Laminated Glass Windows - A Glazed Sandwich

Another type of glass lining up amongst the replacement window choices for homeowners are laminated glass windows.

A laminated glass window is made up from a specialty technique known as a laminate. This is where two (or more) panes of glass are bonded together with one (or more) interlayer of tough plastic polymer which is usually PVB (polyvinyl butyral if you are interested).

The structural bonding of these materials is brought about through the applied effects of both heat and pressure. And once the glass is manufactured, all the layers react together as if they were a single piece.

The finished window product of laminate glass is virtually indistinguishable from ordinary glass when installed. This is because the PVB, or sometimes a similar but more rigid material called an ionoplast sheet, is invisible and covered on both sides by the glass. For this same reason laminated glass doesn't feel any different to ordinary glass when it is touched.

Holding Back The Break

The main benefit of a glass laminate is that when it is broken, the glass shards will remain stuck to the plastic interlayer rather than cleanly breaking apart to possibly do a lot more damage. Additional layers of polyester films can also be added to the inside surfaces of both layers of glass (the glass is the `bread' in the sandwich remember) to provide additional support.

There are other benefits of laminate windows to the homeowner as well. These include better protection against UV rays from the sun which fade furnishings and other materials. And laminated windows can also help to lower the levels of noise, especially when the laminated glass is part of a double-pane or triple-pane window unit.

Laminated windows can also use a combination of different glasses, like tinted, tempered, patterned, or virtually any other type of glass.

The disadvantage is that a standard PVB laminate from ordinary glass has less strength - by anything up to a quarter - than a light (pane) of ordinary glass of the same size and thickness.

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Author Notes:

Anthony Lee contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.replacement-windows-n-shutters.com. Find everything you need to know about replacement windows, shutters, tinting, basement, fiberglass windows and more.