The 5 W’s of Buying a Glass Table

You’ve always admired the simple elegance of a glass table, but you might wonder if a glass table is right for your home or whether you should stick with a more traditional wood table.

You’ve probably heard about the five W’s: who, what, when, where, and why. Answering these questions can give you all the facts you need about glass tables and help you make the right buying decision.

1. Who

The benefit of glass tables is that their style is timeless, so they can work in any home with any type of décor. People of all ages and style preferences incorporate glass tables in their homes.

However, if you have young children or energetic pets, you might want to avoid glass tables for now. Children might drop items on the glass table or run into it, causing it to chip or even shatter. There’s also a small risk that your table could break if it slides from its foundation. This can pose a safety risk to your children.

2. What

Glass tables come in many varieties. You can choose glass of many different sizes and thickness levels. You can also choose glass in colors like gray or bronze.

Without a doubt, the safest glass tables are made from tempered glass. Tempered glass cools faster than regular glass, creating a stronger glass structure. Tempered glass is less likely to break than regular glass. Plus, regular glass can break into sharp pieces, endangering your family members and friends. Tempered glass breaks into tiny pieces which are unlikely to injure people.

Glass tables come in a variety of shapes, including oval, rectangle, and square, and different shapes provide different benefits.

For instance, if you want to use your glass table as a dining table, a square table will create a sense of balance, with equal space for each diner. Round tables allow each diner to see all other diners at the table, providing better opportunities for conversation. Round tables also lack sharp corners that could pose a safety risk. Choose the shape that works best for your needs and style.

To make your glass table even more elegant, consider glass etching. A designer can customize your glass table with a beautiful piece of artwork. He or she can etch a name, logo, picture, or border into your table.

Along with customizing the glass, you can also customize your table’s base. There are many options for the base beyond the traditional straight feet. Options include a single post, curved feet, a pedestal, double trestles, or a tapered cylinder.

3. When

The frequency of cleaning depends on your particular table. Some tables require cleaning once a day or more, while others need cleaning only every few days. Clean your table as soon as you see fingerprints or streaks in the glass.

To clean, simply wipe the table with a dry cloth. Spray the table with water, and then wipe it again. If it’s still dirty, you could try a glass cleaner or a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. If the cloth leaves dirt and dust behind, try wiping the table with a newspaper.

4. Where

Your glass table can accent just about any room in your home. It could go in your dining room as a dining table or in your living room as a coffee table. You could even use it as a desk or a decorative side table.

If you like the look of a glass table but want to keep your wood table or desk, you could place a glass top over your wood piece. Doing so will add a new look to your table while also protecting it from scratches and other damage.

5. Why

If you’re still unsure whether you should buy a glass table, consider these reasons:

• It’s always in style. The clear, sparkling look of glass is always a win. You’ll save money because you won’t need to trade in your glass table for a more contemporary look.
• It’s versatile. Glass tables fit with any decoration scheme. When you’re ready to update your home, you could easily change other furniture or décor and leave your glass table in place. Or, you could move your glass table to a different room.
• It’s easy to move. Glass tables are light and compact, making it easy to move them from room to room.
• It makes rooms feel spacious. The transparency and clarity of glass makes a room look larger and cleaner.
• It’s clean. Unlike other table materials, glass tables don’t trap bacteria inside.
• It attracts light. Natural light can brighten your space and lift your mood.

If you’re looking for a new piece of furniture, a glass table can be a beautiful and elegant choice. Call GoGlass to find out more about our extensive glass table selection.

Choosing Glass the Right Thickness For Your Table

Thickness is part of the supportive structure of the glass. Not only must a free span of glass be strong enough to support its own weight, but it must also be strong enough to support whatever objects are laid upon it.

Some glass table covers rest upon another surface as a protective feature, for example, a coffee table. However, many glass table tops are suspended surfaces with the table’s framework and pane thickness the only thing supporting the clear glass. Trying to save money by choosing an inadequate thickness can result in catastrophe. A professional glassmaker can help you determine the thickness of the glass piece that you need for your glass table top project.

Glass Thickness

How thick a tabletop needs to be is very much dependent on the table base itself. As an example, if you simply plan on using the glass as a protective cover on top of another table top, glass that is a quarter-inch thick should be adequate. If the table top glass is going to serve as the actual table top or table surface, it will need to be thick glass.

In any event, if the table has a dimension larger than 24 inches or will be supporting heavy objects, the glass needs to be thicker than a quarter-inch. The most popular thicknesses are 3/8″, ½” or ¼”. The thicker a glass top is, the more substantial the look and feel of it. However, if the glass top is too thick for the size of the table, the weight can be a concern. As size increases, thicker glass can increase the weight greatly.

The Different Thicknesses

If you are looking for a glass top for patio tables, inserts, smaller tables or protective glass covers, thinner glass like a 1/4″ thickness is usually adequate. For glass tabletops and protective covers, the ¼” glass thickness should work. If you need a glass top for a heavy, unsupported table top where the glass will be the stand alone table top, thick glass with a 3/8″ thickness is popular and durable. For a strong, attractive tabletop, ½” thickness provides the protection and durability needed for a stand-alone tabletop.

Tempered Glass Table Top

In addition to the thickness of glass contributing to its strength, it is important to consider safety should the unthinkable happen and a glass table top break.

By using tempered glass, the worst can be averted. Tempered glass is actually considered a safety glass. It is four times stronger than regular glass. The manufacturing process results in a pane of glass that will shatter into glass pebbles rather than dangerous, sharp shards if broken. Safety is the reason tempered glass is used by automobile manufacturers and should be the same reason any homeowner should select it in their glass tabletop project.

Types of Glass

Table Top Glass comes in all sorts of sizes and shapes – round, square, rectangular. You can get colored or mirror glass table tops, tempered glass table tops, beveled glass, flat polished edges, and more. The best part of all is that getting a separate glass table top allow you to get creative with the table base — a base that people will notice from every angle, thanks to a clear glass top.

Types of Bases

• Coffee table for your living room

• Dining room table for your dining room

• Dining table for your kitchen

• Desk top

• End table

• Side table

• Wood table

• Patio table

Custom Orders

We can create a glass table top cover in the measurements and thickness you need for your project. When it comes to glass, we are a full-service glass company, providing clear glass table tops, mirrors, windows, doors and more.  We can quickly get the right tabletop ready for your project.

Our skilled craftsmen have the experience you need. We are specialists in commercial, residential and automobile glass. In addition to quality repairs and installation, our glassmaker professionals are experts at edge work whether it’s pencil polish, flat polish edge, beveled polish/beveled edges, or radius corners.  We can create the custom glass table tops, mirrors and panes you need for any special project using the highest quality glass. Simply share your design ideas with us. We can guide you on your glass options and are happy to provide you with a free estimate.

Call Michael’s Glass Co. For Your Glass Furniture Needs

If you are in need of a glass tabletop or if you have a glass tabletop project, please contact us to find out if we have a glass piece in stock or to help you find your perfect glass fit!