A front door gives a home a lot of character — whether it’s a solid door with a bold color and doesn’t have any windows or if it has full panes of decorative glass inserts. Front doors also provide security for the home and everyone inside, which can sometimes be difficult when a front door has glass inserts. A significant factor that comes into play when choosing a front door is the security it can provide.
If you’re interested in a front door with glass panes, but are concerned about security, there are several types of glass that you can choose from that are strong and have a high privacy rating. At Your Door Our Glass, we have a range of glass door inserts that will give your home the character you want and the security you need.
Tempered Glass
This is a common type of glass used in homes and is a type of annealed glass, but is four times as strong. To make tempered glass, annealed glass is cut to the desired size and then heated to around 1200 ℉ and then cooled quickly. Tempered glass is also used in vehicles and can be broken fairly easily, so if you’re looking for security, this may not be the best option.
Triple-Layer Glass
As the name suggests, this type of glass is made with three different layers and offers more security. With triple-layered glass, the two outside layers are tempered glass, and the middle layer is a decorative panel. The three layers in one pane make the glass stronger and is less likely to break.
Impact-Resistant Glass
This type is also made of three layers and offers the highest level of security. It’s also known as laminated glass and is made of three layers that are bonded together. There are two glass outer layers and a middle layer made of polyvinyl butyral or ethylene-vinyl acetate. This middle layer is what makes it so strong — if the pane is broken, it won’t shatter or crumble.
Privacy Ratings
Now that you have an understanding of the different types of glass, we can discuss the privacy that the glass offers. In order to help homeowners know what to look for in their glass, manufacturers gave decorative glass a rating system. The lowest rating is number one and the highest rating is nine.
The lowest privacy rating of one means that the glass is completely clear. This type of glass is most commonly used for windows at the back of a house. When glass is given texture and becomes less clear, the rating increases. Glass that is rated at nine has the highest level of obscurity; however, a privacy rating of nine doesn’t mean that you can’t see anything. You may be able to see someone move past the window or glass insert, but you most likely won’t be able to tell what sex the person is, the color of their hair, or any specific traits of the person.
Many homeowners choose a privacy rating of seven or above for their glass door inserts, and these ratings do allow natural light into the home while also preventing outsiders from being able to see inside. To increase the privacy of a glass front door, consider installing a porch light that will reflect more light off of the glass.
If you want a strong and secure front door with character that represents your style, get in touch with the team at Your Door Our Glass in Temecula. We have a range of high-quality products, designs, and styles that you can choose from, for your front door or any space in your home. We also create custom designs so your front door will be truly unique and beautiful.