Flagship guide · 11 min read
The Complete Guide to Glass Specification
The frame gets most of the attention, but the glass does most of the work. This is our full guide to choosing it properly.
Knowledge Centre
Glass Advice
Glass is the largest part of every window and the part most often left to chance. These guides cover solar control, privacy, acoustics, safety and clarity in practical terms.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Solar Control Glass Explained
Large glazed openings on sunny elevations can overheat rooms even in a cool climate. Solar control glass is the usual solution.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Tinted Glass Explained
Tinted glass adds colour and a degree of solar reduction. It is chosen as much for appearance as for performance.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Reflective Glass Explained
Reflective glass gives strong daytime privacy and solar reduction, with a mirror-like appearance that suits some elevations more than others.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Privacy Glass: A Homeowner's Guide
Privacy glass gives control over overlooking without the permanent frosted look of obscure glass.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Obscure Glass Patterns Compared
Obscure glass comes in a range of textured patterns, each with a different balance of light transmission and privacy.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Acoustic Glass: Reducing Noise Through Windows and Doors
Acoustic glass uses a laminated interlayer to damp sound transmission, and it is worth specifying wherever external noise is a genuine daily nuisance.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Low-Iron Glass: When True Clarity Matters
Standard glass carries a faint green tint. Low-iron glass removes it, for a genuinely clear view.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Triple Glazing Explained
Triple glazing adds a third pane and a second gas-filled cavity for the strongest thermal performance available.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Safety Glass: What the Regulations Require
Building Regulations set out specific locations where safety glass is mandatory. Here is what that means in practice.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Laminated vs Toughened Glass: Which Do You Need?
Both satisfy Part K, but laminated and toughened glass behave quite differently when broken, and suit different priorities.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Can Fire Rated Steel Doors Have Glass?
Yes — and that is the reason steel-look fire doors exist. The glass simply has to be a certified fire-rated make-up rather than ordinary toughened glass.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
How Do I Stop a Large Glazed Extension Overheating?
Deal with the sun before it reaches the glass, specify solar control glass where you cannot, and give the room a real way to purge heat. Blinds alone are a poor substitute for all three.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
What Glazing Works Best for a North-Facing Extension?
Go generous and clear. A north elevation receives even, glare-free light and very little solar gain, so the priorities are daylight quantity, clarity and thermal performance.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
What Glazing Works Best for a South-Facing Extension?
Specify for summer, enjoy it in winter. A south elevation is the best orientation for a glazed room and the one most likely to become uncomfortable without a solar strategy.
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Other areas of the library
- Buying GuidesEverything a homeowner should know before purchasing.
- Cost & Budget GuidesRealistic investment guidance, written plainly.
- Product ComparisonsTwo good options, side by side.
- Colours & FinishesChoosing a colour you will still like in twenty years.
- Design InspirationIdeas grounded in real Cumbrian buildings.
- Planning & RegulationsPermission, conservation, listed buildings and Building Regulations.
- Technical AdviceThe numbers behind a good window.
- InstallationWhat actually happens, week by week.
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