.

For laminated glass the standard is EN ISO 12543 Glass in Building – Parts 1 to 6. Part 6 details the appearance and defines vents, creases and streaks, spots and linear defects and the levels of acceptance. The glass is visually inspected at 2 metres under normal daylight conditions.

Coated Glass in accordance with EN 1096 defines uniformity, stains, spots, pinholes and scratch faults and the acceptance levels. The glass is viewed from a minimum distance of 3 metres for no more than 20 seconds.

Heat Strengthened Glass in accordance with EN 1863 states that the processor is responsible for determining the visual quality standards to be used for their products. However similarly to EN 12150 and EN 14179, the standard does mention the existence of roller wave and anisotropy but does not define any limits regarding these characteristics.

As you can see depending on the products used, negotiating visual quality may not be as straight forward as it may first seem. This is where GGF Data Sheet 4.10 steps into a very important void. It covers all of the above-mentioned products, as well as visual phenomena’s that may be encountered with flat glass products. It is the only recognised visual quality standard within the UK for visual quality of installed insulated glass units. It is also widely used across Europe and the Middle and Far East. This mean 4.10 is one of our most important Data Sheets.

4.10 has been updated to incorporate the latest changes within BS, EN & ISO Standards so GGF members can continue to be the leading experts within the industry. The Consumer facing visual quality leaflets are also due to be updated in 2021.

The Data Sheet can be downloaded from the members area of the website within the glazing manual. Click here to access

Members enjoy North West Golf Day

Events, News | 19.09.19

GGF Members and guests got into the swing of things earlier this month at the GGF North West Golf Day at Carden Park in Chester.

The overall winner was Alan Hyde of Thermoseal who commented, “It was a fantastic day’s golf. It was great to share lovely weather and a great course with fellow members. I am delighted to have won the trophy which is my first ever in the North West Region. I would like to thank everyone for making it a memorable day and especially to Anne-marie who as usual, organised it all superbly.”

North West Golf Day winners:

Winner – Alan Hyde, Thermoseal

Runner Up – Dave Weir, DG Solutions

Third Place – Ray Moss of GG Glass

Nearest the Pin – Dave Weir, DG Solutions

Longest Drive – Steve Beck of AGC

Winning Team – DG Solutions

Following a glorious day’s golf, the Members went off to celebrate their wins and perhaps some understandably wanted to drown sorrows over a few drinks and an evening meal. However, few could have imagined what was to follow.

Just before the presentations, Alex Gray of Supaseal and Chair of GGF Regional Representatives Committee, tapped a spoon on the third place trophy to bring silence to proceedings, so he could announce the winners. In the process of spoon tapping, the glass trophy “disintegrated” – damaged beyond repair and the room erupted in laughter.

Both Alex and Third place winner Ray Moss of GG Glass saw the funny side when he was awarded three golf balls and promised a replacement trophy.

Following this unprecedented incident, the GGF has been asked if Members would be interested in an annual “Spoon Tapping Trophy Breaking” competition. Alex, of course, would be the first seed.

Organiser, Anne-Marie Waugh, GGF Regional Executive for the North West and North Wales commented, “It was a joy to organise yet another wonderful day for the GGF Members and of course the hilarity at the presentations was memorable – next year our trophies will have to be made out of toughened glass. Thanks to all the Members and guests for making it such a brilliant day.”

30 COMPANIES JOIN GGF THIS YEAR SO FAR

News | 21.05.18

The GGF has had an excellent start to 2018 with no fewer than 30 companies joining the Federation since the start of January.

This continued growth in GGF Membership comes following a restructure in 2017 and the subsequent appointments of Shaun McAllister as GGF Managing Director and Richard Hearn as Head of Membership in January and November last year respectively.

Shaun McAllister commented: “It is pleasing to see the numbers of companies joining the GGF and we have many more in the pipeline enquiring about joining. As the main trade body for the glass and glazing industry the GGF is constantly talking to more businesses and reinforcing the benefits of belonging and hence more are now joining the GGF.”

Richard Hearn added: “We have made a great start to the year although our key membership retention and recruitment plans have still to come to fruition. I am delighted that so many good companies have joined the GGF.”

New GGF Members in 2018 so far:

Armco Key Security LtdAllseal Glass LimitedBetween Glass Blinds LimitedDesigns 49 LimitedTintwise LimitedJillani GlassHero Renewables LtdGX Home Improvements LimitedWarwick Group LimitedEssex Double Glazing Limited/Benbrook WindowsPavilion Glass Co. LimitedChase Taylor Recruitment LimitedEcodomus LtdEnerglazeThe Heritage Window CompanyFirst Home Improvements LtdAffinity Glass LtdLondon Architectural Glass LtdBell-Windows (NI) LtdPlaswire LtdShield Trade Frames LtdGlobal Home ImprovementsGreat Harwood WindowsThe Nu-Window Company LtdJames Oliver Conservatories LimitedFilmtek LimitedEnlightened WindowsDerek Gough AssociatesSpecialist Toughened GlassCondensation Solutions

To find out more about joining the GGF, visit www.ggf.org.uk/join or contact the Membership team on membership@ggf.org.uk.

