Glossary of Glass terms

Glass Glossary

A

  • Acrylic A thermoplastic with good weather resistance, shatter resistance, and optical clarity, used for glazing
  • ANSI National standards institute – clearing house for all types of standards and specifications
  • Auto Glass Safety glass tempered or laminated to become a structural component
  • Auto Glass Installation  Installation done right, but not at the expense of driver safety
  • Auto Glass Repair  Replace glass to highest safety standards making it structurally integral
  • Auto Glass Replacement  Glass replacement done fast and safe, in-shop or mobile on site
  • Auto Glass Cleaner Glass cleaner for tough outside applications like bird splay resin
  • Auto Glass Quote  Fair price for auto repair without shortcuts or structural compromises
  • Awning Window similar to a casement except the sash is hinged at the top and always swings out

B

  • Bathroom Mirror  Mirror used for personal hygiene in bathroom
  • Bay Window An arrangement of three or more individual window units, attached so as to project from the building at various angles – in a three-unit bay, the center section is normally fixed, with the end panels operable as single-hung or casement windows

C

  • Casement A window sash that swings open on side hinges: in-swinging are French in origin; out-swinging are from England
  • Commercial Glass  Heavy glass used in large architectural glazing applications
  • Commercial Glass Door  Sliding or hinged door used in commercial storefronts and offices
  • Commercial Glass Entry Doors  Circular, hinged or automated glass door used as main customer entry point
  • Commercial Glass Hardware  Hardware fitted directly to glass doors, usually requiring drilling through glass
  • Commercial Glass Storefront  System of large architectural windows and doors allowing display to passing viewers
  • Condensation The deposit of water vapor from the air on any cold surface whose temperature is below the dew point, such as a cold window glass or frame that is exposed to humid indoor air
  • Custom Cut Glass  Glass that is specially cut to fit perfectly in an unconventional application
  • Custom Etched Glass  Glass etched with a custom design according to user specification
  • Custom Glass  Glass shaped or fitted to a unique application; not from standard stock

D

  • Decorative Mirror  Mirror having a special design quality fitting to different decorum styles
  • Display Showcase  Structurally tempered glass configured in a display case frame
  • Door Screen  Screen susceptible to corrosion or damage needing replacement
  • Door Screen Wood  Screen door with wooden frame, susceptible to climate rot over time
  • Double-hung Window A window consisting of two sashes operating in a rectangular frame, in which both the upper and lower halves can be slid up and down. a counterbalance mechanism usually holds the sash in place
  • Double Glazing In general, two thicknesses of glass separated by an air space within an opening to improve insulation against heat transfer and/or sound transmission. in factory-made double glazing units, the air between the glass sheets is thoroughly dried and the space is sealed airtight, eliminating possible condensation and providing superior insulating properties
  • Double Strength Glass Float glass 1/8″+/- (6.0mm+/-) thick

E

  • Etched Glass  Glass that has an artistic image or pattern machine etched into surface
  • Etched Glass Design  Custom graphic or decorative design supplied for glass etching
  • Etched Glass Door  Glass door, often commercial, that is etched with a logo or design
  • Etched Glass Window  Custom window, etched with a decorative or architectural design

F

  • Fenestration The placement of window openings in a building wall, one of the important elements in controlling the exterior appearance of a building. also, a window, door, or skylight and its associated interior or exterior elements, such as shades or blinds
  • Float Glass Glass formed by a process of floating the material on a bed of molten metal. it produces a high-optical-quality glass with parallel surfaces, without polishing and grinding
  • Fogging A deposit of contamination left on the inside surface of a sealed insulating glass unit due to extremes of temperatures or failed seals
  • Frameless Shower Door  Heavy glass door, structurally sound enough to eliminate need for frame
  • Floor Mirror  Floor standing mirror used to enable head to toe viewing of dress style

