Do you provide installation and/or delivery?
Yes, we provide both installation via our residential and commercial installers and delivery on our route trucks throughout the 13 county metro areas. In addition, product can be shipped anywhere in the United States.back to top
Do you sell auto glass?
No, we do not sell auto glass.back to top
Do you have a showroom?
Yes, by appointment only. Please call to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced and knowledgeable customer service representatives. See hours and directionsback to top
Do you provide free estimates?
Yes, we provide free-estimates for a variety of products and services. Please contact us for further information.back to top
Are you open to the public?
Yes, we provide products and services to both business and retail customers.back to top
What are your hours?
| Monday – Thursday | 7:30-4:30 |
| Friday | 7:30-4:00 |
| Saturday and Sunday | Closed |
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What products do you offer?
We offer fabricated flat glass, mirrors and shower doors – both framed and frameless, commercial storefront, insulating glass, tempered, wire and laminated glass. A variety of pattern and coated glass, table tops, shelving, cabinet glass inserts and stair rail glass.back to top
What services do you offer?
Installation, free estimates, on-site measurement, walk-throughs and delivery.back to top
When was glass first produced?
Glass production, historically, is said to have existed in ancient Egypt around 8000 BC.back to top
What is plate glass?
Flat glass that is made by casting or rolling of molten glass which produces a smooth, transparent sheet.Today, about 90% of the world’s flat glass is currently formed via the float method—which produces glass with extremely flat, parallel surfaces.
Float glass is formed from silica sand, soda, and lime and is continuously fed into a furnace, where it melts at a temperature of approximately 2800° F.
From the furnace, the molten glass mixture moves through a canal and
onto a pool of liquid tin. Because tin has a higher specific gravity than
glass, the molten glass “floats” on top of the tin and forms a perfectly
flat layer. The speed at which the glass ribbon moves will determine the
ultimate thickness of the cooled glass. It must be cooled to approximately
1100° F as it progresses through the tin bath, finally reaching a
solid state where it is possible to lift it out with rollers. The float
glass is cooled slowly or “annealed” in order to remove any residual stresses.
After annealing, the solidified ribbon of float glass is cool enough for
further processing—and is cut into pieces.
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What is safety glass?
Safety Glass is a generic term for the following products:Heat-Treated Glass
In order to provide greater resistance to thermal and mechanical stresses and achieve specific break patterns for safety glazing applications, annealed float glass products may be subjected to a heat-treating process. The most commonly used process for heat-treating architectural products calls for glass to be cut to the desired size, transported through a furnace and uniformly heated to approximately 1150° F (621° C). Upon exiting the furnace, the glass is rapidly cooled (quenched) by blowing air uniformly onto both surfaces simultaneously. The cooling process locks the surfaces of the glass in a state of high compression and the central core in compensating tension. Heat-treated glass has two compression layers or zones, one starting at each surface, plus an interior tension zone centered in the middle of the glass. Each of the two compression zones is approximately 20% of the glass thickness. The middle 60% of the glass thickness is the tension zone.
The color, clarity, chemical composition and light transmission characteristics of glass remain unchanged after heat-treating. Likewise, hardness, specific gravity, expansion coefficient, softening point, thermal conductivity, solar transmittance and stiffness remain unchanged. The only physical properties that change are improved flexural and tensile strength and improved resistance to thermal stresses and thermal shock. Under uniform loading, heat-treated glass is stronger than annealed glass of the same size and thickness. Heat-treating glass does not reduce the deflection of the product for any given load.
Heat-Treated Glass is separated into two products, heat-strengthened glass and fully tempered glass, by definition of the degree of residual surface compression or edge compression. Most furnaces can produce both. A furnace and its quench must be adjusted by its operator for one or the other of a product “run.” The adjustments may include changes in furnace temperature, exit temperature of the glass, residual time in the furnace, and volume and pressure of the quench air.