If you have a comment to make or any information relating to this article please contact the GGF

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Safeguard Glazing Supplies Ltd

| 18.09.17

Business dedicated to the production of high quality kitemarked sealed units and toughened safety glass. Traditional glass merchants and processors.

All products can be installed by our experienced CSCS registered glazing teams. The company is registered under Constructionline and CHAS

Kitemarked sealed units and toughened glass
Installation service
Mirrors, shelving, balustrade panels
General glass merchants
Fire glass

Somerton Windows Ltd

| 18.09.17

Quality competitvely priced uPVC & aluminium windows, doors & conservatories make Somerton Windows the ideal choice. Composite doors available with a wide range glass designs. Toughened glass for balustrades, Juliet baconies as well as many other applications. A full glass cutting service available.

Glass Merchants
uPVC & Aluminium
Bi folding doors
Composte doors
Balustades and balcony glass

The GGF Glossary

Uncategorized | 23.01.17

The Glass and Glazing Industry has thousands of products and components as well as companies. Due to its size and diverse nature, it’s also full of jargon and terminology that quite often varies from region to region, country to country, sector to sector and even in some companies from colleague to colleague.

The GGF Glossary is here to help anyone who needs help in understanding it all. It is by no means exhaustive and the GGF is aiming to update this page regularly. If you have and addition or feel something is missing then please contact the GGF and we’ll include it in the GGF Glossary.

