VELUX USA Blog for professionals

Let's Talk Glass for VELUX Skylights

Written by Kat Wiseman | February 26, 2019

Glass is interesting, don't you think? And no, we're not talking about that Samuel L. Jackson movie that just came out.

Comprised of a variety of simple chemicals, glass has been an important part of our day to day lives in practical, technological, and decorative ways for centuries.

And when it comes to skylights, the glass is the pièce de résistance. It's true that when most people look up at a skylight, they look right past the glass through to the other side. But without the right kind of glass created and angled in just the right way, the skylight wouldn't work.

That's why at VELUX, we make sure you have all the right options for glass you need to install the perfect skylight for every project. Not sure what glass VELUX has to offer? Well, just keep on scrolling!

 

Impact Glass (xx06)

Available on: VSS, VSE, VCE, VS, VCS, VCM, FS, FCM, QPF

Our toughest glass, Impact Glass is very resistant to penetration from flying debris. Perfect for areas prone to large storms, Impact meets the requirements for wind-borne debris protection of the International Building Code Commercial (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC), and the Florida Building Code 2001. That means, with the exception of Dade County, this glass meets building codes and requirements for all of Florida.

For your roughest, toughest projects, Impact Glass is your safest bet.

 

White Laminated Glass (xx08)

Available on: VSE, VCE, VS, VCS, VCM, FS, FCM, QPF

Often used in commercial projects, our White Laminated Glass is made up of bonded layers to hold the glass together should it ever break. But don't worry: just like all our other types of glass, White Laminated is put through regular, rigorous testing to ensure it can withstand more than a few tough hits.

White Laminated Glass gets its name from its white coating, which diffuses 100% of the light flowing into the space below.

 

Snowload Glass (xx10)

Available on: VSS, VCE, VS, VCM, FS, FCM

Those of you up north and out west, this one's for you!

For climates that experience heavy amounts of snowfall on a regular basis, VELUX has our Snowload Glass to utilize in skylights. Snowload Glass is reinforced to ensure the skylight can support the added weight from accumulated snow. And, as with every VELUX Skylight, is built to prevent leakage of any kind.

 

Tempered Glass (xx05)

Available on: VCM, FCM, QPF

When describing the qualities of Tempered glass, we typically compare it to the side windows in a car. When the glass is broken, it breaks into small pieces due to the additional degree of hardness of the glass.  


Standard Safety Glass (xx04)

Available on: VSS, VCS, VSE, VCE, FS, FCM

With this glass, the name says it all: it's cleaner, quieter, and safer than any skylight glass on the market today. In fact, that's why it comes standard on our Solar Powered and Electric "Fresh Air" Skylights.

Standard Safety Glass is made with two components that keep it cleaner than other glass:

  • Silicon dioxide makes it exceptionally smooth, allowing water to disperse evenly and evaporate quickly, greatly reducing water spotting.
  • Titanium dioxide reacts chemically with the sun's UV rays, which causes organic materials on the glass to decompose.

This type of glass also reduces up to 25% more of unwanted outside noise than standard double-pane glass, and up to 50% more than plastic skylights. It's also made with laminated glass, keeping it safe and compliant with building codes for out-of-reach applications.

This glass comes with a 10-year hail breakage warranty. In other words: from the date of purchase, your clients are covered for 10 years, during which time we guarantee their skylight will not crack or break because of hail.

 

So, now that you know your glass options, which will you use for your next project?