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Though it has been used in the U.S. automotive industry for nearly a century, laminated glass for non-automotive applications was relatively uncommon until Hurricane Andrew (1992). The aftereffects of that storm made clear the need to do better protecting ourselves from hyper-storms and other natural disasters. Shortly thereafter, research out of Texas Tech University’s National Wind Institute (NWI)—specifically related to debris impact during severe storms—introduced much of the building industry to the benefits of laminated glass.
Since Andrew, the use of laminated glass as a versatile building component—and not just for impact protection—has grown remarkably. Whether in commercial or residential buildings, laminated glass is used for safety, security, UV blocking, sound attenuation, and decorative elements.
A fundamental understanding of the strengths and limitations of laminated glass can be an advantage on a project for any designer or builder. Knowing when, where, and how to apply which of the different glass options is all good information to have at the ready.
What is laminated glass?
Laminated glass consists of two or more lites permanently bonded to a plastic interlayer, resulting in a single glass unit that resists blunt-force penetration and remains largely integral even when broken. Think car windshields, skylights, and impact-resistant windows. Unlike tempered glass, laminated glass can be cut, drilled, polished, or otherwise fabricated following lamination without affecting product performance.
Not all laminated glass interlayers are the same. They vary in stiffness, strength, UV- and sound-resistance properties, and they come in different thicknesses and adhesion ratings. Interlayers are available in multiple colors, with visible light transmission (VT) ranging from completely transparent to opaque, which means they can be used for a variety of privacy and/or aesthetic purposes.
Consider “frosted glass.” Typically, it is either acid-etched or sandblasted, depending…
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7 Comments
Greg,
Another great blog. My only complaint is I'm learning this stuff way too late!
Thanks Malcolm. Never too late to learn!
So what's the insulation value of lami glass, compared to single pane glass. Is it a true energy upgrade for single pane historic frames?
Laminated glass does not improve R value over single pane of the same thickness. This is something that will be addressed more in depth in part 2.
Love to see the analysis extend to comparisons with thin vacuum insulated glass panels, as with NSG Spacia™ (from Japan).
Note in some areas with high fire danger the outer panel has to be tempered, even if the glass is laminated.
“[Deleted]”
did laminated for everything in my house for noise reduction.
10/10 for noise, 0/10 for cost and weight.
a 7mm laminated + 3mm annealed dual pane window weighs about as much as a triple pane window.
should be something to take into consideration for larger doors and windows.
one bedroom has a 48x84 window and i wanted a single operable sash. would've been fine with dual pane options, tempered triple pane, or even laminated + 2x tempered
but, i wanted 2x laminated glass + whatever in the middle and was way too close to the hinge weight limits. so the compromise was to add a 20" transom up top.
downsides to everything 😮💨
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