How much should I budget for toughened safety glass in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles?
Our guide range for toughened safety glass is £114 to £414 including VAT (£95 to £345 plus VAT) per pane, supplied and fitted. Work in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles is arranged individually, so travel and glass delivery are confirmed in your written price before anything is booked.
Toughened safety glass is ordinary glass that has been heated and rapidly cooled so its surface is held in compression, making it four to five times stronger than annealed glass of the same thickness. If it does break, it shatters into small, relatively blunt pieces instead of sharp shards, which is why it is used in doors, low-level panes and frameless partitions.
Specification at a glance
- Clear, tinted, obscure, low-iron and sandblasted finishes
- Holes, notches and polished edges for frameless fittings
- Single panes or the outer pane of a sealed unit
- Breaks into small blunt fragments
- Four to five times the strength of annealed glass
- Made to BS EN 12150 and marked for identification
Covering Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
Work in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles is arranged individually because of travel, including in Kirkwall, Lerwick and Stornoway. Send your postcode and we will confirm what is possible.
The island groups have small stone-built towns such as Kirkwall, Lerwick and Stornoway and scattered rural properties, with exposed weather and ferry freight for every glass delivery.
Common uses:
- Glazed doors and side panels
- Panes below 800 mm in homes and offices
- Shower screens and splashbacks
- Frameless office partitions and doors
Towns in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
What to think about first
Heat soaking
Rare nickel sulphide inclusions can make toughened glass break without warning. Heat soaking reduces the risk and is worth specifying for large, high or overhead panes.
Barriers and balustrades
Glass that acts as a barrier usually needs a laminated toughened makeup so it stays in place if one ply breaks.
Consents and safety: Scotland
Safety glass in critical locations
In Scotland, standard 4.8 of the Building Standards technical handbooks covers glazing at risk of human impact. Panes within 800 mm of floor level, in a door leaf, or within 300 mm of a door leaf and up to 1.5 m above the floor should resist impact in line with BS 6262-4, or be guarded. Laminated and toughened glass are the usual ways to meet it.
Glazing in workplaces
Regulation 14 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 applies in Scotland. Windows and transparent surfaces in walls, partitions, doors and gates must be of safety material or protected against breakage where health or safety requires it, and marked so people see them. The duty holder's risk assessment decides where.
How it works
- Send sizes, photos and your postcode
- We confirm what is possible and when
- Fixed price in writing
- Glass made, delivered and fitted
Toughened safety glass in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles: questions
Which towns in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles do you cover?
Work across Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles is arranged individually because of travel and glass delivery, including in Kirkwall, Lerwick and Stornoway. Send your postcode and we will confirm what is possible.
How can I tell if glass is toughened?
Look for a permanent mark etched in a corner naming the standard. Polarised sunglasses can also show faint patterns in toughened glass. We can check during the survey.
Is toughened glass a security glass?
No. Toughened glass is strong and breaks safely, but once broken the pane falls out and leaves the opening clear. For security, choose laminated glass or a unit with a laminated pane.
Can toughened glass be cut to fit?
No. Cutting or drilling toughened glass makes it shatter, so every pane, hole and notch is made to size before toughening.
Other glazing in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
- Commercial reglazing
- Security window film
- Misted unit replacement with laminated glass
- Broken glass replacement
- Security glass for home windows
- Laminated roof and conservatory glass
Send sizes and photos with the form, or call 0800 088 6248.
