Glass Splashback Specifications

SPLASHBACKS

Useful Guidelines To Minimise Potential Difficulties

Splashbacks represent a rapidly growing area of involvement for the glass industry. As with many innovative developments however, there can be traps which can detract from the value of being involved. The AGGA has therefore formed a sub-committee headed by Vic Moen with the objective of maximising the potential of this development while minimising the growing pains. As an initial step, guidelines for glass supply and for the painting function have been drawn up, and these guidelines are listed below. Consideration of these procedures may help to ensure that your interest in this area remains productive.

GLASS

The glass guidelines are offered as a reference for manufacturers, installers and consumers of glass splashacks, with particular reference to:

acceptance criteria of glass used in the manufacture of splashbacks
simplifying the order process by ensuring order details are within acceptable boundaries of complication.

Following this advice will assist in:

improving consistency of output from glass processors
improving lead times
improving quality
improving competitiveness of glass used in more applications.

These guidelines result from key areas of agreement amongst glass processors relating to the treatment of splashbacks. Glass processors may of course manufacture glass panels outside these guidelines, but may wish to warn customers of any resultant risk factor.

Suggested guidelines:

Have a minimum number of square (90 degree) corners: Say 1.
Have a maximum size: say 2700mm x 1300mm.
Have a minimum width that is processable and/or toughenable: Say 100mm
Have a maximum number of drilling requirements (holes/cutouts/notches) per panel: Say 3.
No cutouts with any dimension exceeding say 200mm
Any edge or dimension out of square less than 3mm will be cut square.
Minimum radius on internal corners: Say 2 x glass thickness.
Glass to be inspected subject to AS/NZS 4667:2000.
Finished dimensions to be within +/-2.0mm for glass and for holes/cutouts/notches positioning and sizing.

No assurance of glass colour match. Acknowledgement that clear float glass has a green tint and perfect matching cannot be guaranteed from one piece to the next. Even Low Iron glass varies slightly in colour.

Templates

There is also a benefit in making template generation consistent, and the relevant issues here are that templates must be true size and with all processing requirements clearly marked. Also, templates must be made of sturdy material

Note:

Some customers will continue to demand dangerously or impossibly complex panels and demand unachievable size or quality tolerances. These guidelines can be used as a minimum standard for those wanting to differentiate as a producer who can "exceed industry benchmarks", or as the "industry practice" for those producers who wish to argue accordingly.