Replies

1. 
   jeffn7 | Jan 08, 2003 06:52pm | #1

   29" square is not that large of an area. Safety glass is overkill, although if you have children it may be worth it for the peace of mind.

   3/16" thick should be just fine for this.

2. 
   forestgirl | Jan 08, 2003 08:41pm | #2

   If you have children, or ever have guests who are children, I would strongly recommend safety glass.  Too easy for an accident to happen and the consequences unpleasant in the very least.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

3. 
   AlanTurner | Jan 08, 2003 11:39pm | #3

   This is a subject that interests me as well.  Safety glass, I believe, is two pieces of glass with plastic between, like a windshield.  How about tempered glass?  I used this in storm doors, and to reglaze bathroom windows when we relocated a shower.  Township sd. I was required to do so.  And in my office desk, built in 1979, I used 3/4" glass, supported by only 4 "dots" of leather; it is 28" by 68".  No problem.

   Any glass epxerts out there to comment on the practical differences?

1. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Jan 09, 2003 12:01am | #4

   The breaking strength of tempered glass is four or five times higher than laminated glass of the same thickness.    The breaking strengths of laminated and ordinary glass are about the same.   Tempered breaks into little pebbles of glass;  you've seen this from side or rear car windows.   The only applications where laminated is used are the spots where those little pebbles can't be tolerated -- for instance car windshields, and skylights over bathing areas.  Everyplace else uses tempered.   Tempering is a routine service in most cities.  At my local glass shop, tempering adds only 10% to the price for glass that is 1/4" or thicker. 

   For most tables, I'd use tempered.   The price increase is small, and the performance improvement is large. 

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 09, 2003 05:59am | #5

   I'll have to clarify my input above -- I was using "safety glass" as a generic term, which it obviously isn't.  Main point is to suggest that regular glass not be used where there might be kids wandering around, or clumsy adults (who me?  Hah!)forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   IanDG | Jan 09, 2003 09:49pm | #6

   Tempered glass does break into small 'gravel' but the problem with using it as a table-top is that it will break when scratched as well as on impact. I knew of one that 'exploded' when someone was careless with a cut-glass vase.Laminated glass would be my choice.IanDG

4. 
   Marcello | Jan 09, 2003 10:30pm | #7

   Weather tempered or laminated, my choice for a display glass top would be 5/16" or 3/8"t, 1/2"t may be overkill.  I have seen lots of adults casually leaning on their elbow on the glass top.  A point load like that on 3/16" anhealed glass is trouble.  I tend to lean towards laminated glass as a better choice; in case it breaks, the object or person would not go through the glass and possibly damage the items under display as well.

   Marcello

1. 
   smitty | Jan 10, 2003 12:25am | #8

   Thanks for the input.  Have gotten lots of good advice and most concur with you.

2. 
   forestgirl | Jan 10, 2003 06:23am | #10

   Our weather in the NW is laminated, S. Calif. is tempered.  Sorry!  I just couldn't resist.   Weather is always, always a joke in Washington State.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   Marcello | Jan 10, 2003 06:11pm | #11

   Ever since I was in the 5th grade, I have gotten the spelling of the two confused.  Figured 50-50, got it wrong this time, haha.   Had the "h" in there first, then took it out.  Should go by first intuition-just like test taking.

   Marcello

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 10, 2003 08:22pm | #12

   You provided me with an opportunity for mirth during some computer troubleshooting -- laughing at one's own jokes, you know...

   Let's see, we need a mnemonic device here (hope that was spelled right!)  "Whether" might be grouped in the same mental file drawer as "why" -- "Whether or not he's knows why he did it, the fact remains he did."

   By process of elimination, that leaves "weather" being spelled the other way.  'Course, around here we spell "weather" R-A-I-N, hah-hah.

   Have a good one.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   Marcello | Jan 10, 2003 08:30pm | #13

   English is such a confusing language...maybe I should have moved to Russia.... nah!

5. 
   fredsmart48 | Jan 10, 2003 01:22am | #9

   I don't know about you but I walk around my house in stocking.  I would hate to have tempered glass bits all over the floor if it was to break and I was with out shoes like I am most times.   I think laminated glass would be safer. 

6. 
   noone51 | Jan 10, 2003 10:11pm | #14

   Smitty, this is an interesting question. I just got off the phone with my glass man (40 years in the trade) and he stated that tempered glass is the way to go for glass table tops. He said to make sure you specify tempered glass and not anealed glass. He said that a lot of people inadvertantely get anealed glass instead of tempered glass. The strike force required to break anealed glass is no where near that of tempered glass.

   Here's a link that explains the reason why you would use tempered glass.

   http://www.alumaxbath.com/tech/tgp.htm

   Safety glass can be classified as two types, laminated and tempered. The laminated form is much more expensive. Laminated safety glass is typically used for automobile windshields, shower doors, side lights etc. Tempered glass is quite common in retail table tops.

7. 
   Viapu | Oct 11, 2021 06:01am | #15

   Nowadays you’d be hard-pressed to find a living room without one. The normal size of your coffee tables have a width of 18 to 24 inches and a length between 36 and 48 inches. This open area allows for you and your guests to move comfortably around the table. One-half-inch-thick glass is the most popular used for coffee table display.