Toughened Glass Cut to Size Sydney
Instant Price — AS/NZS 2208 Grade A Certified
Need high-strength, heat-treated safety glass without navigating trade-only wholesale supplier accounts? Online Glass NSW lets DIY builders, renovators, and trades order custom toughened (tempered) glass online with immediate pricing. Up to 5 times stronger than regular float glass, our toughened glass breaks into blunt, safe granules under catastrophic impact, fulfilling NSW building code requirements for doors, low-level windows, splashbacks, and wet areas.
| Thickness | Typical use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4mm | Low-level glazing, screens | Minimum AS1288 safety glazing thickness |
| 6mm | Shower screens, splashbacks, doors | Most common — semi-frameless showers |
| 8mm | Table tops, partitions | Good balance of weight and rigidity |
| 10mm | Frameless showers, balustrades | Required for frameless shower screens |
| 12mm | Pool fencing, structural balustrades | Heavy-duty — used where load or span is large |
| 15mm & 19mm | Structural / feature glass | Available on enquiry |
What is Toughened Glass?
Toughened glass (also called tempered glass) is produced by heating standard float glass to approximately 620°C, then rapidly cooling it. This thermal process puts the outer surfaces of the glass into compression, making it dramatically stronger and fundamentally changing how it breaks.
When toughened glass does break, it shatters into small, relatively harmless pebble-like fragments — rather than the large, sharp shards of ordinary glass. This is why it is classified as safety glass under the Australian Standard AS1288.
4–5× stronger than annealed float glass of the same thickness. Heat resistant up to ~250°C continuous use. Shatters into small fragments when broken. Cannot be cut, drilled, or notched after toughening — all processing must be done beforehand.
Once glass is toughened, it cannot be cut, drilled, notched, or modified in any way. All holes, cutouts, corner radii, and edge finishes must be specified before the glass goes into the tempering furnace. Online Glass NSW confirms all specifications with you before production begins.
AS1288 mandates safety glazing in: shower screens and wet areas · glazed doors · sidelights adjacent to doors · low-level glazing (within 500mm of floor) · pool fencing · balustrade panels · kitchen splashbacks near heat sources. When in doubt, toughened is always the safer choice.
Toughened Glass Applications
Shower Screens
Required by AS1288. 6mm for semi-frameless, 10mm for frameless. See our shower screen glass page for full details.
Kitchen Splashbacks
Required within 500mm of cooktops. Toughened clear, ultra-clear, or mirror splashbacks. See our splashback glass page.
Pool Fencing
AS1926 & AS1288 compliant toughened glass for frameless and semi-frameless pool fencing. Contact us for pool fencing glass — sizes and compliance requirements vary.
Balustrades
10mm or 12mm toughened glass for deck, staircase, and juliet balcony balustrades compliant with AS1288 and the NCC. Holes for spigot fixings can be specified at order.
Glazed Doors & Sidelights
Safety glass required for all glazed doors and glazing adjacent to doors under AS1288. Available in clear, obscure, and patterned glass options.
Table Tops & Furniture
Toughened glass table tops are stronger and safer than standard glass. Recommended for outdoor use, children's environments, and commercial applications.
Toughened vs Laminated Safety Glass
Both are classified as safety glass under AS1288, but they behave differently when broken.
| Property | Toughened Glass | Laminated Glass |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–5× annealed glass | Similar to annealed, but holds together when broken |
| Break behaviour | Shatters into small pebbles — glass falls away | Cracks but remains in place (held by interlayer) |
| Post-break safety | Safe fragments — but opening is unprotected | Stays in place — maintains barrier after breakage |
| Can be drilled/cut after? | ✗ No | ✓ Yes (cutting only, with care) |
| UV/acoustic control | ✗ Standard only | ✓ Interlayer options available |
| Common uses | Shower screens, splashbacks, pool fencing, balustrades | Overhead glazing, skylights, acoustic partitions, wind screens |
Read our full guide: Toughened vs Laminated Glass — Which Do You Need?
Toughened Glass FAQs
No — this is one of the most important things to understand about toughened glass. Once the glass has been through the tempering furnace, it cannot be cut, drilled, notched, or modified in any way. Attempting to do so will cause it to shatter. All dimensions, holes, cutouts, and corner radii must be specified before manufacturing.
We supply toughened glass in 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm in our standard range. Some specialty glasses (ultra-clear, tinted, obscure, mirror) are also available toughened — check each product listing on the order page for available options. 15mm and 19mm toughened is available on enquiry.
Yes — toughened (tempered) glass is one type of safety glass recognised under Australian Standard AS1288. Laminated glass is the other type. Both are classified as safety glass because of how they break — toughened shatters into small safe fragments, laminated stays intact. Both are legally required in certain applications in NSW.
AS1288 (Glass in Buildings) specifies where safety glazing is mandatory. Key situations requiring toughened glass in residential NSW: shower screens, any glass within 500mm of a floor, glazed doors, glass adjacent to doors, pool fencing, balustrades, and kitchen splashbacks near cooktops. Your builder, glazier, or certifier can confirm what's required for your specific project.