46+ Different Types of Glass

It’s amazing how often we take the most basic of construction materials for granted. For example, take a look at glass. We have tons of different types of glass out there, many made specifically with a purpose in mind. If you want to work on a project featuring glass parts, it’s good to know what to expect. So, let’s talk about it.

There are tons of different glass types that you might hear of, including:

Understanding the type of glass you should use is just part of being a good home improvement wiz. Of course, it’s also a little bit interesting, if you’re a person who likes looking at the details like I am. So, let’s take a look at the most common types of glass found in and around the house.

The Many, Many Types of Glass

The intro is over, and you know what that means…It’s time to get into the meat and potatoes of this article. Check out the many different types below.

1. Crown Glass

Famous for having 10 percent potassium oxide, a compound that makes glass low-refractive in nature, crown glass is an almost obsolete type of glass. It used to be used as window glass during the 16th through 19th centuries. By the early 20th, there were better options. Even so, you might find it in antique furniture and art pieces.

2. Silicate Glass

Most glass you’ll find is a type of silicate glass. Silicate glass (and its offshoots like crown glass) are primarily made of silicon dioxide. Most people have heard the myth about the glass being made of sand. Well, it’s not really that much of a myth. Sand is made of silicon dioxide, primarily. If lightning or fire hits sand, it *can* turn into glass.

3. Annealed Glass

Did you ever watch a movie where people break windows with a single push? The glass that they used for that is annealed glass. Annealed glass is glass that’s super-sensitive to touch. Since it’s a very basic type of glass that needs to be treated to be hardened, it’s usually used in movie props. Hollywood loves annealed glass!

4. Float Glass

Float glass is an upscale version of most glass types. This involves floating molten glass over molten metal, giving it a perfectly flat surface. It’s uniformly thick, and you guessed it, makes for an amazing mirror. Most car mirrors and architectural glass products are made of float glass because they need to be as flat and even as possible.

5. Blown Glass

If you’ve ever seen a glassblower working on an art sculpture, a vase, or a bong, then you’ve seen them working with blown glass. This is glass that is heated up and shaped using a blowpipe. At times, the glass can be dyed or twisted to add a little more flair. Blown glass is the most common type of glass found in art.

6. Heat Resistant Glass

Most glasses will not hold up well after a certain temperature level. Heat-resistant glass is a little different. These are glasses made out of quartz-infused silicates, borosilicate, and other materials that help increase their heat resistance. Most people have seen this in industrial items, as well as in glassware made by companies like Pyrex.

7. Network Glasses

Did you ever touch a fiber optic cord? If you have, you might have noticed that it feels glassy. That’s network glass, and there are several different types of it. This is an umbrella term for high-grade glass that is used in the creation of fiber optic networks, as well as those pretty glowy lights that were popular in the 90s.

8. Toughened Glass

Toughened glass is also known as tempered glass. This super-sturdy type of glass is meant to be break-resistant, so if you need something that can support a lot of weight, it’s this stuff. When it does break, it breaks into chunks rather than typical shards. This is the glass you see on phone screens, doors, tables, and tougher windows.

9. Frosted Glass

Frosted glass is more of an aesthetic thing than a functional thing. This is glass (usually silicate) that’s been treated with a process that gives it a semi-opaque look. It’s likened to seeing frost on a window. In many cases, people use frosted glass to get a little bit of privacy in a room. This can be done for professional buildings or for bathrooms.

10. Safety Glass

11. Laminated Glass

Laminated glass is a safety glass that’s built like a sandwich. On either end, you have a sheet of glass—often tempered glass. In the middle of the glass is a super-thin sheet of plastic that holds it together. The end result is a fairly sturdy type of glass that works well as a barrier for intruders. It’s really hard to break!

12. Window Glass/Soda-Lime Glass/Glazing Glass

Window glass is exactly what it sounds like: glass for windows. It’s usually a silicate glass that has soda and lime additives in it, which is why some people call it soda-lime glass. Another term for it? Glazing. It’s all the same thing. Most modern homes have glazing as their window type of choice.

13. Double Glazed Glass

Double glazed glasses are just like regular window glasses, with one little difference. It involves two window sheets separated by a gap of air. This can help insulation and also reduce the issue of having “leaky acoustics.” If you want privacy, getting double or even triple glazing is a good idea.

14. Heat Strengthened Glass

This glass is interesting, to say the least. It is annealed glass heated up to a super-high temperature, then cooled down immediately after. The process of heating it up helps make the glass somewhat stronger. While it’s not considered to be safety glass, it’s still useable for drinkware and similar stuff. However, it still breaks into shards pretty badly.

15. Composite Glass

Composite glass is an umbrella term for any type of glass that is made with other materials fused to it, such as wired glass or laminate glass. In most cases, composite glass is a way to ensure that you get extra security or a firmer structure.

