Plate Glass

Plate glass is widely known as the very first type of “truly flat” glass to be invented.
This technology was used to make large sheets of glass for storefronts and shop windows, as well as mirrors until the float glass method was discovered in the 1950’s.

History of Plate Glass

Plate glass was first manufactured in France in the 17th century, and several improvements to the original batch technique culminated in the Bicheroux process (1918), in which the glass was received by power-driven rollers, which then delivered it in thinner sheets of greater length to be sheared into sections and annealed (heated, then cooled, to make it less brittle).
The glass was then annealed continuously before being cut into lengths, ground, and polished in a continuous process.

How is Plate Glass Made?

To make plate glass, liquid glass is spread out on a metal table while it is still extremely hot, and then rollers are passed over the table as it cools to smooth and polish it, resulting in the desired uniform sheet.
Depending on the specifics of the manufacturing process, the glass may need to be polished again after it has cooled.
This type of glass is also made through a floating process, in which the liquid glass is float in a bath of molten tin as it cools and sets.

Advantages of Plate Glass

• Customizable and cut into any shape
• Available in a variety of thicknesses
• It has a more appealing appearance and a higher clarity than safety glass
• It is easy to clean and stain resistant due to it’s smooth surface

Disadvantages of Plate Glass

Similar to regular float glass, this type of glass is brittle and easily broken when compared with safety glass.
It also shatters into sharp shards rather than pea-sized pebbles.

As a result, Australian building codes prohibit its use in areas with high foot traffic and a high risk of glass breakage.