New patio doors glass panes are flexing!?

[Bobu]

Hello,

I have just had a new uPVC patio door installed to replace the original single glazed patio door with metal frames.

I found out after it was installed (as I was told not to try and not touch it for a day whilst the silicone was drying) that the glass panes bend in when you put a little pressure on it with your hand! It moves maybe a 1-1.5cm inwards. To give it a bit of context, my three year old nephew pushed on it a little and it bent in (which clearly worried me!). It flexes when pushing from the inside of the house but not as much from the outside pushing towards the house.

The panes are pretty big (maybe 1.5m x 2.5m, I'll measure it properly tomorrow when I'm next at the house and update the thread).

The guys who fitted it have come back to have a look and said it's down to the size of the glass pane but the old patio door never did this.

They claimed it was safe (though very disconcerting to me as I don't normally see windows bend) and the panes of glass have the "strengthened" logo in the corner (shouldn't that say "toughened"?).

Anyone got any thoughts on this?
Is this normal? Does it sound like I've been shortchanged on the glass thickness, glass type or is it sounding like it hasn't been fitted properly?

Really appreciate any input you may have!

 

[God]

Does not need to say toughend, does it have bs6206 on there? if so that will do. Over a certain width it should ideally be 6mm toughend. If it is 4mm toughend it will bow a bit if you lean on it.

 

[crank39]

Going back about 10 years I once saw a toughened dgu near on bend to 90 degrees and it still didn't pop, we removed an ali patio and a colleague slid the slider or fixed into a nearly full skip and the thing slid back out, half in the skip and half out he thought like a prat he'd jump on it to snap it like say you would with a bit of wood resting on a kerb, well the ali sections bent alright but the glass did not break

At that same period in time while working for a 24hr emergency glazier/boarding up i attended a break in where the burglar managed to get his fingers in between the fixed panel and the slider and peeled the bottom corner upwards, just like turning a page in a book, with the gap he'd created he crawled through and burgaled the joint and left through the front door, the glass was still intact in that patio too

Funny stuff toughened glass, it'll withstand all that then one day will just break on its own for the hell of it, can even break in your hands while carrying it from the van to the frame, happened to me many a time

Being quite a large dgu during manufacture they probably pulled the two panes apart before they sealed it completely, usually leaving a bit unsealed in a corner, this sucks air into the cavity and while holding it like that they finish of the seal, wait for it to set a bit and release the suckers, this traps a bubble of air in the cavity, when you press on the inner pane for instance then the outer might pop out, either that and its been sealed neutrally and its just deflection you are seeing, either way it'll be fine

 

[Bobu]

Thanks for the replies.

I couldn't see "bs6206" (is that normally in the corners with the logos?). I took a close look and it did say "Express Toughening KM57608" along with tje Kitemark. Googling that number it seems to the be the registration number for that company (Express Toughening Ltd).

I'll have another look tomorrow for bs6206 to make sure I didn't overlook it. I can't say for certain how thick it is, but I'll certainly ask the installers how thick the panes of glass were that they used!

Appreciate the thoughts about the glass being tough so it may not break, but it does somewhat freak me out when I see it bend when you push it a little, especially when a three year old does it!

 

[crank39]

Don't worry about the deflection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRSsgwefD-4

 

[Gazman16]

Great video there Crank!

 

[shawwwn]

In my opinion .Should be 6mm
At that size the true extent of flexing will be observed in high winds .

Probably scare the beejeebas out of you the first time it happens
But whatever happens still most unlikely to break.
I walk up toughened glass roofs done in 4mm.

But if you were to throw a dart at it at full belt ( small sharp impact) it will shatter into a million bits.
Dont worry about it though as i say most unlikely to break.
Enjoy the view.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I walk up toughened glass roofs done in 4mm.

You're an idiot.

 

[shawwwn]

This idiot has been working in the glass and glazing industry since he was 15 years old some 45 years

I work in cornwall on the coast and see the action of high winds and storms on glass on a daily basis
May be that the glass in question is not in an exposed area but what i do know for certain is that anything over 2 sq mtrs is automatically done in 6mm in the firm i work for .

I DO IT FOR A LIVING.

DO u

 

[shawwwn]

I forgot to add that i do indeed walk up toughened glass roofs on lean to conservatories.

Walk on the glass about twice a week.

yours The Idiot.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Walk on the glass about twice a week.

Yes a proper Idiot at least twice a week. I've never fallen through, until I do one day!

 

[shawwwn]

I've never fallen through


These roofs are double glazed units the worst that could happen is that one layer of the double glazed unit could shatter .
Never has yet and i weigh 14 1/2 stone.

Of course you have to have the guts to do it and few have.

I have a true understanding of glass after all my years in the TRADE

Please troll me back, as i find your ignorance of the glass and glazing industry quite amusing...

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I've never fallen through

I love your philosophy!

 

[DHFrames]

Where exactly on the method statement/risk assessment would you include "walking up glass"? I cant believe the company you work for let you do this on a weekly base. Yes we've all done it, but in this day and age it's a absolute no no for me, especially when you have employees safety at risk.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Maybe you've not got the guts DH?