Different Types of Car Glass Windows that Everyone Should Know

A car consists of plenty of glass exteriors. While the side windows, rear windows, and windshields are essentials in every vehicle, certain additional glass accessories such as sunroofs are also available in modern car models. Made from sand, limestone, and sodium carbonate, all glass is typically designed to be 100% recyclable, sustainable, and non-toxic. These criteria have become vital as it helps in environment conservation and makes sure you don’t leave behind a carbon footprint behind. But that’s not all.

The reason for the popularity of glass in auto parts is the strength, durability, flexibility, and versatility that they have to offer. Modern glass is treated and processed via different methods to achieve the desired effect. As a result, glass has endless applications. It can serve multiple purposes depending on the requirements of the consumer, and auto glass is one of them.

Knowing different types of car glass and their individual characteristics and importance is essential in light of the fact that they are the most vital component of a car in terms of structural integrity and safety. And that is why we’ve come up with a complete guide that explains the types of auto glass, their characteristics, and importance that everyone should know of to make an informed decision.

Characteristics of Car Glass

Auto glass is quite different from the regular glass as they are explicitly designed to absorb heavy impact during accidents and prevent the passengers from getting injured. While standard glass, when broken shatters into sharp shards, car glass does not become a safety hazard.

Since glass is a flexible material that can be treated and processed to acquire any shape, it has become the go-to choice for creating unique shapes and creative designs for trendy window profiles in a car. Auto glass is also used for sunroofs; they are designed to be UV-resistant to help the passengers enjoy natural light sans the harmful UV rays.

Auto glass is exceptionally durable and responsible for 60% of the car's structural integrity in rollover accidents, whereas it absorbs 45% of the accident impact during a head-on collision. The absence of a windshield can cause the car to flatten out, thereby making it susceptible to yielding even during minor accidents. Furthermore, car glass is designed to be dust, dirt, and impact-resistant to prevent pesky particles from sticking to the glass and distorting the driver’s line of vision.

Importance of High-Quality Car Glass

It is important to remember that only glass with exact OEM specifications possesses these unique characteristics. Car glass, especially windshields, go through regular wear-and-tear. For instance, driving on gravel roads, parking the car in the scorching heat, encountering hailstorms, or even getting into unfortunate accidents such as parking the vehicle below a tree only to have a branch fall on it are examples of how a car windshield can get chipped or cracked.

When faced with such circumstances; budget models, poor-quality auto glass, and cheap window and windshield replacements are more prone to shattering and breakage. That’s why at AIS Windshield Experts, we always use genuine OEM-windshields with high-quality AIS glass, the correct adhesive, and proper and safe installation methods to guarantee impeccable service and safety for you and your loved ones.

Types of Car Glass Windows

Now that you know all about the importance of high-quality car glass let's take a look at the two leading auto glass that dominate the market -

Laminated Glass

A century-old fool proof design, laminated glass consists of two strong sheets of glass that are converted into a single thick sheet by sandwiching a layer of polyvinyl butyral in the middle. These layers are bonded together using high temperatures to provide us with an incredibly sturdy and durable auto glass that does not shatter in the event of an accident. Although breakable, the PVB interlayer protects the passengers as the pieces of glass stick to the adhesive instead of flying around and increasing the chances of injury.

Owing to its unique non-shattering properties, laminated glass is most popularly used for manufacturing windshields. It acts as a cushion and prevents the passenger from getting thrown out of the car in a head-on collision. It is used for both the front and rear windshields of a vehicle to provide maximum strength and increased structural stability.

Tempered Glass

Processed to be 10 times stronger than regular glass, tempered glass is used for the side windows of a car. Curved glass – float glass that has been heated to extremely high temperatures followed by rapid cooling – is used to create durable tempered glass. The difference between the laminated and tempered glass is that the latter glass is more susceptible to shattering.

However, tempered glass is equally safe as it disintegrates into small dull-edged pieces and cubes instead of shards to protect the passengers from harm. Moreover, laminated glass can be repaired, but tempered glass shatters entirely in an accident and requires a complete replacement. And since it does not provide any cushioning as laminated glass, it is only reserved for windows and not windshields.

Looking for the best auto glass repair and replacement services? Contact AIS Windshield Experts - India's leading windshield repair and replacement network. We offer quick repairs, certified products, trained technicians, doorstep facilities, and international-standard services for maximum client satisfaction. Get an expert consultation today!