Types Of Glass That A Bath Screen Might Use

If you're updating your bathroom, installing a glass bath screen will not only contain splashing water, but it will add a modern, sleek aesthetic. But you're not limited to just clear varieties. Here are several types of glazing bath screens might use, some are decorative, and some are about safety.

Low Iron Glass 

Standard glass displays a faint green tinge which is more noticeable once you examine the edges of a pane. While you may find this greenish hint appealing, you can eliminate it with low iron glass. Because the iron within causes the cast, by reducing it, manufacturers can produce a perfectly clear glass. 

Frosted Glass

While low iron glass might sparkle with absolute clarity, it doesn't provide any privacy for those having a shower or bath. So, you may prefer to install frosted glazing instead. Either an acid etching or sandblasting process erodes the glazing to give the cloudy effect. You can choose between different levels of transparency, so you can make your bath area as private or as open as you wish. Instead of an even satin effect, you can install a screen with decorative frosting. Rainwater patterns, geometric lines or swimming fish are several designs you could implement. 

Tinted Glass

Another way to decorate your bathroom is with a tinted bath screen. Smoky grey, bronze, green and blue are several tones you could go with. The tints result from minerals within the glazing such as cobalt, selenium and iron. So, the shades are subtle rather than bold. Either thicker glass panels or more of the colouring mineral will darken the screens. Look at shades within the tiles and other surfaces for inspiration. As well as decorating your bathroom, the tints will obscure the bath for extra privacy. 

Toughened And Laminated Glass

While the above three options are decorative, these glass types are about safety. Regulations demand either toughened or laminated safety glass for bath screens. For fully and semi-framed panels, you will typically need to use toughened glass. For a framed screen, however, you might be able to install laminated glass instead. 

Toughened glass has four to five times the sturdiness of ordinary glass; thus, it's unlikely to break. In the rare instance that it does, it disintegrates into harmless regular cubes rather than pointy shards. Laminated glass consists of two sheets of glass on either side of a plastic resin layer. After undergoing a heat and pressure technique, the three bonds into one. The plastic tends to hold the glass together even if it cracks, so injuries are unlikely.