Term	Definition
Acoustic Glass :	Glass that has been treated to improve it’s soundproofing qualities
Annealed Glass :	Annealing is a process of slowly cooling hot glass after it’s been formed, to relieve residual internal stresses that could cause breakage during manufacture. Annealing glass improves it’s durability
Approved Documents :	The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government publishes guidance called ‘Approved Documents’ on ways to meet building regulations. These contain: – general guidance on the performance expected of materials and building work in order to comply with the building regulations – practical examples and solutions on how to achieve compliance for some of the more common building situations
Argon gas :	Double and triple glazed windows, commonly have argon gas between the panes to improve insulation and soundproofing. Argon gas is put into the glazing units because it is denser than air and therefore has greater insulating values than air.
Astrigal bars :	These are thin wooden moudlings placed on glass to create a period look. They are often used to create the traditional Georgian window look.
Awning windows :	These are casement windows that are hinged at the top of the frame.
Building Regulations :	Building regulations in the United Kingdom are statutory instruments or statutory regulations that seek to ensure that the policies set out in the relevant legislation are carried out. Building regulations approval is required for most building work in the UK. Building regulations that apply across England and Wales are set out in the Building Act 1984 while those that apply across Scotland are set out in the Building (Scotland) Act 2003.
British Standards :	British Standards are the standards produced by the BSI Group which is incorporated under a royal charter (and which is formally designated as the national standards body (NSB) for the UK). The BSI Group produces British Standards under the authority of the charter with the key objective being to set up national standards of quality for goods and services.
Casement window :	A casement is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges at the side. They are used singly or in pairs within a common frame, in which case they are hinged on the outside. Casement windows are often held open using a casement stay. Windows hinged at the top are referred to as awning windows, and ones hinged at the bottom are called hoppers.
Construction Products Regulation :	Often abbreviated to CPR, the Construction Products Regulation was started in 2013 under the EU but was fully integrated into UK legislation in 2019. This guidance is about placing construction products on the GB market. The GB market refers to England, Wales and Scotland. There is a separate Construction Products Regulation for Northern Ireland. Also in the Republic of Ireland, the CPR is under the EU. The CPR is the legislation that underpins CE Marking and UKCA marking of constrcution products.
Composite doors :	Composite doors are made of a selection of materials often including core products such as timber and uPVC. Each material is chosen for its specific properties with the aim being that when combined they will make doors stronger and more durable.
Curtain wall :	A curtain wall system is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, it’s purpose being to keep the weather out and the occupants in. Since the curtain wall is non-structural, it can be made of lightweight materials, thereby reducing construction costs. Glass is commonly used as the curtain wall this offers the advantage of increased natural light. In some cases glass curtain walling can also be used to describe full floor to ceiling glass panels installed in an building’s interior. This is common in office spaces and commercial buildings.
Double glazing :	Windows which have two layers of glass with a space between them, designed to reduce loss of heat and exclude noise.
Double hung :	Often used to describe a sash window that has two vertical sliding sashes within the larger window frame. Each sliding sash closes/opens a different part of the opening and usually has counterweight on each side.
Emergency glazing :	This is a common description when a window or door has been broken or damaged and requires an emergency glazing company to make safe, either by replacement or boarding up until a replacement can be installed. The GGF criteria for emergency glazing companies is that they operate at all times (24/7, every day of the year).
Emissivity :	The emissivity of a glass surface is its effectiveness in emitting energy as thermal radiation. Many glass manufacturers reduce emissivity by coating glass, allowing heat to remain inside the house and also to prevent solar heat coming into a property and causing overheating.
Energy ratings :	These are used to assess the total energy performance of products such as windows and doors in the same way that household goods like fridges are energy rated using the rainbow label system. A window or door energy rating will not only measure the total energy loss, as a U-value does, but also the energy gain and the air leakage through the window or door. In the UK British Fenstration Rating Council are the leading company when it comes to window and door energy ratings.
Fabrication :	Fabrication is the manufacturing process of cutting and assembling the window profiles (frames) together and adding hardware (handles, hinges, locks) along with weatherseals and gaskets to make a finished window (or door)
Fan lights :	A fan light is a glazed opening above a doorframe or above the lintel in a doorframe. It is usually designed to allow natural light into a hallway or darker area of a building.
Fenestration :	This is the process of positioning, installing and fixing a window, door or skylight in an opening in any type of building.
Fire-resistant glazing :	Fire Rated Glass (also known as Fire Resistant Glass) is specialist glass that has been proven to provide a period protection against fire during a Fire Resistance Test. Fire resistant glass is used in Fire Resistant Glazing systems (with special fire resistant seals and components). Fire resistant glazing systems will only work to maximum performance if installed correctly. Certain types of fire rated glass will also provide a degree of protection (insulation) against the heat of a fire.
Float glass	Float glass is a sheet of glass made by floating molten glass on a bed of molten metal, typically tin, although lead and other various low-melting-point alloys have been used in this process. This method gives the sheet uniform thickness and very flat surfaces. Float glass is the most commonly used glass in modern glazing (windows/doors/conservatories and curtain walling)
Glazier :	A tradesman responsible for cutting, installing, and removing glass. They also refer to blueprints to figure out the size, shape, and location of the glass in the building. Glaziers may work with glass in various surfaces and settings, such as cutting and installing windows, doors, shower doors, skylights, storefronts, display cases, mirrors, facades, interior walls, ceilings, and tabletops.
Heat soaking :	Heat soaking. The process involves placing the tempered glass inside a chamber and raising the temperature to approximately 290ºC to accelerate nickel sulfide expansion. The process reduces the risk of spontaneous breakage.
Heritage windows :	A heritage window is a type of window that has been manufactured specifically to be installed in a heritage building or building within a conservation area. These type of windows are made with modern materials and used as replica or close to replica replacements for the original windows in historic (usually 100 years or older) buildings
Insulating Glass Unit (IGU) :	An insulating glass unit (IGU) consists of two or more glass panes separated by a vacuum or gas-filled space to reduce heat transfer in and out of a building. A window with insulating glass is commonly known as double glazing or a double-paned window, triple glazing or a triple-paned window, or even quadruple glazing or a quadruple-paned window, depending upon how many panes of glass are used in its construction. IGUs are often referred to as “sealed units”.
Krypton gas :	An inert gas commonly used to fill small air spaces (cavities) between glass panes, resulting in improved year-round thermal performance. Krypton gas is sometimes mixed with Argon gas to fill the vacuum between glass panes in the production of insulated glass units.
Laminated Glass :	This type of safety glass holds together when shattered. In the event of breaking, it is held in place by an interlayer, typically of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), or Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), between its two or more layers of glass. The interlayer keeps the layers of glass bonded even when broken, and its high strength prevents the glass from breaking up into large sharp pieces. This produces a characteristic “spider web” cracking pattern when the impact is not enough to completely pierce the glass.
Lantern (roof lantern) :	Architectural lanterns are part of a larger roof and provide natural light into the space or room below. In relation to glass and glazing these are products that have a similar affect as skylights (roof windows)
Lightwell :	a lightwell, sky-well, or air shaft is an unroofed external space provided within a large building to allow light and air to reach what would otherwise be a dark or unventilated area. Lightwells may be lined with glazed bricks to increase the reflection of sunlight within the space
Low E Glass :	Low E stands for Low Emissivity. This is where glass has been treated to reduced energy being emitted from a building or into a building through panes of glass.
Mullion	A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid support to the glazing of the window. Its secondary purpose is to provide structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Horizontal elements separating the head of a door from a window above are both a head jamb and horizontal mullion and are called transoms.
Processors (Glass)	Companies that buy flat glass and then put it through a process to make it perform differently. For example, to make it toughened glass through thermally heating.)
Profiles	These are the lengths of framing created by systems houses and framing manufacturers and are supplied to fabricators to trim and develop into window frames.
R-value :	the R-value is the term used for thermal resistance in a material. It is a measure of how well a two-dimensional barrier, such as a layer of insulation, a window or a complete wall or ceiling, resists the conductive flow of heat. R-value is the temperature difference per unit of heat flux needed to sustain one unit heat flux between the warmer surface and colder surface of a barrier under steady-state conditions.
Rooflight :	A window built into a roof and sometimes referred to as a sky light. These are usually installed to increase natural light into an area (such as a loft) where there may not be much natural daylight.
Roofline :	This is a generic description for the products that are installed at the edges of roofs and include fascia boards, soffits, bargeboards, antefixes and cladding that forms the frontage immediately below the roof and the eaves of many homes and building.
Sash windows :	A sash window or hung sash window is made of one or more movable panels, or “sashes”. The individual sashes are traditionally paned windows but can now contain an individual insulated glass unit to create a double glazed sash window.
Security glass :	This is a specialist type of glass that prevents easy breakage and makes it difficult for burglars or intruders to enter a property. Security glass can be toughened glass (sometimes known as tempered glass), laminated glass or wire mesh glass (glass with wire mesh inside sometimes known as Georgian wire glass – not so common today).
Secondary glazing :	This is a glazing system that is installed inside a property when there are restrictions to replace the exterior windows. Secondary glazing often installed in historic buildings and is fixed to the sill inside the building. It
Self-cleaning glass :	Self-cleaning glass is a specific type of glass with a coated external surface that keeps itself free of dirt and grime. The field of self-cleaning coatings on glass is divided into two categories: hydrophobic and hydrophyllic. These two types of coating both clean themselves through the action of water, the former by rolling droplets and the latter by sheeting water that carries away dirt. Hydrophilic coatings based on titania (titanium dioxide), however, have an additional property: they can chemically break down absorbed dirt in sunlight. This is often an option for hard to access windows.
Sight line :	The perimeter of a window opening that admits daylight into living and work areas.
Single glazing :	A window that has one pane of glass. This type of glazing is usually found in older windows and is the least energy efficient glazing option.
Skylights :	A description often used for roof windows or rooflights
Solar gain :	Solar gain (also known as solar heat gain or passive solar gain) is the increase in thermal energy in a building as the glass (in a window) absorbs solar radiation via sunlight. This can cause overheating in a building.
Spacer bar :	A spacer bar is the thin hollow aluminium frame that separates the two glass panes in a double glazed window. The spacer bar is bonded to the glass panes via a primary and secondary seal, creating an airtight cavity enabling it to be filled with air or gas to reduce heat and sound transfer.
Tilt and turn :	Tilt and turn windows can be opened fully like a casement window (inwards) or they can be tilted from the bottom so that the top of the window is angled into the room, giving a smaller opening for ventilation. The tilted opening also has the added benefit of increased security and safety as no one can fit through the gap.
Trickle ventilator :	A trickle ventilator (sometimes called trickle vent) is a very small opening in a window that allows small amounts of ventilation in spaces intended to be naturally ventilated when major elements of the design – windows, doors, etc., are otherwise closed. Trickle vents are used extensively in the UK and Europe and are integrated into window frames to provide minimum ventilation requirements for naturally ventilated spaces.
Toughened glass :	Tempered or toughened glass is a type of safety glass processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength compared with normal glass.
Triple glazing :	A insulated glass unit or window that has three panes of glass with two spaces (vacuums) separating the panes. The vacuums are usually filled with argon gas to reduce heat loss. Triple glazing can offer great security and can be more effective for thermal performance.
UPVC :	UPVC is an abbreviation or Unplasticized PolyVinyl Chloride and is a rigid, chemically resistant form of PVC used for pipework, window frames, and other structures. UPVC is sometimes referred to as PVC-U or plastic or PVC when describing double glazing.
U-Value :	U-values measure how effective a material is an insulator. The lower the U-value is, the better the material is as a heat insulator. U-values are generally used to describe the thermal performance glazing/windows.
Vertical sliders :	Another name for a double hung sash window
Warm edge :	A warm edge spacer is a type of spacer bar used in insulated glazing. It separates the panes of glass in double or triple glazing, or curtain walling and seals off the air cavity between each. Recent warm edge spacers are generally made from plastics, although stainless steel can meet the definition.
WER (Window Energy Rating) :	A rating systems led by the British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC), that reviews the whole energy performance of a window, including all of its components. Ratings can go from highest triple A to lowest F and is presented in the rainbow labelling style often seen in white goods such as refrigerators
Window Film :	Window film is a thin laminate film that can be installed to the interior or exterior of glass surfaces in the interior or exterior in homes and buildings. It’s often used to increase privacy, solar control, safety and security or to block out strong sunlight. Window film should be installed by professional service companies to ensure best performance.

