Many items in your home rely on glass for looks, safety and protection from the elements. The glass in windows, doors, coffee tables, shelves, shower doors, fireplaces and more serve to beautify and protect your home, yet we often don t think about its importance until it breaks or needs replacing. When this happens, it can be helpful to have a basic understanding of standard glass size installations and custom glass cutting techniques.
Glass in most doors, windows, mirrors and other pieces use glass that comes in a range of standard sizes. Since standard size pieces are mass produced, they are considerably less expensive to use. Designers and contractors can easily select the right standard size for most projects and replacements. Standard windows, for example, will fit tightly into a standard opening with a little maneuvering. This results in a clean installation that looks good, is airtight and water tight.
However, there are probably several glass items in your home that don t use standard size glass. In these cases, more care must be taken to ensure that the custom glass is sized and installed correctly. Some items that might need custom glass are large picture windows, mirrors, and custom shower doors.
Glass companies are able to cut a piece of glass to suit your precise needs. It is essential that your custom glass is cut properly so that it fits well for air tightness, to prevent moisture infiltration, and for aesthetics. Options for custom glass cutting include hand cutting and using specialized machinery for cutting glass.
Custom glass can sometimes be hand cut. This involves using a straight edge, a glasscutter and a pair of pliers. The straight edge is used to guide the glasscutter to make a deep score in the glass. After scoring the glass, it is a good idea to use a glass tapper to begin to weaken the scored line.
For smaller glass pieces, pliers can be used to break off the extra glass. With larger pieces, laying the scored line along the edge of a table and giving a firm push down to crack the glass along the score is an effective method. This technique works well for glass up to one quarter inch thick. Some people feel comfortable cutting their own glass, while others prefer to leave it to a glass company.
For more involved projects, like custom shower doors, a water jet is the best way to cut glass. Water jet machinery is quite versatile. It is able to cut many kinds of glass, ranging from small, delicate pieces to thick, bullet resistant glass. A fine but powerful cutting stream of about 1mm in thickness can quickly cut custom pieces, holes and intricate shapes.
Laser cutting is a newer method now being employed at some glass companies. This is a more involved and expensive process, but has exciting possibilities. A professional glass company can offer you different services for glass cutting, as well as advice on the best glass cutting technique for your project.
Author Resource:
http://www.murrayglass.com/ Murray Glass is known throughout Salt Lake City for home and business glass needs. Locally owned, they offer fast, professional window services and a wide selection of custom glass for cabinets and more. Powered by http://seo-search-engine-optimization.netbiz.com/
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