Reinforced glass is glass, armoured by wire grid. Grid is welded from steel wire, which can be covered by protective aluminum coating – such grids are used for top quality glass. Side of the grid cell is usually 12,5 or 25 mm. The grid should be located throughout the sheet area at a distance of not less than 1,5 mm from the surface of the glass. The result is a translucent material with enhanced safety and fire resistance. Reinforcement does not increase the strength of the glass, and even reduces it by about 1,5 times; it also will not save from thieves. But the grid disables fragments fly apart and fall out of the frames, if it was struck by a ball or stone, for example. High-quality reinforced glass should break off exactly on the cut line without cracking.
One of the surfaces of reinforced glass may be patterned or grooved. There is also color-reinforced glass – it is made of glass, painted metal oxides. The most common colors – golden yellow, green, mauve and blue.
Work with reinforced glass in the home very difficult (it’s difficult to break off small pieces), but nevertheless, it is possible. Its cut in the usual way, then pieces are separated from each other, and the tips of the wire projecting at the edges «bite» with pliers – the wire is thin and breaks off easily.
