This is how safe glass sliding doors are

Glass is a fragile material but due to special treatment much more stable than you think at first moment. Specially hardened glass for sliding doors increases the break resistance of the glass pane many times over. Sliding glass doors made of safety glass are in no way inferior to wooden doors in terms of durability.

Single-pane safety glass (TSG)

As the name suggests, toughened safety glass is a pane of glass that has undergone special heat treatment. For this purpose, the glass is strongly heated and then abruptly cooled down again. This causes the areas of the glass near the surface to cool faster than the inner zone of the glass. Due to this special heat treatment, the surface tension of the glass changes. This increases the impact and breakage resistance of the glass pane. This is particularly advantageous for windows and glass sliding doors. Another advantage is that TSG glass is therefore also insensitive to large temperature differences.

Of course, an TSG glass pane can still break. This requires a very strong application of force. In the event of breakage, the TSG glass pane disintegrates into small blunt shards without sharp edges. The risk of injury is thus considerably reduced compared to conventional untreated glass.

Glass is transparent and provides a particularly high level of light penetration. In living areas, glass is used not only for windows but also for sliding doors and shower cabins. Due to the increased resistance to breakage, a glass door is in no way inferior to a wooden door when it comes to durability. Glass is particularly advantageous in damp rooms such as the bathroom. Wood absorbs moisture and can warp or, in the worst case, mold. For glass doors, wetness is none of a problem. It does not warp.

Laminated safety glass (LSG)

Do you need something a bit safer? For example, for areas with high levels of through traffic or heavy loads - such as children playing or similar? Then LSG is the right choice: The abbreviation stands for laminated safety glass and consists of two panes of glass bonded with a tear-resistant foil, for example made of polyvinybutyral. The glass is produced using a so-called roller press. By applying pressure and heat, the glass and the foil are permanently bonded. This process ensures high stability and also provides increased burglary protection. The transparency of the glass is not affected by the foil. This type of glazing is known primarily from the automotive industry, as bulletproof glass is also produced in a similar manufacturing process.

LSG glass does not simply shatter if it is broken. If LSG glass does break, there is some residual strength due to the foil between the two panes of glass. The glass shatters into small round fragments, which are still held together by the integrated foil. This is particularly advantageous for car windshields to minimize the risk of injury in the event of breakage. But this property is also a good investment in stability and safety for sliding glass doors . Another advantage of LSG glass is that the integrated foil also reduces the vibration of the sliding glass door. This means, in simple terms, that sound waves are slowed down and thus provide better sound insulation. Therefore, rain heard under a patio roof made of LSG glass is relatively quiet. The thermal insulation of the sliding door also succeeds with LSG glass.

Glass sliding door: Fittings and mechanics

The glass itself is not the only decisive point for the durability of a sliding door made of glass. The mechanism of the sliding door also plays an important roll. What mechanism was selected and installed? What material is it made of? There are different test methods for durability and safety of sliding glass doors all over the world. In Germany, sliding glass doors are tested according to the European norm DIN EN 1527. The said norm specifies the criteria of building hardware, test methods and classes of different types of sliding doors. Sliding doors belong to class 1 of this DIN norm - regardless of whether they have a hanging or standing construction principle. Poor quality becomes apparent over time as parts wear out and the sliding door closes poorly or noisily. Griffwerk sliding doors meet the highest quality standards, are made of durable material and close quietly and softly.