Bath Glass Panel

Glass is cut into the desired shape
The first step is to cut the glass into the desired shape. Fabrication, such as edging or etching, must be completed before tempering, or the integrity of the final process could be compromised.

The glass is inspected
Tempering is an extreme temperature process, so the glass sheet needs to be free of any defects which could weaken it structurally. A trained inspector carefully inspects the glass for any bubbles or cracks that may prevent the glass from being tempered.

Contaminants and rough edges are removed
Sandpaper or a gentle abrasive removes any sharp edges from the glass. There is a variety of grinding and fabrication work that can take place during this step, including selecting from a variety of edgework styles. The piece is then thoroughly washed to remove any remaining grains of glass produced during this process and any other specks of dirt that could weaken the final temper.

The glass is heated to an extreme temperature
Glass is fed into a tempering oven in batches or as part of a continuous feed process. The industry standard temperature for a tempering over is 620° Celsius, or 1,148° Fahrenheit.

Rapid cooling, or quenching
The glass undergoes a rapid-fire, high-pressure cooling procedure. This process lasts just seconds, as air blasts from a precisely-placed array of nozzles quickly cool the outer surfaces of the glass. As the center cools, it tries to pull back, which leaves it in tension while the outer surface is in compression. This dichotomy is what gives tempered glass its impressive strength.