GGF Launch Two Updated Consumer Publications

News, Politics | 18.10.16

Steve Rice, GGF Technical Director, commented “We are delighted to launch these two updated leaflets on toughened and laminated glass for consumers. The GGF prides itself on technical experts that provide the industry and consumers the best technical guidance through GGF publications.”

The Laminated Glass, Safety and Security leaflet explains what laminated glass is and covers the main types as well as special laminates. Other areas included are appearance, marking, availability and a list of reasons why customers should choose laminated glass with a guide to the levels of protection laminated glass offers. It’s a popular and useful leaflet for all laminated glass suppliers.

The ‘Laminated Glass, Safety and Security’ publication is available to download here: https://www.ggf.org.uk/publication/ggf_laminated_glass

This Toughened Glass – Safety and Strength leaflet explains what toughened glass is and highlights its flexibility for many glazing solutions and systems. The publication also outlines the mandatory (critical) safety glazing areas where safety glazing materials such as toughened glass must be used by law, in new and replacement glazing applications in all buildings. In addition the leaflet covers the extensive range of toughened glass and other thermally treated glass as well as process restrictions. If you manufacture/supply or install toughened glass this is a very useful leaflet to provide to your customers.

The ‘Toughened Glass, Safety and Strength’ publication is available to download here:

https://www.ggf.org.uk/publication/ggf_toughened_glass

New Clement steel windows installed at the ‘Little Theatre’.

Members News | 24.02.22

The Progressive Players were founded in 1920. In 1939, founding members Ruth, Sylvia and Hope Dodds generously provided the money to purchase a vacant site facing Saltwell Park, together with adjoining No.3 Saltwell View, and build the Players’ own theatre.

