Considering how critical glass in its many forms is to us, we should be able to talk with our glass companies about exactly what we want. Use the glossary to help you understand some of the terms your glass merchant may use that you may not be familiar with yet.
The more technical your glass needs, the more precise your vocabulary is likely to get. These terms are most useful for residential glass company customers.
acrylic
A thermoplastic occasionally used for glazing. It is shatter resistance, weather resistance, and gives good clarity.
air infiltration
Refers to the air that is able to enter a building through windows, doors, cracks.
annealed glass
Normal glass that has not been treated to improve durability or shatter-resistance.
bay window
Refers to a set of three or more individual windows that project from a building at different angles.
bead
Refers to a material used as a compound or sealant that keeps the glass in position.
bed
The material – compound or sealant – that us used to attach the glass to the frame or sash. I tis usually the first step in setting the glass.
Also known as: bedding
block
A device used to help the glass keep in position.
buttering
Putting a sealant or other compound on a glass surface prior to placing the glass in position.
butyl
Synthetic rubber used to seal.
casement
A casement refers to a glass that is longer vertically than it is horizontally. A casement window often opens to the outside, sometimes to the inside.
CFM
A measurement of the flow of air
Also known as: cubic feet per minute
compatibility
Refers to the ability for two materials or more to be in close, permanent association for an unspecified length of time without harming each other.
conduction
Refers to the transfer of heat from a warm surface through a material to a cool surface.
convection
Refers to the transfer of heat through moving air or fluid.
CFR
A measure of the ability to avoid the creation of water through the meeting of warm and cool on one surface.
Also known as: Condensation Resistance Factor
desiccant
A material used to absorb moisture; in a window, it would be used in the air space between layers of glass.
double glazing
Refers to two layers of glass that surround a cavity filled with air. Double-glazing is used to prevent heat transfer and noise transmission.
Also known as: double glazed
double-hung window
A window that has two parts operating in the same frame. The upper and lower halves can both move up and down.
glazing
Refers to installing glass into a frame.
Also known as: glaziers
float glass
Glass that is created by floating the molten glass material on a bed of metal. It has a brilliance that matches sheet glass without any polishing or grinding.
laminated glass
Laminated glass consists of layers of glass combined by layers of clear plastic. When broken, the glass clings to the plastic. Useful for sound reduction and overhead installations.
lite
Refers to a layer or pane of glass.
mullion
A structure that connects windows or patio doors.
prime window
A window put in during the first part of the construction; it forms a integral piece of the structure.
rabbet
Refers to am L-shaped, two-sided recess in a frame or sash designed for the glass to fit into.
sash
In a window, the glass and the framing pieces attached directly to the glass.
spandrel glass
A kind of glass that is strengthened through heating and which has a coating of colored ceramic on the surface.
tempered glass
Tempered glass is glass that has been strengthened through heating. One advantage is that on breaking, the bits are small, rounded pieces instead of the sharp shards of normal glass. It is often used for entrance doors, patio doors, and wherever safety is a concern.
trombe wall
A concrete wall covered in glass that us used to passively collect and store heat. The heat can then radiate either outdoors or to the interior.
U-value
The U-value is a measurement of how well components used in buildings conduct heat. It is usually used to refer to a window’s ability to retain the indoor heating or cooling. A lower number is more desirable.
Read moreRead less