Heat-Strengthened Glass
Heat-strengthened glass is produced with surface and edge compression levels less than fully tempered glass, as specified by ASTM C 1048. The lower compression levels yield a product that is generally twice as strong as annealed glass of the same thickness, size and type. The size and shape of the break pattern of heat-strengthened glass varies with the level of surface and edge compression achieved in the heat-treating process. Heat-strengthened glass with low compression levels will tend to fracture into large fragments, similar to annealed glass breakage. As the compression levels increase, the size of the particles of broken glass tend to become smaller.
ASTM C 1048 requires that heat-strengthened glass have a surface compression level between 3,500 pounds per square inch (psi) to 7,500 psi. The break pattern of heat-strengthened glass is relatively large. The glass pieces typically remain engaged in the glazing pocket, decreasing the probability of fall out. Broken glass should be removed and the opening boarded up or reglazed as soon as possible.
Heat-strengthened glass does not meet the safety glazing requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z97.1 American National Standard for Safety Glazing Materials Used in Buildings - Safety Performance Specifications Method of Test or the federal safety standard Consumer Products Safety Commission 16 CFR 1201 Safety Standard for Architectural Glazing Materials.
Fully Tempered Glass
Fully tempered glass is required in ASTM C 1048 to have either a minimum surface compression of 10,000 psi (69 MPa or an edge compression of not less than 9,700 psi (67 MPa) or meet ANSI Z 97.1 or CPSC 16 CFR 1201. The higher compression levels yield a product that is generally four times stronger than annealed glass and twice as strong as heat-strengthened glass of the same thickness, size and type.
When broken by impact, fully tempered glass immediately disintegrates into relatively small pieces thereby greatly reducing the likelihood of serious cutting or piercing injuries in comparison with ordinary annealed glass. To qualify as a safety glazing material as defined by ANSI Z97.1 and CPSC 16 CFR 1201, the ten largest particles taken from a broken fully tempered lite of glass shall weigh no more than the equivalent weight of 10 square inches (64 sq. cm) of the original specimen when tested according to the standards. Fully tempered glass that meets ASTM C 1048 does not automatically qualify as a safety glazing material.
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is traditionally defined as:
- Two or more lites of glass and one or more interlayers of plasticized polyvinyl butyral (PVB) permanently bonded together under heat and pressure.
- Two or more lites of glass and polycarbonate with an aliphatic urethane interlayer between glass and polycarbonate permanently bonded together under heat and pressure.
- Two or more lites of glass bonded with one or more interlayers of a liquid resin cured and permanently bonded together by exposure to ultraviolet light, heat, or chemicals.
- Two or more lites of glass with an ionoplast rigid sheet interlayer (similar to a PVB yet more rigid) permanently bonded together under heat and pressure.
- Two or more lites (or sheets) of polycarbonate (or acrylic) with an aliphatic urethane interlayer between polycarbonate or acrylic bonded together under heat and pressure.
- Two or more lites and polyester (PET) film with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer between glass and PET permanently bonded together under heat and pressure.
Annealed, heat-treated, chemically strengthened, wired, tinted, patterned and coated glass, as well as one- and two-way mirrors, can be incorporated into the laminated unit.
This union of materials provides a variety of performance benefits in architectural, security and other specialty applications. Its most important characteristic is the ability of the interlayer to support and hold the glass when broken and/or plastic sheet when cracked. This provides for increased protection against fall-out and penetration of the opening. Most building codes require the use of laminated glass for overhead glazing as monolithic lites, or as the lower lite in multiple glazed units. Other applications include safety, security, detention, seismic-resistant, blast-resistant, bullet-resistant, burglary-resistant, hurricane/cyclic wind-resistant and sound reduction applications. Laminated glazing materials are also used in specialty applications such as aquariums, animal enclosures, glass stairs, floors and sports stadiums.
