Toughened or sometimes known as tempered glass, is a type of safety glass with increased physical and thermal strength. When processed in our state-of-the-art toughening plant it can reach temperatures up to 680°C, depending on the thickness of the glass, this will create ‘balanced internal stresses’. This means that in the rare event of breakage, the glass will crumble into small pieces that are less likely to cause harm, as opposed to shattering into large dangerous shards. This makes toughened glass ideal for indoor and outdoor use in a wide range of applications, from table tops, shower doors, balustrades, Juliet balconies, shelves and much more!

Expert toughened glass suppliers in the UK

At the Express Toughening factory, we begin the process by placing a piece of float glass or annealed glass on a roller table. We apply the BSI Kite Mark stamp at this point, so you know that our glass is a high-quality product, responsibly sourced, in-line with British Safety Standards.

The rollers take the glass through the toughening furnace, which heats it up to above its annealing point. The glass then moves to the quench where it is rapidly cooled down. The difference in cooling rates between the outer layers and inner layers produces counter-acting stresses, creating higher resistance and improving the durability of the glass.

Once both processes are complete, the glass is toughened. However, it’s important to bear in mind that any cutting or drilling must happen prior to the toughening process, as cutting the toughened glass afterwards will only damage it.

Toughened glass is up to five times stronger than float glass of the same thickness, giving it much greater resistance against stresses such as thermal shock and forceful impacts. If the glass does shatter, it will break into hundreds of smaller pieces rather than uneven sharp shards, which greatly reduces the risk of injury.

Express Toughening Ltd is one of the leading bespoke glass tougheners, processors, laminators, painters, printers and mirror suppliers in the South East of England. Whatever your glass needs, Express Toughening Ltd are your number one glass suppliers! We can provide a variety of glass types in custom sizes to suit your requirements, including fire-rated glass and frameless mirrors. We also supply a range of glass fittings and accessories to give you all the tools you need to start installation.

Whether you’re searching for a glass shower screen, shelves, or kitchen splashback, our dedicated team of glass experts can assist you throughout the process. With delivery available across the UK for all your bespoke glass needs for any project big or small.

Bespoke toughened glass suppliers

With our recent upgrades we are proud to own the longest and quickest toughening furnace in the country! In addition to this, we have three state-of-the-art CNC (computer numerical cutting) machines. These allow us to produce and polish bespoke pieces in a variety of shapes and sizes that wouldn’t be possible via traditional glass cutting and polishing methods. Whether you need us to match a geometric shape or specialist template, Express Toughening Ltd can create almost any custom shape for you.

Our two drilling machines enable us to add any holes that may be required in your glass order ahead of the toughening process. We can also make socket cut-outs and notches for intricate shaping using one of our two state-of-the-art flow water jet machines. For that perfectly straight linear finish, we have two glass polishing machines to produce bright and highly polished edges on every piece of glass.

Additionally, our paint booth is where we produce back-painted glass, which you can use for splashbacks, wall art, and a range of other purposes. Express Toughening Ltd can colour-match any shade from Dulux, RAL, F&B, Valspar, Pantone, or British Standard colours. For extra clarity to boost the colour we can use low iron (extra clear) glass in 4mm-19mm.

We now also have two laminating kilns, which we use to create bespoke decorative glass such as crackle tabletops in-house. We produce crackle glass by laminating three layers together and shattering the piece in the centre, sandwiching the ‘cracked ice’ effect between the two outer pieces. The interlayer is fully waterproof EVA (ethylene & vinyl acetate copolymer), which is safe to use in outdoor applications such as balustrades, tabletops, and glass flooring.

Glass suppliers and industry experts

Express Toughening Ltd is the one-stop shop for all your glass requirements. On the off-chance that you can’t find what you’re looking for on our website, simply get in touch to discuss your requirements and our team of experts will see what we can do for you.

If you need some inspiration on how to use toughened glass products in your home or business, take a look at our gallery– they’re sure to spark some ideas. We even offer helpful ‘how to’ guides online explaining how to measure, prepare for, and install your glass doors, screens, or splashbacks. If you need more information about any of our services, feel free to contact us for further guidance and we’ll be happy to help.

Not only do we offer a variety of toughened glass and laminated glass types, but we’re also able to customise the appearance to suit your aesthetic requirements, in addition to manufacturing the glass in a bespoke size and shape. As a leading glass supplier our impressive collection includes:

Indoor/Outdoor Toughened Glass

• Conservatory Glass
• Glass Balustrades
• Juliet Balconies
• Glass Doors
• Glass Partitions
• Glass Pool Surrounds
• Walk-On Glass (Glass Stairs or Glass Flooring)

Toughened Glass Furnishings

• Glass Mirrors
• Glass Safety Screens
• Glass Shelves
• Glass Shower Screens
• Glass Splashbacks
• Glass Table Tops

Noise Reduction and Fire Safety Glass

• Acoustic Glass
• Fire Rated Glass

Clear or Opaque Toughened Glass

• Frosted Satin Glass
• Low Iron Toughened Glass
• Tinted Glass
• Obscure Glass

Coloured or Patterned Toughened Glass

• Crackle Glass
• Glitter Glass
• Painted Glass
• Printed Glass
• Sandblasted Glass