Grades Of Glass
Float glass (standard glass)
This is standard clear glass. Most glass types begin as clear float. Most units will have a pane of clear float that has no additional coatings or properties. Usual thickness for glazing is 4mm but 6mm and 10mm are also available.
Low e glass
This is float glass with a coating applied to one side (the coated side goes inside the unit). Low e (low emissivity) is the term used to describe these coatings and they have the effect of reducing the heat transmission through the glass by reflecting it back into the room. To maximise this, benefit all our units including Argon gas. To see more information click here
Hard coat
This coating is applied to the glass as it comes out of the float production line and fuses to the hot glass. The term ‘hard coat’ is used as the coating is durable and in effect hardened onto the glass.
Soft coat
Soft coat is what we Typically use on our low energy units unless instructed otherwise. This coating is applied to cold glass by a ‘magnetron’ coating line. The float glass is passed through this special facility and the coating is applied to the surface. This coating is delicate and damages quite easily whilst on the production line, thus the term ‘soft coat’ is used to describe this type of low e coating. The soft coating must be ground off around approximately 15mm of the perimeter of the surface of the glass to enable the sealant to bond direct to the glass. This is called edge deletion.
Soft coat glass outperforms hard coat glass in thermal insulation terms.
Under certain weather conditions condensation may appear on the external side of the glass (outside of the property) – This is not a fault with the window, It is due to more heat being retained