Window glass
The familiar clear glass used in windows and older frames. It lets in plenty of light, but a hard knock breaks it into large, sharp pieces, so a broken window needs particular care.
Materials
Materials: the kinds of glass in your home
All glass looks much the same, but it behaves very differently: one kind breaks into sharp shards, another crumbles into small pieces, and a third holds its fragments on a film. Anyone who lives among windows, mirrors and glass doors should understand that difference. This section offers short, clear descriptions without technical tables.
Before deciding whether a piece of glass is dangerous, find out what kind it is: that decides how it will behave the moment it is struck.
How this section works: we describe the types of glass most often found in a home and explain their properties in general terms, without thicknesses, product names or manufacturing methods. Which glass suits a particular spot, and whether it can be replaced, is for a professional to decide after seeing it in person.
Types of glass
The main kinds of glass you come across at home almost every day.
Toughened glass
Glass given a special heat treatment at the factory, also called tempered glass. If it does break, it crumbles into many small pieces with blunt edges. It is often used in glass doors, shower screens and furniture.
Laminated glass
Glass made in layers with a strong interlayer film between them. When struck it may craze into a web of cracks, but the fragments stay stuck to the film instead of scattering across the room.
Frosted and patterned glass
Glass with a diffusing surface or a textured pattern. It lets light through but blurs the detail, which makes it popular for bathrooms, partitions and door panels. Dust settles in the texture faster, and a soft brush makes cleaning easier.
Mirror
Glass with a reflective coating on the back. The front can be cleaned like ordinary glass, but the edge and backing should be kept away from water and strong cleaners: damp at the edge can cause dark spots.
Glass tiles and blocks
Glass mosaic and thick glass blocks turn up in bathrooms and in partitions meant to let light through. Treat them gently, and if they chip or crack, call a professional rather than trying to glue them yourself.
Catalogue of articles for English-speaking readers
Standalone articles on glass at home will appear in this section. Our editors write them from scratch for the English version of the site rather than translating them from other languages.
- Aion 2 gladiator: What New Players Should Know
A careful introduction to the Aion 2 Gladiator: where it sits among the eight launch classes, its likely frontline role and how to learn it safely.
- GTA 6 Release Date Updates and Official Sources: Editorial Overview
Where the Grand Theft Auto VI release date stands, how its schedule shifted, what counts as an official source and why your notes need dates.
- Diablo IV Endgame: Seasonal Builds, Bosses and Gear Progression
Plan a Diablo IV season, pick a stable build, climb the boss ladder, focus gear upgrades and pace the Paragon grind, with a weekly endgame checklist.
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Champion Points — Ecosystem Overview
An overview of Champion Points in The Elder Scrolls Online: what the system is, who it matters for, how players build it up and which options exist.
- The player’s guide to Escape from Tarkov raid team coordination: Online Service Comparisons
How Escape from Tarkov squads coordinate roles, comms and extraction, and how friends, LFG groups and paid raid carries compare, risks included.
Topics our editors are working on
- Why double glazing mists up between the panes and what it tells you
- Period sash and casement windows: caring for old glass gently
- Bathroom mirrors: steam, damp and dark edges
- Glass doors and shower screens in a home with young children
Editorial rules
- Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
- Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
- We do not take orders and we do not publish advertising for workshops or shops, rankings, prices or reviews.
Related sections
- Ideas
A hallway mirror, a glass partition, a shower screen, shelves and display cabinets: glass as part of the interior.
- How-to
How to clean a window without streaks, how to care for a mirror and what never to do with glass.
- Care
Looking after glass through the seasons, after building work and when moving, plus the safety essentials.
Sources
- General reference material on types of architectural glass
- Editorial material from this guide
Information about glass and mirrors is given in general terms, based on reference material on types of architectural glass and manufacturers' care guidance. Only a professional who sees your glass in person can judge how badly it is damaged and whether it is still safe to use.