how to safely replace your broken glass tabletop

How To Safely Replace Your Broken Glass Tabletop

Glass tabletops are great additions to the home because they offer the home various benefits apart from the style update they bring to your space. The see-through feature of glass tabletops open up your space and make your home feel significantly larger than its real size.

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Table of Contents:
1 Carefully Remove Broken Glass Tabletop
2 Replacing With Brand New Glass Tabletop
3 Choosing The Right Type And Thickness

Besides the above, tabletop glass fits into any existing theme or décor style. Sometimes, all that is needed to make the table fit right into the existing theme in the home is to add a few centerpieces and designs on the tabletop. That would take care of reflecting the current mood or overall theme in the house.

Furthermore, compared to tables that sport wood or aluminum tabletops, a tabletop made with glass is straightforward to maintain and keep clean. There is no delay and restriction on wiping up spills. A bottle of glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth is most probably all you need to keep your tabletop looking new and in the best condition.

Tabletop glass can also be used to update old tables to modern and trendy ones. This helps keep germs out of your dining area, as glass does not trap bacteria on its surface when compared to wood. Besides, updating old furniture with table glass tops will protect and keep your wood table away from scratches and stains that may develop from cleaning and spills.

These are just some of the benefits that tabletop glass gives to the home. While they are durable and last for a while, there will be situations that require that you replace the tabletop glass. This could be as a result of an unplanned breakage or its simply time to get a new one.

This piece will guide you on the best practices you can employ when replacing your tabletop glass in the absence of a professional.

Carefully Remove Broken Glass Tabletop

If the reason for replacement were that the existing tabletop glass broke, the first thing would be to clear off the broken tabletop glass before replacing it with a new glass.

To effectively remove your tabletop glass, the following steps would be of great help.

  • Clear people away from the area of the glass breakage, especially young children and pets, to prevent further injuries.
  • Restrict movement into the area by closing doors or putting up a barrier. This lets people know that the area is not safe during the current period.
  • The next step is to clean up the glass. Hand gloves are vital as a protective gear to prevent cuts and put on your shoes as well to prevent cuts on your feet.
  • Do not kneel in the area of the glass breakage. If there are no gloves, it is better to make use of tong or forceps in picking up glass pieces.
  • Have a plastic vessel close by to put the glass shards in. Start with the big pieces and put them in the plastic vessels. In the absence of a plastic vessel, use a newspaper to wrap up and put in a plastic bag.
  • Sweep up small pieces of glass shards using a vacuum or broom. Using a broom is not entirely safe as it may not sweep up tiny fragments, and they can also stick to the broom’s bristles. Shake the broom when you are done.
  • If using a vacuum, cover the hose with a stocking to have it hold all glass pieces and prevent them from ruining your vacuum. Get rid of the sock after the cleaning.
  • If you have a carpeted floor, sweeping or vacuuming may not completely get rid of the glass shards. Use a small scrubbing brush to gather the glass pieces instead together, then use duct tape to remove them from the floor’s surface and dispose of.

Replacing With Brand New Glass Tabletop

To replace a broken tabletop glass or update the existing table, with a brand-new glass tabletop, the first step would be to determine the thickness of the replacement tabletop glass, among other options. These include:

  • The shape of the table and the shape you would like your tabletop glass.
  • The dimensions of the table.
  • The glass type to be used. There are options for clear glass or colored tempered glass.
  • Determine the edgework you would like on your tabletop glass.
  • Determining if holes will be needed in the tabletop glass. If yes, specify the diameter and location of the hole in the tabletop glass.
  • Identify where the glass will sit on the table.

Once you have all the details, head on to Fab Glass and Mirror for a brand-new round glass table top for your table.

Choosing The Right Type And Thickness

The glass thickness to be used in the replacement glass table top is influenced by the kind of table that needs the tabletop glass and the purpose of the tabletop glass. There are two purposes: It can be installed either as a protective cover or as a proper tabletop glass. The thickness of the glass needs to be determined for the glass to be replaced.

For tabletop glass serving the purpose of a protective cover, a one-fifth inch thickness is standard. This ensures the tabletop glass looks terrific on your table and also keeps it safe.

Furthermore, if the tabletop glass will be placed on a stand to produce the surface of the table, the thickness will be determined by the size of the table. If the table can sustain heavy objects and is bigger than twenty-four inches, any dimensions bigger than a one-quarter inch thickness will fit right in.

Besides the above, listed below are some industry-standard thickness dimensions for different uses and purposes.

  • For patio tables, a 3/16 inch glass thickness is appropriate. This can also be used for small tables, inserts, and protective tabletop covers. The thickness size is also suitable for tables that have the tabletop glass fit into an external frame.
  • One-quarter inch thickness (1/4 inch) is best suited for glass tabletops and tabletop glass protective cover. It is a fit for small-sized tables that do not require heavy use and standard duty tables that sport external frames.
  • For heavy tabletop glass where the glass makes up a large percentage of the table, a 3/8-inch thickness is appropriate. It is a good fit for unsupported tabletops and tables that will be used for heavy duties.
  • The half-inch thickness (1/2 inch) is the strongest tabletop glass size available. It is an excellent fit for unsupported tabletops where the tabletop glass makes the entire table and heavy use tables.
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    Abigail Jones
     

    Hi, I'm Abigail. I like spending time tearing my house apart and putting it together back again. Join me on home improvement tutorials, tips on my blog.

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