Architectural Glass
Toughened glass
Toughened glass is float glass heated and rapidly cooled so it is stronger and breaks into blunt granules. ARG toughens clear glass from 4 mm to 19 mm, and coated glass, as a single pane.
Also called Tempered glass.
| Thickness | 4 · 5 · 6 · 8 · 10 · 12 · 15 · 19 mm[as heard] — awaiting written confirmation from ARG |
|---|---|
| Coatings | ST167 · ST150 · ST136[as heard] — awaiting written confirmation from ARG |
| Sold as | Single pane — no lamination or insulated unit required |
| Sourcing | Processed in-house |
Can toughened glass be used on its own?
Yes — and this is the fact most enquiries get wrong. Clear glass across the full thickness range, and the coated glasses ST167, ST150 and ST136, can all be supplied as a single toughened pane. There is no requirement to build them into an insulated unit or a laminate first.
That matters commercially. A shopfront, a shower screen, a balustrade infill or a partition can
be specified as one toughened pane rather than as an assembly, which changes both the lead time
and the price. [as heard]
What thicknesses does ARG toughen?
Clear glass at 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 19 mm. The thinner end covers joinery, wardrobe
fronts and light partitions; 10 mm and above is where structural and frameless work sits. [as heard]
What are ST167, ST150 and ST136?
They are Saint-Gobain coated glass codes. ARG names these three specifically as glasses that can
be toughened and sold standalone. [as heard]
A note on how to read them: the codes are the manufacturer’s, not ARG’s, and we publish them as ARG stated them on the call. This page gives no light transmission, solar factor or U-value figure for any of the three, because those are the glass maker’s published numbers and we are not going to restate them second-hand. Ask us which code suits the elevation and we will talk it through.
How toughening changes the glass
Toughening is a heat process: the pane is taken to around its softening point and then cooled rapidly, putting the surfaces into compression and the core into tension. Two consequences follow. The pane becomes substantially stronger than annealed glass of the same thickness, and when it does fail it breaks into small blunt granules instead of shards — which is why it is the safety glass of choice for anywhere a person can walk into it.
The trade-off is that everything must be finished first. Cutting, drilling, notching and edge work all happen before the furnace. A toughened pane cannot be modified afterwards.
What ARG needs from you to quote
Final sizes in millimetres, thickness, edge finish, and any holes or cut-outs with their positions. If the glass is coated, tell us which face the coating should sit on. If you are not sure, send the drawing on WhatsApp and we will come back with the build-up.
Source Product specifications stated by ARG on 13 August 2026. Marked [as heard] — recorded from a spoken call and awaiting written confirmation from ARG. Confirm any figure with us before you specify against it.
Common questions
Does toughened glass have to go into a double glazed unit or a laminate?
No. ARG states that clear glass from 4 mm to 19 mm, and the ST167, ST150 and ST136 coated glasses, can all be sold as a single toughened pane with no insulated unit or lamination required.
What thicknesses of clear glass can ARG toughen?
4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 19 mm, as stated by ARG on 13 August 2026 and awaiting written confirmation.
Can toughened glass be cut or drilled after toughening?
No. Toughening is the last step — every cut, hole, notch and edge finish is made before the pane enters the furnace, because a toughened pane shatters if it is worked afterwards. Send the final sizes with the enquiry.