16. Wired Glass

If you’ve ever lived in New York, you might have noticed that the glass in certain subway stations and warehouses have wire built into it. That’s wired glass, a unique type of safety glass built with fire in mind. With most glasses, the heat from a fire will cause them to burst. The explosion can be a major hazard for passers-by. The wired glass prevents the explosion and keeps outsiders safe.

17. Chemically Strengthened Glass

Another type of safety glass you might encounter is chemically treated glass. This glass is infused with chemicals that make it far stronger and more break-resistant than typical glass. That’s why airlines and phone companies both use this glass on a regular basis. It’s also pretty epic for tables.

18. Plate Glass

This is one of the few glass categories that doesn’t refer to makeup or function, but rather, the form. Plate glass refers to glass sold in large, rectangular sheets. These are typically used for windows or for tabletops. Or, you know, architectural stuff.

19. Painted Glass

Painted glass has a type of paint that is placed on the bottom layer of the glass, giving it a look of sleek acrylic. This kind of glass is often used as a cabinet coating, oven cover, or even as a glass table countertop. If you’re really into the look, it can also be used as a backdrop. However, getting it in a single room as a wall backdrop can be a little hard!

20. Patterned Glass

Did you ever see a glass pane that looks like it had a print stamped into it? If so, you probably saw patterned glass. This is glass that has a texture stamped into it. This is both an aesthetic choice and a functional one. It’s one of the easiest ways to give yourself a little privacy, which is precisely why you see it at spas.

21. Glass Fiber

Also known as fiberglass, glass fiber involves tiny glass shards that are woven or condensed into a protective sheet. It’s a favorite for builders who want to have a high level of insulation. Spaceships use this, as do boats. In fact, it’s used almost anywhere that heavy-duty insulation is required. However, it can be pretty cutting. Be careful when you use it. Glass fiber splinters aren’t nice!

22. Glass Wool

Before we begin, yes, that’s actually glass. It’s a specialty type of glass fiber that is made to resemble soft, fluffy wool. As one can imagine, the multiple layers of glass make this an excellent choice for people who want to add insulation to a home. In fact, that’s its number one use! If you’re laying it out, be careful with your hands. The wool can still cut you.

23. Solar Control Glass

Solar control glass doesn’t have much to do with solar energy, but it still kind of does. As the earth heats up due to global warming, scientists have been working to find a way to reduce the heat inside. That’s what solar control panels do. This glass reduces the heat and exposure to UV light, thereby lowering energy bills. Pretty green, huh?

24. Glass Flakes

Glass flakes are famous for being useful for painters. When you treat paint with glass flakes, the paint becomes more durable. More importantly, it’s less likely to corrode or crack.

25. Borosilicate Glass

Borosilicate glasses are one of the bigger categories when it comes to glass makeup. This type of glass is based in silica, but also has boron trioxide and other ingredients. Borosilicate glasses are sturdier than typical glass, which makes them popular for heavy-duty cookware.

26. Lead Glass

Adding a little lead to silica glass makes a type of glass that glitters like a diamond. This is why lead glass was once synonymous with the term “crystal.” Admittedly, lead glass has fallen out of favor in recent years after the discovery of how insanely toxic lead is. However, it’s still occasionally used in chandeliers. Most of the time, you’ll only see this in antique vases and drinkware.

27. Crystal

Crystal can be used interchangeably with lead glass, if you’re talking about antique drinkware. However, they aren’t always the same thing. Modern crystal glass is made with safer alternatives such as barium oxide or zinc oxide. This makes modern crystal a lot safer to drink out of.

28. Vitreous Enamel

Yes, it’s true. Your cookware has a glass enamel on it—at least if it’s nonstick. This is a powdered glass solution that’s often added to metal or ceramic to help make cleaning easier. It’s highly resistant to temperature changes, too. So, you might also see this in other things, such as heavy-duty oven parts.

29. Glass-Ceramic

Speaking of cookware, let’s talk about another material found in it: glass-ceramic. This is heavily treated glass that’s made to act like a hybrid between classic ceramic and glass. So, it’ll have a very high-temperature resistance, but also tends to be nonstick. They also tend to be translucent. You might also see them on stovetops because they’re so good for cooking.

30. Fused Silica

Fused silica is also known as fused quartz, and it’s one of the rarest, mostly because it’s so hard to make. This is pure silica, no additives. And it’s also hyper-heated to 3000 degrees Fahrenheit to make. It’s ultra-strong and can transmit UV light rays well, which is why it’s almost exclusively used in science fields.

31. Forest Glass

Forest glass is not made anymore, though you might still find it in ancient churches or history museums. This glass type was derived from wood ash and silica that was heated up. The wood ash would give it a pale green or brownish tint, depending on the type of wood that was burned.