The Little Theatre is believed to be the only playhouse built in Britain during World War II and to this day it remains Gatehead’s only theatre. It opened with a performance of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in October 1943 and since then the site has remained home to the Progressive Players who now produce ten plays a year.

Closed during the pandemic, funding was completed on an extension, creating a new rehearsal room above the auditorium known as ‘The Studio’. This facility has exactly the same dimensions as the main auditorium stage meaning the transfer from rehearsals to final production is much smoother than was previously possible.

The new space is acoustically isolated from the auditorium and stage allowing rehearsals to proceed even during a performance and was designed to be in keeping with the look and feel of the original theatre. Fitted with modern lighting and sound systems, the rehearsal room has the latest connectivity and networking capabilities.

New steel windows were required to replace the originals at the theatre. Clement W20 steel frames were chosen, polyester painted in Jet Black (matt). The two modular bay windows at the front of the building are particularly striking and the choice of glass was important. SunGuard SuperNeutral 62/34 was chosen for the outer pane, offering very high natural light transmission while ensuring energy savings through solar protection and thermal insulation, krypton gas was used for the centre of the pane and 4mm of toughened Planibel Grey was used for the inner pane.

The newly refurbished Little Theatre will not only be used for the Progressive Players’ rehearsals, visiting hires and local community groups, but it is also hoped that it will eventually accommodate a youth theatre group.

Photography taken and provided by Robbie Carruthers, Chairman, Little Theatre.

The homeowner’s guide to buying and installing bi-folding sliding doors

| 19.08.21

Bi-folding sliding doors seamlessly bring outdoor and indoor space together. In addition to increasing living space, bi-folding doors can increase natural light and ventilation, while aesthetically improving and increasing the value of your home, plus your lifestyle.

When it comes to planning which bi-folding doors are right for you, it’s important to do your research as they’re available in many different styles, finishes and materials. Important considerations when selecting your bi-folding doors include:

1. Selecting your bi-folding sliding door type

With top-hung style, the overhead operations are easier to conceal and it’s less likely to jam due to grit in the operating mechanism. However, this does require a strong lintel/beam to take the weight of the doors. While with bottom rolling design there’s less weight on the frames, but the sliding motion can be affected if grit gets into the tracks/rollers.

2. Types of framing materials

The types of framing materials include:

Aluminium is easy to maintain, it has a powder-coated finish with multiple colour options and no painting is required. It can be wider than timber (meaning fewer doors are required) and it’s lightweight

Timber is a classic option for a traditional/period home. However, some lower-end timber models may be prone to warping when exposed to heat and moisture, meaning it could get stuck in the tracking or not close. Timber also requires regular painting/varnishing to maintain its appearance

Composite doors consist of aluminium frames with timber internal facings, offering the best of both materials

UPVC is less expensive, low maintenance and has good thermal performance, while the frame finish can include multiple colour options. However, size ranges are limited

3. Glass types

Triple or double glazed is a must, as the right glass choice/configuration can improve thermal efficiency and also reduce unwanted noise. These also offer safety and security, as both toughened and laminated glass can offer you reassurance and protection.

4. Other tips

Plan a master door that will be used most often and think about thresholds. A low threshold provides a seamless look into the outside space with little or no step, whereas a rebated threshold offers increased weather-resistant performance.

5. Installation

Use a GGF member company and get peace of mind that you are getting a quality product and professional installation from a company supported by the main trade authority in the sector.

If you’re planning on installing bi-folding sliding doors, here are some more helpful tips.

GGF welcomes four new Members

Members News, Membership News, News | 11.05.21

The GGF is delighted to welcome four new Members to the Federation including;

JCB Solidor Ltd

A window manufacturer specialising in a wide range of double glazing products. With over 20 years experience in the industry, they have the skills and experience to get any kind of double glazing job done professionally. JCB Solidor manufacture all their products on-site using state of the art software and equipment. All double glazed U.P.V.C Windows and aluminium windows are installed by our own staff who are professionally trained.

Contact details:

JCB Solidor Ltd

Rear of 103 Arthur Road

Windsor

Berskshire

SL4 1RU

http://www.jcbsolidor.co.uk/

Thames Windows and Doors Ltd

Thames Windows and Doors Limited is a glazing company supplying and installing glazing products across London and the South East. Their extensive knowledge within the glazing industry means they can offer multiple options for a project to make sure all budgets can be met.

Contact details:

Thames Windows and Doors Ltd

63a Park Road

Kingston Upon Thames

Surrey

KT2 6DE

http://www.thameswindowsanddoors.co.uk/

Solar Sentry Window Films

Established in 2013 Solar sentry is a window film application company strong reputation for outstanding service that operates in both the residential and commercial sectors installing window film to clients, large and small, nationwide.

Contact details:

Solar Sentry Window Films

27 Stainburn Avenue

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR2 5HF

http://www.solarsentry.co.uk/

CT Glass Ltd

CT Glass manufacture a wide range of toughened and laminated glasses, including toughened laminated and acoustic laminated glass. They are also suppliers of heat soaked and heat strengthened glass products, therefore covering all aspects of safety and security glazing. In addition, they can supply a variety of fire protection and decorative glasses to meet all your processed glass and glazing requirements.

