Hammerglass

Hammerglass is a high impact glazing sheet that resists breaking under repeated strikes. It suits mirrors, screens and vision panels in places where ordinary glass would be a hazard. ArxBridge supplies Hammerglass across the UK for schools, hospitals, transport and public buildings.

• Impact resistantResists breaking under strikes
• Mirrors and screensSafety glazing applications
• Lightweight sheetEasier handling on site
• UK wideSurvey, supply and installation

About hammerglass

Hammerglass is a coated polycarbonate glazing sheet engineered to take hard impacts without shattering. Where glass breaks into pieces, this material dents, flexes and keeps its integrity, which removes the shower of sharp fragments that makes broken glass dangerous.

The sheet carries a hard coating that resists scratching and graffiti, so it keeps its clarity in high traffic areas. It can be cut to shape for mirrors, vision panels, notice boards and protective screens, and it fixes with standard glazing methods into suitable frames.

It is important to understand what Hammerglass is not. It is not a tested security glazing to LPS 1270 or EN 1063, and it does not carry a forced entry rating. It is an impact resistant material for safety and anti vandal applications, specified where breaking glass is the problem rather than a determined intruder.

Picking the rating for hammerglass

Hammerglass is specified by application rather than a test rating. Where the risk assessment calls for a rated product, specify the rated glass instead.

The right column matters more than the left. Putting an unrated sheet on a rated security line downgrades the whole line to the sheet, so the specification must be honest about where each material belongs.

Specifier note. Never substitute Hammerglass for a rated glass on a tested assembly. The rating belongs to the tested glass and frame together, and an unrated sheet voids it.

The build behind hammerglass

The sheet starts as polycarbonate, a polymer with far higher impact strength than glass. Both faces receive a hard coating that protects against abrasion, chemicals and graffiti, which is what keeps the sheet clear in service. Without the coating, polycarbonate scratches easily; with it, the sheet suits public areas.

For mirrors, a reflective layer is applied to the back of the sheet. The result is a mirror that cannot shatter into shards, which is why it is specified for secure accommodation, mental health wards and custody areas where a broken mirror would become a weapon.

Fixing follows normal glazing practice: the sheet is cut to size, bedded into a frame with suitable gaskets, and retained by beads. Because the sheet is lighter than glass, handling on site is easier and larger sheets are practical. Edges must be finished to the supplier detail, since a damaged edge is the weak point of any sheet material.

Pairing hammerglass with other ratings

Hammerglass and rated glass often serve different parts of the same building. A hospital might use Hammerglass for ward mirrors and anti vandal screens while the pharmacy hatch carries LPS 1270 rated glass and the entrance uses LPS 1175 rated doors and windows. Each material does the job it is proven for.

Where an opening needs both impact resistance and a test rating, the answer is the rated product: bullet resistant glass for firearms, blast resistant glass for pressure, LPS 1270 for manual attack. Hammerglass fills the gap below those ratings, where safety and vandal resistance are the requirement.

Sites that use hammerglass

Healthcare uses Hammerglass for mirrors and screens in wards, waiting areas and secure units, where patient safety rules out breakable glass. Education uses it for mirrors, vision panels and notice boards in corridors and sports halls.

Transport operators use it for timetable cases and information screens that take daily knocks. Prisons, custody suites and public toilets use it wherever a mirror or screen must not become a source of sharp fragments.

Cost and lead time factors for hammerglass

Sheet thickness and size set the material cost, and shaped or drilled sheets add processing time. Mirror grade costs more than clear sheet because of the reflective layer. Large sheets need care in transport and handling, which the installation plan must allow for.

Standard sheet sizes are quick to supply; cut shapes, bonded assemblies and large format mirrors take longer. The frame or housing the sheet fixes into must suit the sheet thickness and expansion, which the survey confirms. A schedule of sheet sizes and the application for each is the basis for a quotation.

How to specify your hammerglass

1. Name the application. Mirror, vision panel, screen or notice board, for each location.
2. Check the rating question. Confirm the opening is not on a tested security line needing rated glass.
3. Set the thickness. Choose the sheet weight to suit the impact expected.
4. State the finish. Clear, mirror or tinted, and any printing or manifestation.
5. Confirm the fixing. Frame type, bead detail and edge finish to the supplier detail.
6. Request a detailed quotation. Send the schedule of sheets and drawings for a fixed proposal.

Frequently asked questions