G

  • Gas Fill A gas other than air, usually argon or krypton, placed between window or skylight glazing panes to reduce the u-factor by suppressing conduction and convection
  • Glass An inorganic transparent material composed of silica (sand), soda (sodium carbonate), and lime (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of alumina, boric, or magnesia oxides
  • Glass Cleaner Specially formulated cleaner usable on most types of glass
  • Glass Door Shower Enclosure  1/4′-1/2″ glass placed inside tile walls to enclose the shower
  • Glass Shower Door  Glass door custom designed or fitted to unique specifications
  • Glass Table Tops  Clear table tops in contemporary design allowing art of frame to show
  • Glass Window Cleaner Glass cleaner that is stronger, and made to leave less streaking
  • Hard Water Stain Remover Glass cleaner formulated to remove rust and calcium stains
  • Heat Absorbing Glass Window glass containing chemicals (with gray, bronze, or blue-green tint) which absorb light and heat radiation, and reduce glare and brightness. see also tinted glass
  • Home Replacement Window  Window that needs fixing in a hurry, but not at the expense of quality
  • Horizontal Slider A window with a movable panel that slides horizontally

L

  • Laminating Glass Two or more sheets of glass with an inner layer of transparent plastic to which the glass adheres if broken. used for safety glazing and sound reduction
  • Low-conductance Spacers An assembly of materials designed to reduce heat transfer at the edge of an insulating window. spacers are placed between the panes of glass in a double- or triple-glazed window.
  • Low-emittance (low-e) Coating Microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window or skylight glazing surface primarily to reduce the u-factor by suppressing radiative heat flow. a typical type of low-e coating is transparent to the solar spectrum (visible light and short-wave infrared radiation) and reflective of long-wave infrared radiation

M

  • Mutin A secondary framing member (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) to hold the window panes in the sash. this term is often confused with mullion

N

  • No Streak Glass Cleaner Glass cleaner that doesn’t leave light translucent streaks when wiping

P

  • Patio Screen Door  Screen door leading from house to patio, screened to keep bugs out
  • Picture Window A large, fixed window framed so that it is usually, but not always, longer horizontally than vertically to provide a panoramic view

R

  • Replacement Window  Window properly installed, on time, with quality workmanship
  • Retractable Screen Door  Sliding screen door, often needing service after wear and tear
  • Replacement Window Screen  Screen used in Go-Glass quality installation
  • R-value A measure of the resistance of a glazing material or fenestration assembly to heat flow. it is the inverse of the u-factor (r = 1/u) and is expressed in units of hr-sq ft-°f/btu. a high-r-value window has a greater resistance to heat flow and a higher insulating value than one with a low r-value

S

  • Safety Glass A strengthened or reinforced glass that is less subject to breakage or splintering
  • Screen Woven mesh of metal, plastic, or fiberglass stretched over a window opening to permit air to pass through, but not insects.
  • Shower Door  Heavy glass door for low maintenance, high-end shower
  • Shower Glass Cleaner  glass cleaner formulated to remove water stains and deposits
  • Shower Mirror  Mirror custom designed to fit within shower chamber or area
  • Single-hung Window A window consisting of two sashes of glass, the top one stationary and the bottom movable
  • Sliding Glass Door A door fitted with one or more panels that move horizontally on a track and/or in grooves. moving action is usually of rolling type (rather than sliding type). also called gliding door, rolling glass door, and patio sliding door
  • Sliding Screen Door  Tracked patio or porch screen with metal frame
  • Storefront Door  Glass door made to accommodate heavy ingress and egress from store

U

  • Ultraviolet Light (UV)  the invisible rays of the spectrum that are outside of the visible spectrum at its short-wavelength violet end. ultraviolet rays are found in everyday sunlight and can cause fading of paint finishes, carpets, and fabrics

V

  • Vanity Mirror  Mirror attached to or installed above a vanity furniture piece

W

  • Warm-edge Technology  the use of low-conductance spacers to reduce heat transfer near the edge of insulated glazing.
  • Window Repair  Glass repair that doesn’t do unnecessary work
  • Window  a glazed opening in an external wall of a building; an entire unit consisting of a frame sash and glazing, and any operable elements.
  • Window Screen  Aluminum or nylon screen that allows ventilation but constrains bugs
  • Wrought Iron Mirror  Mirror framed in wrought iron
  • Windshield Repair  Windshield repair by a safety conscious certified glass technician

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