Laminated glass with PVB interlayers are generally 75% to 100% as strong as annealed glass of the same thickness depending on exposed temperatures, aspect ratio, plate size, stiffness and load duration. Laminated glass, however, can be made with heat-strengthened, fully tempered or chemically strengthened glass for additional benefits, such as increased wind-load resistance, impact resistance, or resistance to thermal stress. The ability of the interlayer to resist various kinds of penetration may also be dependent upon thickness, temperature and other variables. Check with the fabricator for any additional limitations, such as roll distortion, that may result from this additional processing of laminated glass. There are several grades of PVB having different physical properties. Care should be taken to specify the correct grade for a given application. Consult the interlayer manufacturer / glass fabricator for full details. Typical applications for laminated glass with PVB interlayers and cured resins include locations where safety glazing is required, such as doors and skylights, shower and bath doors and enclosures. Other locations where safety glazing may be specified include operable windows and fixed glazed panels, balconies, railing systems, elevators, sports stadiums, atriums, greenhouses, skylights and sloped glazing. Laminated glass resists glass fall-out from windblown debris in hurricane / cyclic-windstorm prone areas and provides various levels of security protection in seismic, blast-resistant, bullet-resistant and burglary-resistant applications.
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How should my glass and mirror products be cleaned?
Glass CleaningThe Glass Association of North America (GANA) has published the following Glass Informational Bulletin on the cleaning architectural glass products:
Glass Informational Bulletin GANA 01-0300
Proper Procedures for Cleaning Architectural Glass Products
Architectural glass products play a major role in the comfort of the living and working environment of today's homes and commercial office spaces. By providing natural daylight, views of the surroundings, thermal comfort and design aesthetics, glass usage and condition often affect our selection of where we live, work, shop, play and seek education.
Architectural glass products must be properly cleaned during construction activities and as a part of routine maintenance in order to maintain visual and aesthetic clarity. Since glass products can be permanently damaged if improperly cleaned, glass producers and fabricators recommend strict compliance with the following procedures for properly cleaning glass surfaces.
As dirt and residue appear interior and exterior glass surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned. Concrete or mortar slurry that runs down (or is splashed on) glass can be especially damaging and should be washed off as soon as possible. Before proceeding with cleaning determine whether the glass is clear, tinted or reflective. Surface damage is more noticeable on reflective glass as compared with other glass products. If the reflective surface is exposed either on the exterior or interior special care must be taken when cleaning, as scratches to the reflective glass surface can result in coating removal and a visible change in light transmittance. Cleaning tinted and reflective glass surfaces in direct sunlight should be avoided since the surface temperature can be excessively hot for optimum cleaning. Cleaning should begin at the top of the building and continue to the lower levels to reduce the risk of leaving residue and cleaning solutions on glass at the lower levels. Cleaning procedures should also ensure that the wind is not blowing the cleaning solution and residue onto already cleaned glass.
Cleaning during construction activities should begin with soaking the glass surfaces with clean water and soap solution to loosen dirt or debris. Using a mild non-abrasive commercial window washing solution, uniformly apply the solution to the glass surfaces with a brush, strip washer or other non-abrasive applicator. Immediately following the application of the cleaning solution a squeegee should be used to remove all of the cleaning solution from the glass surface. Care should be taken to ensure that no metal parts of the cleaning equipment touch the glass surface and that no abrasive particles are trapped between the glass and the cleaning materials. All water and cleaning solution residue should be dried from window gaskets, sealants and frames to avoid the potential for deterioration of these materials as the result of the cleaning process.
It is strongly recommended that window washers clean a small area or one window then stop and examine the surface for any damage to the glass and/or reflective coating. The ability to detect certain surface damage, i.e. light scratches can vary greatly with the lighting conditions. Direct sunlight is needed to properly evaluate a glass surface for damage. Scratches that are not easily seen with a dark or gray sky may be very noticeable when the sun is at a certain angle in the sky or when the sun is low in the sky.
The glass industry takes extreme care to avoid glass scratches by protecting all glass surfaces during glass manufacturing and fabrication as well as during all shipping and handling required to deliver the glass to the end user. A large percentage of damaged glass results from non-glass trades working near glass. This includes painters, spacklers, ironworkers, landscapers, carpenters and others who are part of the construction process. They may inadvertently lean tools against the glass, splash materials onto the glass and/or clean the glass incorrectly, any of which can permanently damage glass.
