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Been searching without much succes trying to find information about using glass for shelves. Tried knots with one response but I failed to mention will only be supported on ends.
cabinet will be glass front and back so shelves will only be supported on ends. Will be used to hold dishes. Will be ~12′ wide length, depending on what I can use. Looking to determine type of glass and thickness of glass.
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12 feet?
*>Will be ~12' wide lengthJust to verify... Twelve foot from one end support to the other? No back supports? What depth, front to back? Doesn't sound right.Regardless, I'd just call my fav glass shop and get official specs from them. My first guess is 1/2" tempered, be/c I had that as a desktop spanning about 6' with a computer on top. And the edge is thick enough to not look too fragile. FWIW, I'm always amazed at the strength of glass. Once built a redwood/tempered glass greenhouse. Would clean off snow by climbing up, sitting on glass, and pushing snow off with feet or broom. Sooooo strange to sit on glass.
*For infoMissed the shift keyaprox 12 inches wide, wide enough to hold dinner plates.cabinet about 52/54 inches long by aprox 12 inches deep by aprox 30 inches high. Glass back, glass doors. Will be over a paninsola (boy talk about spelling) seperating kithchen and dining room. Allow light and visability, pass through between rooms.always hate walking in cold to order something I know nothing about.
*Call any reputable glass shop and they should be able to tell you what thickness for the load you are going to put on it. SJ
*thanks guys
*bob, for safety, it should be tempered glass. I don't know if this is code, but it sure is smart. It needs to be cut and then tempered. I get good deals on salvage glass at my glass supplier--it gets expensive when you buy thicker glass, and since you won't be looking through it...
*bobl, Salvaged out a glass/aluminum standard display a number of years ago. Have it loaded with mags and books. Spans 42 inches and the ends sit on shelf tabs. The glass is a full 1/2" thick, is tempered I believe. Can't see a seam to suggest laminated safety glass. The edges are polished and the top and bottom edge is beveled. Makes the edge appear a little green colored. I don't think I would span a whole lot more than the 42". The glass weighs a bunch. Best of luck.
*BOBL- Having been in the glass business, I agree, go to a shop and they'll get it right. I'm pretty certain that with your span 1/2" is probably going to be the minimum thickness needed. Price-wise, anything above 1/4" or 3/8", the cost really ramps up- so be prepared! Also, you may want to have the edges ground and polished if you want them to look better. If it were me, for my own home, I wouldn't bother with tempered unless the additional charge was not an issue- 1/2" annealed (non-tempered) glass is fairly hard to break. Also, FYI most tempering plants will not temper customers' glass, let alone salvaged. You will probably need to live with the green edge-tint of the glass, although it is possible to get high lead glass that is clear on edge- lots more $$$$$ though. - Ken Hill
*Appreciate all the info. Feel in much better position for making decisions.Again ThanksBobL
*I had heard from a glass supplier that you should not use tempered glass shelves with exposed edges (the glass breaks (he said explodes) instead of chipping if you hit the edge). Is this right?
*If the tempered glass breaks, it crazes, then breaks into pebbles that aren't likely to slice you arm off as untempered shards could. Glass shelving for store displays is tempered, but nost of that is 1/4". You can also get laminated glass with plastic sandwiched between the layers. It can get chipped, but the shards are stuck to the plastic and don't fall on a person. This is like your windshield in your car that can get chipped w/o crazing or breaking into loose shards. The side windows may be tempered: one time my side window imploded on me, and i was very, very happy for that tempered glass!
*Rd- It doesn't really explode, it's more like Splinter says and it just falls apart. Gravity may add to the impression of explosion. Tempered is actually pretty amazing. I've thrown sheets off a 2-story roof onto a gravel parking lot, thrown hammers at the sheet face, with no effect. The particularly vulnerable area of tempered sheet glass is the edge. This is where the normally homogenous stress/strain put in by the tempering changes direction and is disrupted. If you want to break tempered, use a sharp metal object at the edge. The idea is to chip or disturb the material in some way. Of course you can also break it on the face with a little more effort- that is why it's recommended to carry a spring-loaded center punch in your vehicle so you can blow out the side windows in case of a water landing (the side windows of newer vehicles are mandated to be tempered, windshields must be laminated safety glass). This edge-vulnerability of tempered is also why you will always see the edges eased or rounded off. If you're just a little brave and you have some demo or salvage tempered, put on some safety glasses and try 'gently' breaking it, maybe in the back of the dump truck or something. It's kinda cool to watch.
*Yes you are right 1/2 tempered glass, you can hit the face with a hammer hard, and it will not break. Nice soft tAp on the edge or corner and it will shatter.David
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Been searching without much succes trying to find information about using glass for shelves. Tried knots with one response but I failed to mention will only be supported on ends.
cabinet will be glass front and back so shelves will only be supported on ends. Will be used to hold dishes. Will be ~12' wide length, depending on what I can use. Looking to determine type of glass and thickness of glass.