glass thickness

[Reptilegirl]

g'day everyone

i've almost got everything i need to start building a couple of enclosures.. which i'll be housing mostly lizards in but one will be for my bredli..
i'm upto the glass.. and need some help on a couple of things... how thick should it be? 4mm, 5mm, 6mm? also how likely is it to get cracked? and one last thing... what do you usually use.. glass or perspex?

cheers
Megz

 

[NinaPeas]

I would buy 6mm glass, and get it laminated.

 

[NinaPeas]

I'm in the process of building a large bredli enclosure, and the piece of glass will be 1400 high by 1200 wide. I was going to go 8mm or 10mm, but it is really overkill, and too heavy! (and expensive!!). The guy at the glass place said 6mm will be fine, but you can get it laminated with that scotch-gard stuff, so even if it breaks, it wont shatter, and will stick together.

 

[Reptilegirl]

cheers nin!
sounds like a great idea!
would i need 6mm for lizards.. like beardies and EWD? i'm thinking of getting the 6mm for the bredli and 4mm or 5mm for the lizard ones.. but i dont know which one... 4mm or 5mm?
thanx
Megz

 

[NinaPeas]

Not sure about the 4mm or 5mm for the lizards, would be fine I guess, but maybe get it laminated anyway? Cant hurt, just incase of any accidents

 

[Gilleni]

It depends on the panel sizes, and if it is going to be sliding or if all 4 sides are fixed into a frame..

 

[Gilleni]

Oh and you dont buy glass and get it laminated, you can buy 6.38mm laminated glass.. It comes laminated.

 

[NinaPeas]

Well the stuff I was looking at didn't come laminated I Suppose it depends where you get it from reptilegirl, just ask

 

[Reptilegirl]

hey gilleni
they are going to be sliding doors.. for enclosures 3ftx2ft, 1.5ftx2ft and 4.5ftx3ft.. so panel sizes about 1.5ftx2ft, 25cmx2ft and 70cmx3ft....
cheers
Megz

 

[Gilleni]

The stuff you were looking at, That was not laminated, Is called CLEAR FLOAT GLASS..

It would cost you thousands to buy 2 pieces of clear float and get them laminated..

You can buy already laminated glass, which is 2 pieces of glass with a 0.38mm layer of plastic melted in between them.

ReptileGirl, I would just go with 6mm in all of them, 1mm thinner wont save you much money anyway.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Gilleni is correct - laminating is sticking two layers together, and that's done at the time of manufacture. Quite different from applying an adhesive security film to one side of the glass to allow it to hold together when broken. That is not laminating. If the film is on the inside of the cage, you may find it scratches very easily during cleaning etc, as it is a plastic film and as easily damaged as acrylic (Perspex). Perspex can bow from absorbing water on the more humid side (cage interior) and it is too flexible where the pieces overlap, this will allow escape.

If you are having sliding glass, you should be aware that the usually available plastic glass track comes in two sizes to accommodate 5mm & 6mm glass, and the 5mm track can, of course, take 4mm glass, although it may rattle a bit. Shop around for your glass - the price will vary hugely from one supplier to another, and avoid the big suppliers. Try to establish a helpful relationship with a local supplier who will get rid of some of his offcuts at almost cost-price.

Jamie.

 

[hugsta]

You should find that 5mm will do the job and the only way it would break would be if you dropped it, a bredli would not be able to smash 5mm glass. Laminated glass is good, but takes away the "clarity" of normal glass and it gives it a green tinge to it. 6 mm lamy is also expensive.

 

[Reptilegirl]

thank you all for your help.. i think i have decided to go with 6mm glass for all of them
cheers
megz

 

[NinaPeas]

on ya

 

[hugsta]

Is the glass going into a sliding track or is it a fixed panel? If it is going into a sliding track, make sure it can accommadate 6mm glass as they can come in different sizes.

 

[Retic]

I use 4mm on most things except large cages, much thicker is overkill and really just personal preference. 5mm is fine but there aren't many snakes that will break the glass.

 

[Moreliaman]

Is the glass going into a sliding track or is it a fixed panel? If it is going into a sliding track, make sure it can accommadate 6mm glass as they can come in different sizes.

Do you have the same problem as us ? 6mm laminated will not fit 6mm tracking due to the lamination process ?
I use 4mm on small stuff but 6mm toughened on anything bigger than 15" because its cheaper than laminated & fits the 6mm tracking.

 

[Gilleni]

Hey moreliaman,

The reason for that is, the plastic inter layer is 0.38mm thick, and the 2 sheets of glass are 3mm clear float, so it adds up to make a 6.38mm piece of glass.

 

[hugsta]

What gilleni said Moreliaman, which is why I was asking, 6mm lammy won't fit. Most of my enclosures are 4 mm float, any bigger is really not necessary IMO.

 

[krusty]

i would only use 4mm glass on cages that size a lott cheaper for you and no way it
will break unless you drop it