Contact details:

CT Glass Ltd

Q F Industrial Estate

Lower Lane

Bradford

West Yorkshire

BD4 8QR

http://www.ctglass.co.uk/

Emergency Glazing Services

| 13.10.20

AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO

EMERGENCY GLAZING LEICESTER

Welcome to Emergency Glazing Services, the leading emergency glaziers for Leicester and beyond. From shop front window repairs to residential window glass replacement and repairs, we take care of it all, making your home, business or office secure.

Our emergency glaziers in Leicester can respond to and board-up broken or cracked windows in just 1 hour. We have all types of glass in stock ready to fit in case of an emergency. Our glaziers can also fit toughened, laminated, decorated and safety glass, plus doors and mirrors if needed. We also replace and repair glass doors, from glass panelled patio doors to solid glass doors, we offer a number of solutions and always stock a variety of glass types, ready to be cut to size to repair the break.

A Successful Partnership

Glassi | 03.04.20

Gaby Mendham, Director of Ecoglass and Glass & Glazing Federation board member, discusses her recent partnership with Amplifi Solutions, a leading R&D tax credit specialist.

As Ecoglass’s joint Managing Director, I lead our business strategy and work with a range of customers across the UK. We are a Norwich based insulating glass manufacturer, toughened and laminated glass processor. Established in 1947, with over 70 years of experience, we’ve seen the countless benefits that innovation can bring to the glass industry. Research and development is part and parcel of our business model and investing in state-of-the-art machinery mean we can utilize the latest glass technology to bring our customers the very best quality products.

All this innovation has meant that we’ve been able to partner with Amplifi Solutions to secure a successful R&D tax credit claim.

As a member of the Glass & Glazing Federation, we heard about Amplifi Solutions through the association. They were extremely straightforward to work with, including their Managing Partners Chris and Jeff – who we worked with directly. R&D tax credits can seem like a bit of a red-tape minefield at first, but Amplifi Solutions really broke it down for us. It was an incredibly smooth process that was completed to our tight deadline.

We ran two recent innovative projects that made up our R&D claim. In one instance, we set out to improve the flexibility and responsiveness of how our existing software system by Clear Thinking – created and communicated information within Ecoglass. We explored new customisable tools and created bespoke connections back to our existing software, which has enabled us to have a truly in-depth vision and excellent control throughout all the manufacturing processes.

As part of a separate project, it’s very important to our ethos that we lead innovation. With ever-improving U-values and finer glass coatings to radically improve energy efficiency, we are creating bespoke online inspection to ensure we can immediately locate unacceptable defects quickly, which are flagged up by our Viprotron scanning system, prior to unit assembly.

After a lot of experimenting, we created a bespoke visual inspection unit prototype, which we are currently perfecting before fabricating it into a full production inspection unit.

Amplifi Solutions helped us to realise that both these projects were great examples of R&D and qualified for the scheme.

Now that I’ve seen what partnering with Amplifi Solutions can mean to our business, I’d thoroughly recommend getting in touch with them – I only wish I’d done it sooner! As our claim was our first, we could claim for two financial years’ worth on qualifying R&D spend and saw a substantial reduction in our corporation tax liability.

GGF Members can avail of expert R&D tax credit advice from Amplifi Solutions and benefit from a discounted entry rate on their fees.

For more information visit www.amplifi.solutions or call 028 9008 0125.

New technical officer joins the GGF

Members News, Membership News, News | 11.06.19

The GGF is pleased to announce that David Borland has joined the Federation as Technical Officer.

From a career which started in the family glazing business, David is a seasoned professional of the Glass & Window Industry. With almost 40 years’ experience in Production, Operations & Technical management in most areas of the trade including IGUs, Toughened Glass, Laminated Glass, Digital Printing, Decorative Glass, Aluminium & uPVC doors and windows.

David’s experience and knowledge has latterly seen him working as Technical Manager for Emirates Glass in both Dubai and subsequently in India, as well as an 18 month spell in Malaysia as Production Director for DDG Glass.

Throughout his career he has had a strong involvement with Production Improvement and Quality Control which has also brought with it an extremely broad knowledge of the industry. His grass roots knowledge coupled with a strong technical background should prove to be a great asset to the GGF’s Technical Department.

On accepting his new role David commented, “I am delighted to join the GGF at a time when our industry faces many technical challenges. I am very much looking forward to working with GGF Members and helping advise them on key technical issues affecting our industry.”

Steve Rice, Director of Technical Affairs added, “I am very pleased that David has joined the GGF Technical department. His wealth of expertise and knowledge will be of great value to the GGF and our Membership.”

BLOG ARTICLE – TRIPLE GLAZING

Members News | 24.05.18

KJM’s Managing Director Mark Pearce gives his personal views on Triple Glazing

In an age when energy prices are only heading in one direction, fitting your home with new KJM Veka 44mm Triple Glazed Windows can offer additional savings compared to standard ‘A’ rated double glazing. Well that’s the selling bit over and done with!

Triple glazed windows are still a relatively new concept in the UK. But in colder countries like Scandinavia, where homes endure extreme winter weather, they have been a standard fitment for many years. While we might not get the same severity of conditions, the UK does still suffer from harsh winters and of course increasing energy prices.

