Six tips to protect your glass furniture from breaks and explosions
Before you buy glass for your home, know what you should look for in the store
Everything about glass furniture looks cool. You don’t have to spend a ton of time finding matching curtains and blinds, matching couches, matching bookshelves or even front doormats. They can blend in with all the things. Same goes with the tempered glass shower doors. They work well with all bathroom rugs and towels, clocks, and tiles.
The downside? Homeowners like this one may arrive home one day to find that cool glass furniture “broke in a million pieces.” No one broke into the home. No one broke the glass to escape a room. No one vandalized the home. The glass broke on its own. How? There are a number of reasons that people should be aware of before investing in glass decor, especially if they live in a city or town with constant temperature changes.
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Six tips to care for glass in your home
With these six tips, you may be able to avoid an explosive glass surprise. Take them seriously early and often.
1. Keep hot items off of glass surfaces
From pans to mugs to tea kettles, do not place hot items on top of glass. Always use a towel, coasters or trivets.
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2. Inspect ad details and brand to only choose heat-treated glass
While glass furniture and add-ons come in varying prices, low-price tempered glass may not be heat-treated. What does “heat-treated” glass mean? After the glass is cut to its necessary size and the edges are finished, it’s then heated to approximately 1,100 to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. This is done to soften the internal structure of the glass. The glass is then cooled off with high-pressure air jets, resulting in a hardened surface and inner core. If the glass is not confirmed to have undergone a heat soak testing process, this is a risky purchase.
3. Look for tiny cracks or chips while cleaning smudges and streaks
While you’re wiping away streaks and smudges with glass cleaner, pay attention to anything that looks abnormal: manufacturing defects, tiny cracks, small chips, damage after bumps (for example, if someone fell over the table). While faint discoloration from nickel sulfide inclusions is not obvious to the eye, if there are obvious defects, replacing glass in high-risk or high-traffic areas with laminated or heat-soaked glass eliminates the guessing games.