One of the major concerns for patio owners is how to preserve glass tables during winter. Glass tables are typically safe to use in outdoor settings, as long as the correct sort of glass and edging is present. The weight of the glass must be strong enough to endure wind and rain, and the edges must be smooth to avoid injury or shattering.
Store with caution. Instead, use blankets and bubble wrap to cushion the table surface. For added security, use cardboard covering. While the glass is in storage, do not place anything heavy on top of it. If at all feasible, store the table on its side in a well-padded space.
Can a glass patio table stay outside in winter?
As long as you pick the right sort of glass and edging, glass tables are typically safe to use in outdoor settings. The glass’s weight must be adequate to endure wind and rain, and the edges must be smooth to avoid injury or shattering.
What causes a glass patio table to shatter?
Any pressure on the edge of the glass might cause breaking. An umbrella pole flying in the wind, the glass attempting to expand in the bright sunlight, is cut short by a table frame. Yes. It happens a lot. Glass outdoor tabletops, however, can break without warning. The majority of these occurrences, according to experts, are caused by a combination of extreme temperature changes and defective glass.
The following are reasons why patio glass tables can spontaneously shatter:
The edge quality is poor
A variety of factors can cause spontaneous tempered glass breaking. When packaged, delivered, or installed onsite, nicks or chips in the glass edges are the most frequent. It could also be due to damage to the glass edges while pre-cut into panels.
While stress concentrations surrounding these defects may not be visible, they can arise as the glass expands and contracts in response to in-service temperature changes. Changes like wind, building movement, and other environmental variables can affect a glass patio. When such pressures finally cause the glass to shatter, the action may appear spontaneous.
Thermal disturbance
Thermal stress is another possible cause of spontaneous glass fracture. A positive temperature differential between the center and edge of the glass lite, implying that the former is hotter than the latter, causes thermally induced strains in the glass. Tensile tension happens at the glass’s edge due to the expansion of the heated glass core. Breakage occurs when thermally generated pressure surpasses the glass’s edge strength.
The thermal disturbance is becoming increasingly important, as current design trends and the desire for daylighting push the industry to specify bigger insulating glass units (IGUs) with high-performance sun control coatings
Nickel-sulfide (NiS) inclusions in tempered glass are a considerably less prevalent — but frequently reported — cause of spontaneous glass breaking. In the manufacture of float glass, little nickel-sulfide stones might develop at random. Even when they occur in tempered glass, they are usually harmless. Despite stringent quality controls and procedures aimed at lowering the possibility of nickel-sulfide stones forming in today’s float glass, no technology exists to eradicate their creation.
Getting Started Steps
The process of preventing your patio glass table from shattering begins the moment you decide to buy one. When looking for the correct table, look for the following characteristics:
- It is primarily for outdoor use.
- It is complete of tempered or safety glass.
- The glass is thick and beveled on one side.
What kind of glass should you choose for your patio table?
Tempered glass is the most common choice for a patio table because of its safety. It comes in a wide range of forms, sizes, looks, and colors.
Tempered glass is also quite strong, and This is due to the way the glass is in a coat in significant part. It will have a surface compression of around 10,000 psi in most cases. Because of its manufacture’s chilling and heating procedures, it is four times stronger than regular glass.
As a result, there can be less glass breakage as compared to standard glass. Even if this glass breaks for whatever reason, it will break into tiny oval-shaped pieces rather than sharp bits.
Tempered glass is available in several sizes for this table, ranging from 3 feet to 12 feet. Consider the size of the patio table you’ll need while planning your outside space. Tempered glass comes in various forms, including square, rectangular, oval, and even hexagonal.
What is the ideal thickness for your patio table?
Firstly you have to choose a thick glass. The wider the tempered glass must be, the greater the total size. The glass should sustain its weight and the weight of the items that are on it.
The table foundation determines how thick a tabletop should be. If you want to use the glass as a protective cover over another tabletop, a quarter-inch thick glass should be enough. The tabletop glass must be thick if it is to function as the actual tabletop or table surface.
In any case, the glass must be thicker than a quarter-inch if the table is more than 24 inches in length or will be supporting heavy things. The most common thicknesses are 3/8′′, 12′′, and 14′′. The more solid the look and feel of a glass top, the thicker it is. However, the weight of the glass top might be an issue if it is too wide for the table’s size. Thicker glass may add a lot of weight as the scope gets bigger.
Thinner glass, such as 1/4 inch thick glass, is generally sufficient for patio tables, inserts, smaller tables, or protective glass coverings. The 14″ glass thickness should be enough for glass tabletops and protective surfaces. Thick glass with a 3/8′′ thickness is popular and sturdy if you require a glass top for a hefty, unsupported tabletop where the glass will be the stand-alone tabletop. 12″ thickness offers the protection and durability needed for a stand-alone tabletop, resulting in a sturdy, beautiful surface.
Glass Varieties
Round, square, and rectangular tabletop glass is available in a variety of sizes and forms. Tabletops made of tinted or mirror glass, tempered glass, beveled glass, flat polished edges, and other materials are available. The best thing is that having a separate glass tabletop allows you to be more creative with a stable foundation. Thanks to the transparent glass top, it will be visible from all angles.
Tips
A patio glass table is a beautiful addition to any garden. Still, it’s essential to know how to care for it properly.
If not adequately maintained, glass tables can break. Many factors can influence how long your glass furniture lasts, so we’re here to assist. Would you please continue reading for seven of our most exemplary ideas and methods to ensure that your investment stays for years?
- Place It Properly
When it comes to safety, the placement of your patio table may make all the difference. Because a single bump may knock your table over, it’s crucial to keep it away from high-traffic areas. Furthermore, because the edge of a glass table might be difficult to notice, it is best to place it in a corner or against a wall.
- Keep it out of the sun as much as possible.
Tempered glass can break if exposed to direct sunlight. It’s preferable to set your table in a shady spot where the sun won’t damage the glass or fade the frame.
- Make use of a tablecloth
Because glass is easily scratched, we recommend covering your lovely table with a tablecloth or other covering while it is in use. Use a soft and delicate cloth.
- Have Coasters on Hand
Patios are excellent places to party, but you don’t want to be concerned about the condition of your glass table the entire time. To avoid this, have coasters available for you and your guests to place under any cups or glasses.
Related Questions
1. Can glass shatter for no reason?
Unexpected glass breakage is when reinforced (or tempered) glass breaks for no apparent cause. The most typical reasons are minor installation damage such as nicked or chipped edges that subsequently grow into more prominent fractures that generally spread from the fault point.
2. Should you cover patio furniture when it rains?
You can technically keep your patio furniture outside in the rain. However, if you anticipate a heavy downpour, you should cover your outdoor cushions to prevent rust and soggy outdoor cushions.
3. How to protect glass patio table from hail?
During a hail storm, the table glass is frequently riddled or fractured. The damage may not be evident to the naked eye, but it makes the glass vulnerable to shattering. Because patio furniture can generally endure warm weather, it’s easy to forget about it in a hailstorm. On the other hand, Hailstones can damage or break glass tables and dent metal or plastic furniture. If it appears that it will hail, get in the habit of bringing your lawn furniture inside, or at the very least covering it before the hail begins.
Finally
Suppose you live in an area where heavy snowstorms often occur throughout the winter. In that case, you should probably store your glass patio table for the winter. Suppose you live somewhere where the winters are short, and there isn’t much more than the occasional hailstorm. You should be OK putting your glass patio table out in the open.