There are other ways to insulate your home like the roof, walls and floor, but neglecting your windows can result in cold spots and condensation. Personally I installed 44mm triple glazing in to my own home around three years ago and I have never looked back since then.

Some from within KJM would describe me as “KJM’s Triple Glazing King”, as I passionately believe in the product. I was even asked to speak at our national trade show about the benefits of triple glazing, but declined as it was over three days and in Telford, a long way from our base in Andover in Hampshire.

There are many benefits to installing triple glazing in your home but the important thing to remember is that all triple glazing is not the same. There are many systems available but to really get the maximum benefit then the gaps between the panes of glass should be 16mm and filled with argon gas.

Argon is an inert gas that reduces the heat loss through the panes. If the gap is reduced then the thermal performance is reduced, unless you start to use an expensive gas like krypton. So generally speaking the optimum size of a triple glazed sealed unit should be 4mm glass, 16mm gaps, so in our industry it’s called a 4/16/4/16/4 unit and that equals 44mm in total. You then need to factor in the number of chambers within the frame, the fewer chambers the less insulated the frame. The Veka system uses thermal inserts within the frame to improve the insulation further.

Are there any down-falls I hear you ask? The biggest problem I’ve encountered with my own windows would be external condensation on the glass. This happens because the external pane of glass is not being heated so well by your house, so if the glass drops to less in temperature than the outside air, then you reach “dew point” and condensation forms. It’s the exact reason that you get dew on your car windows. It will generally happen after a cold clear night and it would best be described as a light misting that forms from the centre of the pane, actually it’s in the complete opposite place it would form on the inside. This is because the glass in effect is being heated through the frame and spacer bar, so the outer edge of the glass is warmer than the centre.

When you get internal condensation it’s the opposite way, because in reverse the outer perimeter of the internal glass is the coldest. You can find that ‘A’ rated double glazing will suffer from the same problem, but the effects are much less. As I told my wife when she first spotted the external condensation “It just goes to show how well insulated our windows are”. They usually clear fairly quickly in the morning, so it certainly does not bother me. Further information on this can be found on this technical document from our glass supplier.

Light? Having three panes of glass, with two of them having a low e coating, there would be a drop in the natural light coming through the window as the low e coatings darken the glass slightly. Back to my own experience of my windows at home, from the old double glazing to the new triple glazing I did not notice any difference, so I expect this would only be detected with some some good light monitoring equipment.

Security? Three panes would have to be more secure than two, so there is an obvious difference. The middle pane of a triple glazed unit should be toughened especially if the glass faces a sunny elevation, at KJM we toughen all middle panes regardless of elevation. This helps with the stresses that occur with the heat build up within the sealed unit.

The next thing you might find on the internet about triple glazing is sound insulation. There is a lot of misinformation out there and many claim it improves sound insulation because they believe three panes are better than two. Scientific tests would show that if all three panes are the same thickness of glass then the benefit to sound insulation is very marginally better at best.

If you introduce one different thickness of pane, say one pane of 6mm glass and two panes of 4mm then this would improve the sound insulation more, because the different thicknesses will change the wave length of the sound as it passes through the window, thus reducing the sound transmittance. It would be worth pointing out at this stage that an open window will stop nothing and then there is my other pet-hate “trickle vents” that are notorious for leaking sound. That is a subject for another blog as there are better quality trickle vents on the market.

Extra weight from the glass is another problem, so oversized opening windows and doors are generally a “no-no” but traditional British casement window sizes have not produced a problem for KJM over the last few years, so we are confident in what we sell.

Finally did you know that you can buy the mainly recycled PVC system Veka Infinity in our triple glazing range? So if you really want to protect the environment then you can specify this system. Up to 80% of the core (the bits you don’t see) are made from recycled PVC, the important outside is manufactured from Virgin PVC in a very clever co-extruded process.

In summary I love triple glazing and I can see no reason why if you were changing your windows that you did not consider the option. Yes it costs more, but it will “future proof” your home and in the long term you will recoup your extra costs through the energy savings. It should also make your home much more attractive to potential buyers, if you decided to sell. At KJM it costs nothing to get a quotation and of course we can price for both ‘A’ rated double glazing and provide an additional upgrade cost to triple glazing.

If you have a comment to make or any information relating to this article please contact the GGF

GUARDIAN’S NEW SINGLE PRODUCT SOLUTION FOR 1.0 U VALUE PERFORMANCE – CLIMAGUARD A 1.0

News | 24.05.18

Guardian ClimaGuard A 1.0 is the newest addition to Guardian’s Low E range and achieves 1.0 U value performance in a double glazed unit on surface 3. ClimaGuard A 1.0 is also a single stock product which can be used both annealed and toughened.

Guardian’s ClimaGuard range is set to take a firm footing in the commercial market, with the launch of ClimaGuard A 1.0. As a single stock Low E glass, ClimaGuard A 1.0 can be used either annealed or toughened and provides the optimum in thermal insulation, achieving a 1.0 U value in a standard 4/16/4 (90% Argon) IGU or U values as low as 0.4 W/m2K in triple glazed units.

ClimaGuard A 1.0 is integral to the success of the Guardian ClimaGuard Low E glass range. The New ClimaGuard A 1.0 provides some of the best thermal insulation on the market, combined with a high light transmission of 72% and a solar factor of 54%, making this ideal not only for commercial projects, but also for utilising solar heat gain in sustainable projects like those using the Passivhaus (Passive House) standard.

