Need to repair or replace a damaged car windshield or window? Safety glass is the industry standard for automotive windshields and windows. It describes glass specifically designed to provide greater strength, impact resistance, and safety than regular glass. 

Before fixing or replacing your damaged glass, you should understand that not all auto safety glass is created equal. Laminated and tempered glass are the leading types of glass used in the automotive industry. Each has unique properties, pros, and cons that dictate how they are used. 

Keep reading to familiarize yourself with these two common types of auto glass. 

Laminated Auto Glass

Used for the front and rear windshields of a car, laminated glass comprises two thick sheets of glass with a thin layer of polyvinyl butyrate (PVB) sandwiched between them. These three layers are fused together under high heat and pressure to create incredibly tough glass that does not shatter when subjected to significant impact.

The PVB interlayer is the vital element that makes laminated auto glass shatterproof.

When laminated glass breaks in an accident or collision, it does not break into flying shards as ordinary annealed glass does. The thin PVB interlayer keeps all the sharp pieces of glass in one piece, preventing injuries to vehicle occupants. The non-shattering design of laminated glass also helps prevent driver or passenger ejections in a collision.

Tempered Auto Glass 

Since the windows of a car pose little risk of human impact in a collision, they are made of tempered glass instead of laminated glass. Tempered glass can also be used where there is a need to decrease the cost of rear windshield replacements as compared to laminated glass. 

Although tempered glass is manufactured using the same annealing process as regular glass manufacture, the process is done at a much slower speed to achieve increased strength for safety purposes.

Surprisingly, tempered glass and regular annealed glass do not shatter the same way. While regular glass breaks into dangerous flying shards, its tempered sister disintegrates into smaller pebble-like pieces that reduce the risk of harm to vehicle occupants.

Generally, laminated auto glass can be repaired, depending on the type and extent of damage suffered. On the other hand, tempered glass requires a full replacement. Visit an auto glass specialist near you to determine whether you require an auto glass repair or replacement service. They will check and assess the damage to your car's glass and recommend the right auto glass service for you.  

To find out more, contact a company like Mobile Service Auto Glass