32. Architectural Glass

This is one more umbrella term that has to do with the use of the glass itself. Architectural glasses are typically made to fit a specific form or function. This may include having solar control, being unusually sturdy, or even being cut a specific way. With this category of glass, you’ll know when you see it in action.

33. Container Glass

Container glass is both an umbrella term and a descriptor of most glass types you’ll find on a grocery store aisle. These are glasses that are meant to be sturdy enough for long-term transportation and commerce use. For example, a vodka bottle or a jar of maraschino cherries would fit this bill. If you have Ball mason jars, then that would be a good example of this, too.

34. Aluminosilicate Glass

Aluminosilicate glass is a very specific type of glass found in glass fiber. This is a mixture of silica, alumina, boron, as well as several other major additives. When fiberglass is made, glass fibers of aluminosilicate are intertwined with plastic. Since this glass (and the plastic) is waterproof and able to withstand water erosion, it tends to be used in boat manufacturing.

35. Germanium-Oxide Glass

This is one of the only silica-free glass types on the market, and it’s ultra-clear. Because it has such high clarity, it’s often used in fiber optics. While it is a network glass, it’s also a glass that occasionally finds itself in scientific studies. Either way, it’s probably pretty pricey.

36. Stained Glass

If you’ve ever set foot in a church, you’ve seen classic stained glass. This is a glass that, unlike painted glass, is imbued with the color throughout its glass during manufacture. The color is part of the chemical makeup, rather than just painted on the back of the glass. This allows you to get a translucent glass that has brilliant coloration.

37. Hydrophobic/Oleophobic Glass

Did you ever get tired of having to do all the window cleaning in the home? Then you’re going to like self-cleaning glass. This is glass that’s chemically treated to repel water and/or oils. This type of glass will have water slide right off of it, often after beading up.

38. Acrylic Glass

If you’ve ever sat down at a post-COVID restaurant, chances are that you saw tall, glass-like barriers made of acrylic material. That’s acrylic glass, and unlike every other entry on here, it’s not glass. It’s a form of plastic that has the same look as glass.

39. Uranium Glass

This glowy green glass was once incredibly popular during the 1880s through the 1940s. As the name suggests, it had anywhere from 10 to 25 percent of its makeup made from radioactive uranium. It would give the glass a green tint during regular daylight, but would make them glow a bright green if exposed to UV light. Yikes.

40. Trinitite

Trinitite is not a rock that is supposed to be found in nature, but you will be able to find it all over the ground near Los Alamos. This is a unique type of glass that is formed when nuclear bombs hit sand. The first trinitite was created during atom bomb testing in government-held locations. Today, it’s more or less a tourist collectible. It’s now buried and illegal to take, so finding it is rare.

41. Pressed Glass

If you have ever seen a bowl that had a pattern pressed into it that looked like it was slowly cut via melting the ends of it, you’ve seen pressed glass. This is a practice often seen in antique glasses. To make pressed glass, liquid glass is poured into a mold, that is then pressed in on both sides. The glass then cools. You can see where the mold closed via the seams.

42. Cut Glass

Cut glass is a generic term for glass that was shaped by cutting machines or careful sawing. Most items on the market are cut glass, rather than pressed. This includes stuff like antique lead glass vases, such as the one above, and chandeliers. In the past, cut glass was a sign of quality artisan workmanship. However, as machinery became more advanced, it just became another way to make glass look pretty.

43. Sea Glass

Sea glass is a strange thing, indeed. This is glass that once belonged to bottles, windows, and other items. The glass shards got dropped into the sea, where the natural waves and action started to give it a unique tumbling experience. By the time it gets back to beaches, it attains a softer edge. It sometimes is used in artwork or as a part of spa setups.

44. Carnival Glass

If you’re a fan of the iridescent trend that’s hit the net lately, you’re going to love carnival glass. This refers to a decorative type of glass that has been treated so that it can boast a shimmery “oil slick” appearance. The surreal look of this glass first made its debut in the 1950s, but as we can all see, it’s been going strong now.

45. Flint Glass

This is glass that’s made from potassium carbonate and silica. Most of the time, this high-quality glass is used in tech items. The most common item it’s associated with is lightbulbs. However, it can also occasionally be used for stuff like lab beakers and microscopes. You might say that this glass has a way of lighting up a room.

46. Recycled Glass

Reduce, reuse, recycle! It’s the rallying cry of many environmentally aware people. At times, the end product is recycled glass. This is glass that has been produced from the remnants of old glass, or “cullet.” Recycled glass can be made into a variety of different colors or thicknesses. While it can occasionally get turned into high-grade safety glass, most recycled glass is made into container glass.

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