Glass top on garden table shattered - be warned

[LooseBoots]

just after my partner had sat at the table in the garden, which is under cover of a gazeebo and not in direct sunlight, we heard this strange noise. Went in the garden to investigate and the glass top had shattered into a million pieces, for no apparent reason.Will try to upload pics later. Good job no one was sitting there.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

[andrew4232]

at least it looks like safety glass would have been a lot worse with normal

[kiplet]

Oh my goodness, as you say good job no one was hurt. Did you buy the table local ?

[deputydawg]

Thankfully these incidents of spontaneous shattering of tempered glass are not as common as spontaneous failings in tempered metals such as with some cheap imported metals from the far East. The photograph indicates that perhaps the failure occurred at the centre of the glass and has travelled, spider web like, to the outer edges. Knowing that glass laid flat is more prone to failing than when in an upright position my best guess is that the surface it was on is not 100% flat though perhaps not visible with the naked eye. There could have been a minute imperfection in the tempering process such as a minute air locked bubble within the glass, near the centre of the table which, over a period of time, by minimal tremor or variations of heat etc started the chain reaction.

The only practical things I can think of for the replacement are that you check as best as possible for imperfection, consider making the glass marginally smaller than the table so that the edges are not so much at risk of being knocked against. When settling fish tanks onto what appear to be flat surfaces, and before adding the weighty water, I have always used a thin sheet of polystyrene underneath. The tank when filled then compresses into the polystyrene where necessary to achieve a totally level surface avoiding glass fracture. You may not wish to go that far with your defensive measures !

I do hope that if you replace the glass it has the longevity of a Marathon Runner and the shock absorber qualities of running in loose boots !

[woodspeckie]

My Son had a glass table top on a table in his conservatory and he came home one day to find the glass had shattered.

[LooseBoots]

I do hope that if you replace the glass it has the longevity of a Marathon Runner and the shock absorber qualities of running in loose boots !

Nice one.

[ham on brown]

It's looks the same as mine, I imported it and it has tempered glass on it. In fact a just flipped the glass today to clean the dust under it,the glass does get quite hot,but not that hot you would think it could shatter like the pic. Did you buy it local?

[LooseBoots]

The table was bought in the UK and brought over in our container 3 years ago.

[Keithcaley]

Does anyone remember a few years ago (well, probably more than a few - more like 30!) in the UK, there were a lot of imported (French?) glass cups, glasses (naturally!) and possibly other tableware?

They were fine for a while, and then we started seeing reports of them shattering - I seem to recall that it was mainly the cups, and I've a feeling that the glass was coloured (amber?), but I wouldn't swear to it.

The items quickly made the transition from being regarded as 'the latest thing' to 'nasty, cheap Foreign muck'

[sophie]

KC, I think you're referring to a company called Arcopal. It was white and supposed to resemble white china and then had bright coloured flowers etc stencilled on it. I thought I was the bees knees and had masses of the stuff, but if you dropped anything it was lethal because the shards were thicker and sharper than normal glass. Its now classified as Retro and sells on Ebay for much more than original price.

[Keithcaley]

Ah!...that's the stuff! - although I couldn't find anything about the initial problem with breakages.

[LooseBoots]

I`m glad to have helped a trip down memory lane.

[Keithcaley]

You couldn't, perchance, help with any other subjects could you?

Like - where I put the car keys, for instance?

[LooseBoots]

You couldn't, perchance, help with any other subjects could you?

Like - where I put the car keys, for instance?

In the fridge? Or ....................they are where you left them............

[deputydawg]

Years ago one of my children broke a large window at our our married quarter by throwing (inaccurately) bricks at a toy glider stuck in a tree. Needed to fix it quick and secretively or be called to book. Off to the builders merchant for glass and putty but had to use the builder's trade counter ie "gissus 6' be 4' winder glass and tin of putty for metal frame, mate". I was given a specialised trolley and a marked out route and door exclusively for moving glass safely. Laid this large pane, wrapped in a blanket, in the back of the car, seats down. Leapt in the front and smugly thought "sorted" as I simultaneously turned the key with my right hand. Unfortunately with my left hand, as was my habit, I tossed my briefcase between the front head seat headrests to land on the back seats. My heart went cold at the ensuing smash. Back in the shop I rejoined the queue and sheepishly renewed my order. "Your have broken the bu...r 'av'nt yer" shouted the assistant. All the tradesmen responded with comments like "plonker". They formed a guard of honour right out to the car park clapping and cheering and giving encouragement "left a bit stop, right a bit stop, steady as you go" whilst I pushed the trolley, head down towards the car shouting back "do you see another tin of putty on this trolley, no you don't so wind your necks in and pith off". It may be memory lane for keith but more like trauma alley for me ! Subsequently I was banned from a Greek Restaurant when I was having a great night but nobody had told me there were special cheap plates for smashing and not the ones the Greek's there were eating off !

[woodspeckie]

At the weekend my grandson got a glass tumbler out of the cupboard put some ice in it and the glass broke up in pieces, would that be that the glass was warm anyone?

[sophie]

Woodspeckie, most likely particularly if there was the minutest of flaws in the glass. The same could happen if you put boiling water into a cold glass. Same but different.

[Rambling Rose]

Still down memory lane, didnt there used to be something called Pyrex - transparent ovenware but if you dropped it it went into very sharp dangerous shards - then they brought out Pyrosil which was white with flowers. The shattering was something to do with specific gravity and the way the molecules were were attracted but if they broke they flew apart violently (there is a metaphore in there somewhere?)

Keith: for the key problem I suggest, from bitter experience: on the bed, kitchen table, under the kitchen table, hanging on the fence, by the telephone (which rang as you came in) ,in the dogs 's basket (at least you can blame the dog) or as a last (and rather difficult resort, unless you have spares!) in the car boot.

[Keithcaley]

...the key problem...

In the ignition!

[sophie]

Rambling, I've still got Pyrosil, amazing stuff, you can bring it straight out of the freezer on to gas ring or the oven with no problem at all. You can also turn the gas off but food will carry on cooking for about 10 mins. Supposed to be made of the same material as used on the heat shield of the rockets in space (or something like that)

[Rambling Rose]

Sophie: I had a set of Pyrosil a long time ago and in another country - all got lost, stolen, strayed or smashed , except for one small frying pan type, which I preserve with great care as it is perfect for things that have to be at just the right temperature and cleans easily and doesnt stain. Can you still get it?