Float Glass Vs Plate Glass Vs Sheet Glass

Diy frequently asked questions what is the difference between plate glass and sheet glass.

Float glass vs plate glass vs sheet glass.

Float is produced by floating the molten raw material on a bath of molten tin. The glass in liquid form was poured onto the tin causing the lighter glass to float. Then it was left to cool. Sheet glass is the most common glass.

Float glass is a term. Other thicknesses are available. However for all practical purposes i think it is fair to say that plate glass and float glass are synonymous. It is usually 3 16 thick.

There are some differences between float glass and ordinary glass. Float glass are more common in people s lives use of float glass is widespread divided into colored glass float silver mirror white float glass windscreen level white float glass all kinds of deep processing stage float white glass scanner class white float glass coating grade white float glass mirror grade. It is usually about 3 32 for single strength glass. Large sheets of glass for storefronts and shop windows were made this way and the same technology was used to make mirrors.

Sheet glass is made using a series of rollers that draws the molten glass vertically up out of the mixing tank where the glass is still a liquid. Oridinary flat glass and float glass are flat glass just difference from production process and quality. Sheet glass has historically been used for thinner flat glass products. Although the plate glass process was replaced by the float glass method in the 1960s people still tend to refer to a large flat pane of unstained glass as plate glass.

A process that uses molten tin to create the surface of a glass sheet was developed in the late 1950s. Plate glass is generally used for large picture windows. No longer made in this country plate glass has been replaced by float glass due to the safety hazard it presents when broken and poor energy efficiency. Plate glass was made by a process of grinding and polishing.

Sheet production virtually ended when the new float glass process was introduced in the 1970s. The glass is rolled up vertically and then as it is cooling turned horizontally for further cooling and processing. At one time most of the glass manufactured in the united states was plate glass. Ordinary flat glass is made of quartz sandstone powder silica sand potassium fossil soda ash glauber s salt and other raw materials according to a certain proportion of preparation melting through the melting furnace through vertical drawing method or flat pull method calendering.

Float glass is high quality like sheet glass with good optical clarity like plate glass and can be cut drilled machined edged bent and polished.