Clearview Aluminium Windows and Doors sources its premium glass from Pilkington, focusing on its Smart Glass Solutions range.
Many people are not aware of the vast array of glass options available today.
Some of the questions that should be answered prior to glass being selected for your dream renovation or building project include:
- -Do I want clear, tinted or obscure glass?
- -Do I want to keep the heat out?
- -Do I want to keep the heat in?
- -Do I want to reduce glare?
- -Do I want to protect furniture from fading?
- -Do I want to reduce UV penetration?
- -Do I want to enhance privacy?
The answers to these questions can determine the best glass for your home, saving you money, reducing your heating bill, protecting your family from UV and maintaining your privacy.
All glass products manufactured at Clearview Aluminium Windows and Doors meet the Australian Standard AS1288.
Clearview specialises in a range of glasses including the following products:
Float Glass
Clearview offers its customers clear and tinted glass (or standard glass) from Pilkington’s extensive range.
It is manufactured by melting sand, soda ash, dolomite and limestone together, which produces a continuous
three-metre wide glass ribbon. This flows from the furnace and floats the glass over a bed of molten tin. It is
carefully cooled to anneal the glass – a process which modifies the internal stresses enabling it to be cut and
maximises its potential mechanical resistance.
This glass is renowned for flatness and optical clarity.
Comfort Plus (Laminated)
Labelled as the smart glass for winter and summer, Comfort Plus is a single sheet of 6.38mm laminated glass that combines
the benefits required for all seasons. In winter this glass retains more than one third more heat than standard glass. In
summer, Comfort Plus halves the sun’s direct heat entering through windows and also retains cool air-conditioned air.
When laminated for extra safety or security, Comfort Plus can reduce ultraviolet (UV) radiation by up to 99 per cent. This
can greatly reduce the fading of furniture – by up to 8.5 times.
Noise volumes can be reduced by up to 13 per cent and traffic noise by up to 24 per cent by utilising Comfort Plus glass
in your home. Sun glare can be reduced by using Comfort Plus grey tint.
Comfort Plus is safer to have around the house, and is a Grade A safety glass meeting the Australian standard AS2208.
Laminated safety glass
Laminated safety glass comprises two or more layers or glass permanently bonded together by heat and pressure with an interlayer or resin. If broken, the interlayer is designed to hold the glass together.
Virtually all glass types can be laminated and the thickness and type or interlayer can be varied to provide a range of resistance levels.
The mechanical strength of laminated glass is measured in terms of its ability to resist penetration and is directly related to the thickness of the sheets, the thickness of the PVB interlayer and the number of laminations.
Laminated glass will resist the most severed climatic conditions if it is correctly glazed, including sunlight, water, heat and windloading. It is also an effective barrier to sound because it dampens the effect of nearly all noises and has fire safety properties as it does not disintegrate on exposure to severe heat or flames.
Toughened Glass
Toughened glass is up to five times stronger than standard glass and will fragment into smaller pieces if broken, minimising possible injuries. Float or textured glass is placed in a roller hearth toughening furnace and is then rapidly cooled, resulting in the glass retaining high compressive stresses.
To meet the Australian Standard, Clearview installs toughened glass as a minium safety requirement in all doors it manufactures.
Double Glazing
A unit made of two panels of glass separated by a sealed air space comprises double glazing, creating a highly effective insulation barrier that can stop cold and heat entering or leaving your home. Double glazing is ideal for the Tasmanian climate, reducing your heating bill by keeping the heat in and the cold out. Double glazed units are up to 47 per cent more effective at keeping the cold out and the warmth in than standard glass. Many choose double glazing because of the reduction in surface condensation and the choice of spending more on glazing rather than drapes or blinds. A range of air spaces are available in double glazed units.
Obscure glass
Many renovators and builders are opting for obscure glass to ensure streams of light into their rooms while preserving privacy. Obscure glass is very popular for bathroom windows, sidelights beside entry doors, balustrading, showerscreens, glass-topped furniture, wall panels and many other applications. The most popular styles of obscure glass are Cathedral and Spotswood, which are available in clear or with a grey tint.
Other Clearview products
All showerscreens, balustrading and other products manufactured at Clearview Aluminium Windows and Doors utilise safety glass – either toughened or laminated.
Glass Cleaning
- -Only use recommended solutions and detergents, the milder the better
- -Avoid abrasive or powder-based cleaners
- -Ensure pads and cleaning materials are free from grit and grime
- -Beware of scrapers or blades that drag sharp particles across glass
- -Beware of tapes, adhesives or torn protective film
- -Be aware of the special cleaning requirements of Comfort Plus glass