At first blush, it may seem like there’s not much to say about the materials used to make glass table tops. After all, it’s glass right? Well, as long-time glass table top manufacturers, we can tell you that nothing is further from the truth. Although glass has been around commercially since before 2000 B.C., it has changed much over the years. This is especially the case when it comes to the glass used in table manufacturing.
Not just any old piece of glass can be used to make table tops. It has to be strong, thick and shatter resistant or shatter proof. This knowledge was gained over time and used to perfect glass table top offerings. For example, in the 1960s, interior designers liked to use glass mixed with iron oxide to make table tops because of its aesthetic value. Before that time period, people liked to use everything from mosaic, lead crystal and sheet to frosted glass.
Today, glass table top standards are set by ASTM International. Their standards are designed to help keep consumers safe. As such, they dictate that safety glass should ideally be used to manufacture glass table tops. It is widely considered to be the best material to use in furniture production because it doesn’t shatter like untreated glass. Plus, it can be just as attractive as decorative glass. Nonetheless, we have seen table tops made with annealed glass, which shatters differently too. It has a tendency to break into big, sharp, triangular pieces whereas safety glass does not. It tends to break into dull, small rectangular or square-shaped pieces. Thus, it is less apt to cut people in the event of an accident.
To learn more about the different types of glass and how it is fashioned into custom table tops, please contact us today. We have been working with all sorts of glass for over 90-years. Custom and standard table top work is just one of our many fabrication specialties. We also do installation work and introductory consultations are complimentary.
