Mr. Go-Glass

Glossary of Glass Terms

A helpful list of terms relevant to glass service.

A

acrylic - a thermoplastic with good weather resistance, shatter resistance, and optical clarity, used for glazing

ANSI - national standards institute. clearing house for all types of standards and specifications

auto glass - safety glass tempered or laminated to become a structural component

auto glass installation - Installation done right, but not at the expense of driver safety

auto glass repair - Replace glass to highest safety standards making it structurally integral

auto glass replacement - Glass replacement done fast and safe, in-shop or mobile on site

auto glass cleaner - glass cleaner for tough outside applications like bird splay resin

auto glass quote - Fair price for repair without shortcuts or structural compromise Get Quote Online

awning - window similar to a casement except the sash is hinged at the top and always swings out.

B

bathroom mirror - Mirror used for personal hygiene in bathroom area

bay window - an arrangement of three or more individual window units, attached so as to project from the building at various angles. in a three-unit bay, the center section is normally fixed, with the end panels operable as single-hung or casement windows.

best glass cleaner - glass cleaner that works better than any other cleaner available

C

casement - a window sash that swings open on side hinges: in-swinging are French in origin; out-swinging are from England.

commercial glass - Heavy glass used in large architectural glazing applications

commercial glass door - Sliding or hinged door used in commercial storefronts and offices

commercial glass entry door - Circular, hinged or automated glass door used as main customer entry point

commercial glass hardware - Hardware fitted directly to glass doors, usually requiring drilling through glass

commercial glass storefront - System of large architectural windows and doors allowing display to passing viewers

condensation - the deposit of water vapor from the air on any cold surface whose temperature is below the dew point, such as a cold window glass or frame that is exposed to humid indoor air.

custom cut glass - Glass that is specially cut to fit perfectly in an unconventional application

custom etched glass - Glass etched with a custom design according to user specification

custom glass - Glass shaped or fitted to a unique application; not from standard stock

D

decorative mirror - Mirror having a special design quality fitting to different decorum styles

display showcase - Structurally tempered glass configured in a display case frame

door screen - Screen susceptible to corrosion or damage needing replacement

door screen wood - Screen door with wooden frame, susceptible to climate rot over time

double-hung window - a window consisting of two sashes operating in a rectangular frame, in which both the upper and lower halves can be slid up and down. a counterbalance mechanism usually holds the sash in place.

double glazing - in general, two thicknesses of glass separated by an air space within an opening to improve insulation against heat transfer and/or sound transmission. in factory-made double glazing units, the air between the glass sheets is thoroughly dried and the space is sealed airtight, eliminating possible condensation and providing superior insulating properties.

double strength glass - float glass 1/8"+/- (6.0mm+/-) thick.

E

etched glass - Glass that has an artistic image or pattern machine etched into surface

etched glass design - Custom graphic or decorative design supplied for glass etching

etched glass door - Glass door, often commercial, that is etched with a logo or design

etched glass window - Custom window, etched with a decorative or architectural design

F

fenestration - the placement of window openings in a building wall, one of the important elements in controlling the exterior appearance of a building. also, a window, door, or skylight and its associated interior or exterior elements, such as shades or blinds.

float glass - glass formed by a process of floating the material on a bed of molten metal. it produces a high-optical-quality glass with parallel surfaces, without polishing and grinding

fogging - a deposit of contamination left on the inside surface of a sealed insulating glass unit due to extremes of temperatures or failed seals.

frameless shower door - Heavy glass door, structurally sound enough to eliminate need for frame

floor mirror - Floor standing mirror used to enable head to toe viewing of dress style

G

gas fill - a gas other than air, usually argon or krypton, placed between window or skylight glazing panes to reduce the u-factor by suppressing conduction and convection.

glass - an inorganic transparent material composed of silica (sand), soda (sodium carbonate), and lime (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of alumina, boric, or magnesia oxides.

glass cleaner - specially formulated cleaner usable on most types of glass

glass door shower enclosure - 1/4'-1/2" glass placed inside tile walls to enclose the shower

glass shower door - Glass door custom designed or fitted to unique specifications

glass table tops - Clear table tops in contemporary design allowing art of frame to show

glass window cleaner - glass cleaner that is stronger, and made to leave less streaking

H

hard water stain remover - glass cleaner formulated to remove rust and calcium stains

heat absorbing glass - window glass containing chemicals (with gray, bronze, or blue-green tint) which absorb light and heat radiation, and reduce glare and brightness. see also tinted glass.

home replacement window - Window that needs fixing in a hurry, but not at the expense of quality

horizontal slider - a window with a movable panel that slides horizontally

I

J

K

L

laminating glass - two or more sheets of glass with an inner layer of transparent plastic to which the glass adheres if broken. used for safety glazing and sound reduction.

low-conductance spacers - an assembly of materials designed to reduce heat transfer at the edge of an insulating window. spacers are placed between the panes of glass in a double- or triple-glazed window.

low-emittance (low-e) coating - microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window or skylight glazing surface primarily to reduce the u-factor by suppressing radiative heat flow. a typical type of low-e coating is transparent to the solar spectrum (visible light and short-wave infrared radiation) and reflective of long-wave infrared radiation.

M

muntin - a secondary framing member (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) to hold the window panes in the sash. this term is often confused with mullion

N

no streak glass cleaner - glass cleaner that doesn’t leave light translucent streaks when wiping

O

P

patio screen door - Screen door leading from house to patio, screened to keep bugs out

picture window - a large, fixed window framed so that it is usually, but not always, longer horizontally than vertically to provide a panoramic view.

Q

R

replacement window - Window properly installed, on time, with quality workmanship

retractable screen door - Sliding screen door, often needing service after wear and tear

replacement window screen - Screen used in Go-Glass quality installation

r-value - a measure of the resistance of a glazing material or fenestration assembly to heat flow. it is the inverse of the u-factor (r = 1/u) and is expressed in units of hr-sq ft-°f/btu. a high-r-value window has a greater resistance to heat flow and a higher insulating value than one with a low r-value

S

safety glass - a strengthened or reinforced glass that is less subject to breakage or splintering.

screen - woven mesh of metal, plastic, or fiberglass stretched over a window opening to permit air to pass through, but not insects.

shower door - Heavy glass door for low maintenance, high-end shower

shower glass cleaner - glass cleaner formulated to remove water stains and deposits

shower mirror - Mirror custom designed to fit within shower chamber or area

single-hung window - a window consisting of two sashes of glass, the top one stationary and the bottom movable.

sliding glass door - a door fitted with one or more panels that move horizontally on a track and/or in grooves. moving action is usually of rolling type (rather than sliding type). also called gliding door, rolling glass door, and patio sliding door.

sliding screen door - Tracked patio or porch screen with metal frame

storefront door - Glass door made to accommodate heavy ingress and egress from store

T

U

ultraviolet light (uv) - the invisible rays of the spectrum that are outside of the visible spectrum at its short-wavelength violet end. ultraviolet rays are found in everyday sunlight and can cause fading of paint finishes, carpets, and fabrics.

V

vanity mirror - Mirror attached to a vanity furniture piece

W

warm-edge technology - the use of low-conductance spacers to reduce heat transfer near the edge of insulated glazing.

window repair - Glass repair that doesn’t do unnecessary work

window - a glazed opening in an external wall of a building; an entire unit consisting of a frame sash and glazing, and any operable elements.

window screen - Aluminum or nylon screen that allows ventilation but constrains bugs

wrought iron mirror - Mirror framed in wrought iron
windshield repair - Windshield repair by a safety conscious certified glass technician

X

Y

Z