One of the common mistakes made by non-glass trades people including glass cleaning contractors is their use of razor blades or other scrappers on a large portion of the glass surface. Using two, three, four, or five inch and larger blades to scrape a window clean carries a large probability of causing irreparable damage to glass.
The entire industry of glass manufacturers, fabricators, distributors, and installers neither condones nor recommends widespread scraping of glass surfaces with metal blades or knifes. Such scraping will often permanently damage or scratch the glass surfaces. When paint or other construction materials cannot be removed with normal cleaning procedures a new one-inch razor blade may need to be used only on non-coated glass surfaces. The razor blade should be used on small spots only. Scraping should be done in one direction only. Never scrape in a back and forth motion as this could trap particles under the blade that could scratch the glass. This practice can cause hairline concentrated scratches that are not normally visible when looking through the glass but are be visible under certain lighting conditions.
Jobsite storage and construction conditions can lead to stains on the glass surface. Cleaning and removal of such stains may require the use of a more aggressive cleaning solution and procedure. If conditions are found that cannot be cleaned using the above procedures contact the glass supplier for guidelines on stain removal.
Members of the Glass Association of North America (GANA) publish information relating to jobsite protection and cleaning of architectural glass products. In order to ensure long-term performance of the glass in a building GANA encourages glazing contractors, general contractors, building management and owners to be aware of conditions that can damage glass and to follow the handling and cleaning guidelines provided by the glass producer and fabricator.
Consult the GANA web site at www.glasswebsite.com for additional information on glass and glazing applications and links to members providing additional technical resources.
The Glass Association of North America (GANA) has produced this Glass Information Bulletin solely to provide general information on basic proper procedures for cleaning architectural glass products. The Bulletin does not purport to state that any one particular type of glass cleaning process or procedure should be used in all applications or even in any specific application. The user of this Bulletin has the responsibility to ensure the cleaning instructions from the glass supplier are followed. GANA disclaims any responsibility for any specific results relating to the use of this Bulletin, for any errors or omissions contained in the Bulletin, and for any liability for loss or damage of any kind arising out of the use of this Bulletin.
Quick-Reference Guide to Cleaning Architectural Glass Products
The following Do's and Do Not's are offered as a supplement to the Glass
Association of North America (GANA) Glass Informational Bulletin - Proper
Procedures for Cleaning Architectural Glass Products:
The following are things to DO:
• DO clean glass when dirt and residue appear
• DO determine if coated glass surfaces are exposed
• DO exercise special care when cleaning coated glass surfaces
• DO avoid cleaning tinted and coated glass surfaces in direct sunlight
• DO start cleaning at the top of the building and continue to lower
levels
• DO soak the glass surface with a clean water and soap solution
to loosen dirt and debris
• DO use a mild, non-abrasive commercial window cleaning solution
• DO use a squeegee to remove all of the cleaning solution
• DO dry all cleaning solution from window gaskets, sealants and
frames
• DO clean one small window and check to see if procedures have caused
any damage
• DO be aware of and follow the glass supplier's specific cleaning
recommendations
• DO caution other trades against allowing other materials to contact
the glass
• DO watch for and prevent conditions that can damage the glass
• DO read the entire GANA bulletin on glass cleaning before starting
to clean glass
The following are things to NOT do:
• DO NOT start cleaning without reading the entire GANA bulletin
on glass cleaning
• DO NOT use scrapers of any size or type for cleaning glass
• DO NOT allow dirt and residue to remain on glass for an extended
period of time
• DO NOT begin cleaning glass without knowing if a coated surface
is exposed
• DO NOT clean tinted or coated glass in direct sunlight
• DO NOT allow water or cleaning residue to remain on the glass or
adjacent materials
• DO NOT begin cleaning without rinsing excessive dirt and debris
• DO NOT use abrasive cleaning solutions or materials
• DO NOT allow metal parts of cleaning equipment to contact the glass
• DO NOT trap abrasive particles between the cleaning materials and
the glass surface
• DO NOT allow other trades to lean tools or materials against the
glass surface
• DO NOT allow splashed materials to dry on the glass surface
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Do you offer a warranty on your products?
See our Warranty (PDF)back to top