Built Stronger From the Start
Not all glass is created equal, and when a project demands more, heat treatment is the answer. At Glasswerks, we thermally process glass through tightly controlled heating and cooling cycles that fundamentally transform its structural properties. The result is glass that withstands greater wind loads, thermal stress, and impact than standard annealed glass, while meeting the safety and building code requirements of today's most demanding commercial and architectural applications. Whether your spec calls for fully tempered or heat-strengthened glass, our fabrication team ensures every lite is processed with accuracy and consistency.
Heat treating is a controlled thermal process in which glass is heated to approximately 1,200°F and then rapidly cooled. This process compresses the outer surfaces while placing the interior in tension, dramatically increasing the glass’s resistance to mechanical and thermal stress. Glasswerks offers multiple levels of heat treatment to suit a wide range of project requirements.
Fully Tempered Glass
- Heated and cooled at a faster rate, producing surface compression of 10,000 PSI or greater
- Approximately four times stronger than standard annealed glass
- When broken, shatters into small, blunt fragments
- Required where safety glazing is specified by code
Heat-Strengthened Glass
- Slower cooling process produces surface compression of 3,500 to 7,500 PSI
- Roughly twice the strength of annealed glass
- Does not meet safety glazing breakage pattern requirements
- Preferred where added thermal and wind-load resistance is needed without tempered fragmentation characteristics
Heat treated glass is used across a broad range of commercial and architectural projects:
- Storefronts, curtainwall, and window systems
- Overhead and sloped glazing
- Doors and entrances
- High-wind and seismic zones
- Spandrel and vision glass in commercial facades
- Skylights and canopies
Tempered and heat-strengthened lites integrate seamlessly with our broader fabrication capabilities, giving architects and glazing contractors a single source for complex assemblies:
- Insulating glass units (IGUs)
- Laminated assemblies
- Silkscreen printing
- Spandrel coatings
- GlassFX specialty finishes
Hear from Our Clients
