Toughened glass
Need toughened glass? You won't find quality or choice like this anywhere else.
TG TOUGHENED
BS EN 12600-certified toughened glass, cut to size and custom-made to your specification.
Quality
TG TOUGHENED glass panels are Kitemark-approved and meet relevant British and international standards.
Convenience
Our state-of-the-art facilities mean you can choose from dozens of processes, all performed under one roof.
Peace of mind
Expect professional, reliable service from one of the UK’s most trusted glass suppliers.
What is it?
What is toughened glass?
Toughened glass is a specially treated form of glass that’s stronger and safer than standard glazing. It’s made by heating glass to around 650°C and then cooling it very quickly.
The result? Glass that’s four to five times stronger than standard annealed glass, with better impact and heat resistance. And if it does break, it shatters into small, safe particles rather than sharp shards. That’s why building regulations now require toughened glass in critical locations.
One product, three names. Toughened glass is also known as tempered glass or safety glass – they’re all the same thing. Whatever you call it, we’ve been top of our glass since 1993.
Specifications
Technical specifications
Got a spec to meet? Here’s what TG TOUGHENED delivers, straight from one of the UK’s most advanced glass tempering plants.
Maximum size: 2800 x 6000 mm
Thickness range: 4 mm to 19 mm
Testing: tested to BS EN 12150-1 and BS EN 12600
Certification: Kitemark-approved, with production records maintained for manufactured panels
Strength:
four to five times stronger than annealed glass of the same thickness
Need the paperwork? Head to our
Declaration of Performance documents for certification you can file with your project records.
What we make
Toughened glass cut to size
Made to measure, processed under one roof.
Every panel is cut, shaped and finished before tempering – then toughened as the final stage. That’s how custom-cut toughened glass works, and it’s why getting the specification right first time matters.
Tell us the size, thickness and finish you need. We’ll handle the rest in-house: cutting, CNC profiling, polishing, drilling and notching, all under one roof.
Toughened laminated glass
ideal where shatter resistance is a priority. Any size, any thickness, plus a range of attractive decorative interlayers.
Toughened fire-resistant glass:
our own toughened, fire-resistant glass, meeting E30 regulations and tested in accordance with BS EN 1364-1.
Digitally printed toughened glass:
eye-catching, customised glass features with maximum durability thanks to heat-set ceramic inks.
Heat soak testing:
peace of mind is priceless. We recommend all toughened glass is heat soak tested to reduce the risk of spontaneous breakage.
Working out handling and delivery?
Check your panel weight in seconds.
Where it is used
Where toughened glass is used
TG TOUGHENED is trusted by a swathe of industry professionals, from architects to aquarium manufacturers. Whatever the project, you can rely on a high-quality product that meets your exact specification.
Windows and glazing units: we supply leading window manufacturers with made-to-measure tempered glass for double-glazing units.
Splashbacks and worktops: high-quality glass splashbacks that can be coloured, cut and curved to your requirements.
Balustrades and staircases: toughened panels for balustrades and stairs, cut to your specification and compliant with safety regulations
Architectural safety glass: simplify your supply chain with structural and decorative glass products, all fabricated under one roof.
Not sure if your location needs safety glass?
Check the regulations in under a minute.
Why ToughGlaze
Why ToughGlaze?
4,500 to 5,000 m² of toughened glass, every day. Our 197,000-square-foot factory is one of the largest of its kind in the UK – which means capacity for your deadline, whatever the size of the job..
At ToughGlaze, we’re not just a toughened glass supplier – toughened glass is our core product, and we know it better than almost anyone else on Earth.
We source
BS EN 572-certified glass from just three trusted suppliers – Pilkington, Guardian and AGC – and process everything in-house. The result is unbeatable flexibility: a huge range of toughened glass products, delivered right on spec and right on time.
How it is made
Our industrial glass tempering process
How we transform annealed glass into super-strong hardened glass.
Cutting-edge technology is nothing without a keen eye for quality. Our glass toughening process is carefully monitored and controlled to guarantee quality and consistency – and it doesn’t affect the colour, clarity or light transmission of the glass.
- Annealed glass sheets enter our factory for processing.
- The glass is cut to size and processed according to your requirements.
- The sheets pass through our oscillating furnace and are heated to around 650°C.
- They transfer to our quenching chamber for rapid cooling.
- The hardened glass is now four to five times stronger than annealed glass and more stable against thermal fracture.
- The glass is thoroughly tested to ensure it meets BS EN 12600 requirements.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
What is toughened glass?
Toughened glass is a specially treated form of glass that’s stronger and safer than standard glazing. It’s made by heating glass to around 650°C and cooling it very quickly. Toughened glass panels have better impact and heat resistance than annealed glass, and if they break, they shatter into small, safe particles rather than sharp shards. Toughened glass is sometimes known as tempered glass or safety glass.
How strong is toughened glass?
Our thermally tempered glass is four to five times stronger than standard annealed glass.
Can toughened glass be cut to size?
Yes – but only before tempering. All our custom-cut toughened glass is shaped first, then toughened as the final stage of manufacturing. Tell us your exact dimensions and we’ll cut, finish and then temper your glass to specification.
Can you cut tempered glass after toughening?
No. Once glass has been thermally tempered it has changed on a molecular level and will shatter if you attempt to cut it. That’s why cutting always happens before tempering.
How thick is toughened glass?
We supply toughened glass panels from 4 mm to 19 mm thick, up to a maximum size of 2800 x 6000 mm.
When is safety glass required in windows?
Toughened glazing is a regulatory requirement for all "critical locations" – windows, doors and side panels within a certain distance of the ground. For the detail, see our guide to toughened glass regulations.
Does tempered glass shatter?
Tempered glass may shatter spontaneously after installation, most often due to rare impurities in the glass. These are not considered a defect and are very uncommon. We recommend all toughened glass panels are heat soak tested to reduce the risk of spontaneous breakage.
Documentation
Documentation for specifiers. Download Declarations of Performance and certification for our toughened glass range.
Sales and support
Got a big project and a tight deadline? Our glass experts are here to help you deliver. Request a quick, no-obligation quote and get your toughened glass cut to size, made to measure and delivered right on spec, right on time.
