Frequently Asked Questions

Safety glass is a general term used for glass that is strengthened or reinforced to cause less breakage and/or splintering, thus less likely to cause injury to people if broken than Annealed (regular glass). Safety glass is used in hazardous locations as defined by the Ohio Building Code.  There are 3 types of safety glass - tempered glass, laminated glass, and acrylic (plastic).

The building code can be long and complex, however safety glass is required to be used in doors people walk in and out of (including interiors doors), any glass window that is within 2 feet from a door, or any glass window that is lower than 18" from the floor.  This is the basics, however there are exceptions to some of the rules.  Please consult our team of glass & mirror professionals at our glass company to make sure the glass you order complies with the Ohio Building Code.

Tempered Safety Glass should always be used in glass patio furniture and glass fireplace doors, and glass shower enclosures.

Tempered glass has been treated with heat to make it withstand greater forces than regular glass and when broken breaks into thousands of pea sized pieces.  These pea sized pieces can still cause injury, they are just safer than shards of glass.  Tempered glass is used in the side windows of automobiles and patio furniture glass tops.  Tempered glass is qualified for use in NON-fire-rated hazardous locations in door glass and window glass next to doors or near the ground.

Laminated glass is two or more sheets of glass that are sealed together with a clear plastic inner layer.  When broken, laminated glass usually breaks in a spider web like pattern and stays stuck to the inner layer of plastic.  You can break through laminated glass, it is just harder to get through once broken.  Pieces of glass in laminated glass products will still splinter out and could cause injury.  Laminated glass is used in the windshields of automobiles and is qualified for use in NON-fire-rated hazardous locations in door glass and window glass next to doors or near the ground.

Plate glass is glass that is produced by grinding and polishing to make a flat glass surface, offering great visual clarity.  Plate glass is often referred to as regular glass and breaks into shards.  Most flat glass we manufacture and see today is produced via the float process and called Annealed glass.

Float glass is made by a process in which molten glass is fed into a float bath of molten tin.  Most glass made today is Float glass.  Annealed glass is standard Float glass and breaks into shards.

Annealed glass is made by the float process of heating then slowly cooling the glass to make it stronger (NOT to be confused with Tempered glass).  Annealed glass is most commonly referred to as regular glass and it is the type of regular glass we use at Active Glass & Mirror, Inc.

 Acrylic is plastic. Plexiglas is brand name, but most are looking for acrylic when requesting 'plexiglass.' 

 Polycarbonate is a softer, more impact resistant acrylic, however much easier to scratch.  Lexan is a brand name and not always polycarbonate. 

 Insulated glass is two or three panes of glass separated by a spacer and sealed to trap air in between the glass panes for better insulation.  Sometimes referred as thermal glass. 

Insulated Glass Unit

Insulated glass windows are either double pane or triple pane.  If your broken window glass is only broken on one side and not the other, then it is most likely insulated glass.  If it is broken all the way through, look to see if there is a gap in between the two or three panes of glass.   If there is a gap, then your window glass is most likely insulated glass.  If not, it is most likely single pane window glass.  Some may confuse double pane insulated glass with single paned window glass that has a storm window over it, or a single paned window with a fixed part and a sliding part.  If both panes move together when you slide them, you most likely have an insulated glass window. If your window glass is collecting moisture and/or has discoloration that you can't clean off, it is most likely an insulated glass window.

Low E glass (low emissivity glass) is a coated glass product that reflects heat and is commonly used in residential and commercial applications. 

Argon gas is an inert, nontoxic gas that is pumped inside insulated glass units to help reduce heat transfer.

  A Glazier is a professional who installs glass into the frames of windows and doors.

Radius corners in another way of saying "rounded corners." The radius is the measurement from the edge of a perfect circle to the center. 

A diameter is the measurement straight across the widest point of a perfect circle.

It is possible to cut down your glass or mirror piece and drill holes and make cutouts in it, however it is at your risk.  We cannot be responsible for any damage to your glass or mirror piece during cutting or at any time while in our possession.  Tempered glass has been treated with high levels of heat to make it stronger after being cut and fabricated.  Due to the tempered process, it is not possible to cut after being tempered.  There are only two ways to tell for sure - sometimes tempered glass has a tempered logo in one of the corners or just try to score and cut it.  If it won't break or if it breaks into thousands of tiny pea sized pieces, it is tempered glass.  There is a trick that can be done with a lighter, but it is not reliable.  Glass patio furniture tops and glass shower doors are almost always tempered glass.

Yes we supply shelf brackets for your custom glass shelving, glass bathroom shelves and floating glass shelves.  Visit www.crlaurence.com and call us with your selection and if your selection

Custom glass and mirror is not packaged unless requested by the customer. However, we can only package small pieces.  Small cushioned pads are placed strategically in between each piece of custom glass or mirror.  We encourages you to look over your custom glass or custom mirror product for defects upon pick-up.  If your custom glass or custom mirror is smaller than 34" x 34" we can wrap it in craft paper, otherwise we might have some cardboard left over from crates of glass we receive periodically.  We encourage you to bring a moving blanket or other suitable material to wrap or lay your glass or mirror on during transport to your home or business.  Also, please be sure to measure the space in your vehicle in which you plan to place your glass or mirror, along with the opening it will need to pass through to get there, so that you're sure it will fit.

"Glass and Glazing" means that Active Glass & Mirror, Inc. supplied you with your window glass or custom mirror and installed it for you at your home or business.  This does not include any parts to your glass window including, but not limited to: plastic, metal, or wood stops, locks, framing, etc.