The solar factor of 54% offers mid-level heat gains, which are ideal for carefully considered designs, where solar heat energy from the sun can be used to warm a building without risking overheating. This also makes ClimaGuard A 1.0 ideal for triple glazing, where it easily helps to achieve the Passivhaus window requirement of 0.8 Uw and provides a manageable level of solar heat gain. However, in exposed areas such as southern elevations or large areas of glazing, we would still recommend Guardian SunGuard where the right solar control and thermal insulation combination can be selected to meet the specific requirements of each individual project.

The New ClimaGuard A 1.0 has been developed by utilising the ClimaGuard A+ coating layer stack, which is well known for its stability and durability during processing and toughening. Mark Bristow – Guardian Regional Manager for the UK & Ireland explained; “The technology used to create ClimaGuard A+ on our magnetron sputter coater at Goole is leading to a host of new product development’s, with ClimaGuard A 1.0 being the first to reach the market. Having our own UK based coating facility has vastly improved our ability to produce products specifically tailored to suit the UK market, driving both innovation and energy saving”.

For more information on Guardian ClimaGuard A 1.0 visit www.guardianglass.co.uk/latestproducts

If you have a comment to make or any information relating to this article please contact the GGF

B and M Glazing Ltd

| 18.09.17

We offer are a friendly, helpful and knowledgeable service to our clients. From initial contact, through to final installation, we pride ourselves on complete consumer satisfaction. We can assure you of fast production times and competive prices. We welcome the opporunity of prividing quotations and services to any size of customer, or contract. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contct our offices.

Specialist Glazing Services
Mirrors and Back Painted Glass
Balustrade and Shower Glass
Toughened and Laminated Safety Glass
Replacement, Refurbishment or New Works

CS Glaziers (North Wales) Ltd

| 18.09.17

Manufactuers of Kite Marked Insulating Glass Units and Toughened Safety Glass. We also manufacture to your requirements, balustrade glass, painted glass splashbacks, mirrors etc.,

We offer a glazing repair service, with 24hr cover for domestic and trade customers.

Energy Saving Insulating Glass Units
Tuff Cymru Toughened Safety Glass
Painted Glass Splashbacks
Balustrade glass & fittings
Glazing Repair Service

Kommerling providing more than just hotmelts and liquid composites to Tuffx.

Members News | 04.07.17

Tuffx, one of the country’s leading manufacturers of specialist glass for both the residential and commercial markets, has forged a long-term partnership with Kommerling UK. The latter is providing Tuffx with a range of hotmelts and specialist resins that are being incorporated into several of the company’s market leading products including glass for balustrades, canopies and stair treads.
Paul Higgins, Purchasing Manager at Tuffx, explained more; “Opportunities for laminated products in which the glass has one or more inherent properties eg photovoltaic capabilities or UV protection, are only going to increase as we see glass used in ever more creative ways, in both the commercial and high end residential markets. It became clear that Kommerling could offer us far more than just a high-performance product. From our first meeting the support from both the team here in the UK, backed up by extensive technical and development expertise in Germany has been first class.” He continued; We very much view this as a collaboration where our knowledge of glass manufacturing combined with Kommerling’s unrivalled expertise in the development and production of resins will lead to some exciting new products in the not too distant future.”

Kommerling supplies both its Koedigaurd UV-HS R liquid composite for Tuffx’s structural applications and Kodimelt, a hotmelt, for its IG glass range. Chris Davis, Composites Manager for Kommerling UK, said;” We are delighted to be working with Tuffx, and that they have recognised the true value of our technical and product support. We look forward to fruitful joint technical collaboration on various projects in the coming months that will deliver new products that we believe will extend how and where glass is used and which will excite the architectural community.”

The product that Tuffx has introduced on its production line is Koedigaurd UV-HS R liquid composite. With exceptional performance in terms of the strength of the finished bond, combined with quicker processing times and the ability to apply it to bespoke pieces of glass without having to subject them to a lengthy application and curing process, the product is delivering very real benefits in terms of production times. This in turn means that not only are customer lead times reduced but so are direct production costs.

Background
Tuffx Processed Glass Ltd, has nearly twenty years’ experience in specialist, toughened safety glass manufacturing. Tuffx is established as one of the UK’s most progressive, customer-oriented companies. The company is based in Knowsley, Merseyside where it employs xx people. For more information on Tuffx products visit
https://www.tuffxglass.co.uk

Koemmerling Chemische Fabrik GmbH is a leading international manufacturer of high-quality adhesives and sealants. Its European headquarters and extensive research and development facilities are in Pirmasens, Germany and it has a network of subsidiaries, sales offices and sales partners, in more than 80 different countries. With over 110 years’ experience, the company has established itself as an innovative market leader in provision of Polysulfide, Polyurethane, Silicone and Polyisobutylene sealants for the automotive, insulating glass and photovoltaic industries. In April 2015, Royal Holdings, Inc. through its Kommerling UK Limited subsidiary, acquired CIL.

Koemmerling Chemische Fabrik has been awarded ISO 9001, ISO 14001 ISO 50001 and OHSAS 18001 certification.

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