Have a crush on glass buildings? Use the materials rightly

Aug 01, 2008

Gone are the days, when talking about glass for construction was a privilege of only the affluent. But even then, buildings that had glass did not use good quality glass materials.

By Thomas Pere

Gone are the days, when talking about glass for construction was a privilege of only the affluent. But even then, buildings that had glass did not use good quality glass materials.

Today, there is a wide variety of quality glass materials for residential and commercial buildings. The wide range has also expanded beyond the glass tradition use of making windows and doors to making table tops, walls and beautification of buildings.

Mohammed Nsibambi, the managing director of Nsibambi Enterprises on Luwum Street, says: “The market today has several quality glass materials, which can stand weather changes. The glass materials can resist expansion and contraction caused by variation in temperatures.”

Among the common types are tinted glass materials, opaque or figured, louver, safety or laminated glass, all available in various colours and thickness.

Nsibambi, however, cautions that any types of glass should be fitted to a building after being certain of the purpose of the building. Choice of the type of glass, should therefore be done by a professional architectural designer.

“All glass materials serve different purposes. For example, tinted glass prevents strong penetration of sun rays, hence protecting what is inside from fading, while the opaque or figured glass is used for churches and bathroom windows and will be out of place if used for an office,” he explains.

For institutions such as schools and hospitals, which usually have large numbers of people, louvers are usually the best.

Using a whole segment of glass material for a window will prove costly as the risk of breaking is high, because of being handled by many people. But with louvers, one would only need to draw them with a latch and if there is any breaking, it is usually one piece.

Another advantage of louvers is that they do not allow in rain even when left open, because of their tilted angle of opening, yet they allow in a lot of fresh air compared to other glass windows.

Safety glass, laminated or wired glass are used in places prone to intrusions and they can ably hold back bullets. Because of this, they are ideal for banks, strong rooms in offices and stores among others.

Nsibambi says: “There is also the one-way glass type, which allows privacy. The glass type allows the occupant of a room to see what is outside, but bars outsiders from seeing what is happening inside.”

Suresh Menon, the director of Akhcom in Ntinda Industrial Area, a Kampala suburb, says with any glass window it is the size of the opening or where it is used that determines the thickness required.

“A thick glass window or door, should be fitted in a fairly strong frame. In the past, glass frames were limited, but now they are several types, such as steel, wood, aluminium and PVC (poly vinyl chloride).

Menon, however, laments that despite the availablity of professional advice, many people are still using glass materials wrongly. Some use wrong thickness, only to have the glass breaking in a short time, yet others are confused about making the right choices for the different purposes.

He says the market is also awash with fake glass materials, making the services of a professional in material selection very important.

Menon advises people to buy glass from recognised hardware shops and supermarkets to avoid getting fake materials and also get professional advice.

Glass materials come from different countries which include Belgium, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Egypt. The prices differ basing on the thickness, colour and quality.

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