How to Tell If Glass Is Tempered

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Tempered glass has a unique structure because of the way that it is made. It is heated up under intense heat and then it is cooled very quickly. Tempered glass has many uses and one common use is a screen protector for mobile devices. It is also used in escalators, stairways, and any other situations where you want glass that is less likely to shatter. It is tough and it does not scratch as easily as regular glass.

If you want to know whether your glass is tempered, you just need to know what to look for. It is less complicated than it appears. Read on for tips on how to tell if glass is tempered.

Examine the Edges

Because tempered glass goes through extra processing steps, it has smooth edges. The edges of glass that is not tempered are rigid and have rough edges. If you have access to the edges of the glass, you can run your fingers alongside of them. If it feels rough and abrasive, then you know that it is not tempered.

Tempered glass is used for safety reasons and the process of tempering makes it stronger than regular glass. When it does break, it fractures instead of shattering. The process is what makes the edges smooth. The glass is smoothed with sandpaper to eliminate the sharp edges and then it is washed. Afterwards, it is heated in a tempering oven to a temperature of more than 600 degrees Celsius. This is followed by a quenching process where high-pressure air blasts the glass to cool it. The outside cools more quickly, which is what makes the edges smooth.

Look at the Glass with Polarized Sunglasses

During the glass tempering process, machine rollers help to make the glass tempered. This process leaves behind shady spots or lines that stretch across the surface of the glass. You can’t see them with the naked eye but when you put polarized sunglasses on, look at the glass in the sunlight. You will see the lines if the glass is tempered.

Polarized glasses are designed to polarize light. They filter it out, which is why you can see the lines and shaded areas in tempered glass. It is not visible to the naked eye but when you wear the polarized glasses, you will be able to see these effects from the tempering process.

Check the Glass for Imperfections

When you look at the glass, look for any bending, dimples, or warping. This kind of imperfection can occur during the heating process. The glass is heated in a tempering machine up to 600 degrees Celsius or more and they use tongs to handle it. The tongs may leave faint impressions on the surface of the glass, which you can see if you look for them.

You might also see tiny scratches that are made from the rolling process. The machine rollers may have small particles on them that melt and if they are dragged over the glass, there may be small scratches that are left behind. This is another sure sign that you have tempered glass.

Tempered glass is very useful in situations when you have safety concerns. It is often used on mobile devices to make sure that the glass doesn’t shatter. It can also be used on windows, such as car windows or windows for the home. It is used in many different situations.

Knowing that your glass is tempered will let you know the risk factors if it should break. When glass is tempered, it goes through a major process where it is smoothed with sand blasting or sandpaper, then it is heated to very high temperatures before being rapidly cooled. The cooling process causes the outside to harden first, which helps it to fracture upon impact rather than shattering. This is much safer in high-traffic areas and the edges are smooth instead of being sharp.

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