How Tinted Glass Is Made And Its Advantages For Pool Fencing
Glass pool fencing gives an open aspect to outdoor areas by providing a clear, unobstructed view of the garden. One way to spice up the look is to tint the glass to blend it with the environment. So what ingredients during the manufacturing process creates these tints, and what are the benefits of this for fences?
The Ingredients That Create And Tint Glass
Silica, as quartz sand, is the main ingredient of glass. It combines with other minerals and substances which melt together while in a furnace heated to temperatures of about 1500 °C. Other elements might include lime and soda ash, alumina, magnesium and calcium oxide. Mixing broken glass within helps the composition to melt faster, and adding other materials can produce specific qualities and colours.
It is at this point that manufacturers create the tints. By including various metal oxides within the mixture, they can create different tones. Most glass already includes iron within its composition, which produces a slight green cast that is more obvious along the edges. Thus additional iron during manufacture will provide a deeper green tint. Cobalt and iron generate a blue tone, and adding selenium as well as produces bronze and grey tints. To ensure crystal-clear glass that is without a characteristic green cast, manufacturers take the reverse action. By decreasing the amount of iron, high-clarity low-iron glass results.
Benefits Of Tinted Glass
One benefit of toned glass for fencing is that it reduces heat and glare from the sun, making the pool area more comfortable on bright sunny days. To check how much light is getting through a toned glass, you can check its visible transmittance (VT). HIgher transmittance values mean that more light is transferring through.
Another advantage of tinted glass is that you can customise the fence to merge with your particular environment. You could repeat a nearby colour from architecture or foliage. For instance, you might accentuate a dark grey feature wall behind a pool area with a subtle grey or bronze tinted fence. Or else, a blue or green toned fence can emphasise sparkling blue or green pool water, giving it a more intense appearance still.
Just remember that the thickness of the glass affects the density of the tone so that thicker glass panels will look darker. Thus, to maintain a uniform colour for the entire fence around your pool area, make sure to use the same glass thickness across all areas. Talk with a pool fencing company near you about what you'd like for your space.