Your outdoor furniture made of tempered glass looks fantastic while you lounge during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. It’s a great conversation piece and eye-catching when guests come by. However, you may be wondering if you can leave it outside with the rest of your outdoor furniture during the winter.
Tempered glass is stronger than regular glass. Therefore, any furniture made of tempered glass should withstand the cold of winter. Just make sure the furniture is not under large icicles that could fall and break it. You may want to cover or store it if you live in a location where hail or heavy snowstorms occur that could break or shatter the glass.
Although tempered glass is stronger than regular glass, it is not indestructible. It can break like any other glass furniture with blunt force or extreme temperature fluctuations. It may be advisable to store it away if you know a major winter storm is coming, or at least cover it. Tempered glass should be able to withstand snowfall and cold temperatures as long as they are not extreme.
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Can you leave tempered glass outside in winter?
Tempered glass is stronger than regular glass
Tempered glass can withstand more impacts than regular glass, which is why it is the recommended glass for outdoor furniture. It is glass that is thicker and made for additional durability in a 1100-degree oven. This makes tempered glass an ideal glass to have your furniture made of or framed with.
Tempered glass is made for the outdoors
Furniture made of tempered glass has the ability to withstand the elements for years without incidents. Given the thickness of the glass, it can hold up to snow or even small hail showers. As well as cold temperatures, as long as they don’t fluctuate too drastically. The weather will only become a problem if there are extreme changes from cold to warm.
Pay attention to the placement of furniture
Make sure your furniture made of tempered glass is not damaged by falling objects like trees or roofs where icicles can grow. These icicles could fall and break your furniture or even shatter it if they are large enough. Strong winds can also topple your table and effectively smash it if it falls on your deck or patio.
You can always store the furniture
If you don’t want to risk your table getting damaged over the winter months, store it for the winter. You can store it in a garage, basement, or shed. This way, the glass will not be exposed to extreme weather or impact damage. Then you can take it out again in the spring and enjoy it until winter comes around again.
How can tempered glass break in winter?
Tempered glass is harder than regular glass, so you may be wondering how tempered glass can break at all. It sounds like a durable material capable of withstanding the elements and temperature fluctuations. How could it possibly get damaged or break? Well, there are a few possibilities:
- Defective glass is one thing
Not all companies use the highest-quality tempered glass in furniture construction. If you happen to have the misfortune of purchasing defective glass, you may find that it breaks much more quickly. This means you will either need to buy a replacement or have the glass repaired. If you choose the latter, the company repairing the glass may find that the glass is defective or instead recommend that you purchase a new piece of tempered glass.
- The material around tempered glass can warp
The tempered glass may not always be the culprit. Wood and metal can warp and change over time when exposed to the elements. It can warp so severely that the glass pops out or even falls through and breaks. You may find some cracks when the material condenses and exerts additional pressure on the sides of the glass.
- Weather can affect any type of furniture
Weather can take its toll on any type of furniture over time, and tempered glass is no exception. Additional stress from extreme weather can wear down and destroy your table, eventually leading to it breaking after being exposed for so long. If you live in an area with extreme or prolonged winters, you may want to consider storing your furniture for additional protection.
What to do if your tempered glass shatters
Here are some things you can do if your tempered glass shatters:
- Clean up the mess
One of the many benefits of furniture made of tempered glass is that the pieces become pebble-like at the edges when they break. Unlike regular glass, which can have jagged or sharp edges that can cut you. This makes cleaning up easier if your tempered glass shatters. You should discard the pieces and, depending on what other materials your furniture is made of, dispose of or recycle them.
- Have the glass repaired
Glass companies like the Glass Doctors can repair cracked furniture. Your tempered glass may have cracked but not fully broken at this point. In this case, you can have the crack in your furniture repaired. Depending on how the crack occurred, the company may recommend sourcing a replacement instead of repairing the cost.
- Purchase a replacement
Many home improvement or home goods stores sell furniture made of tempered glass that you can purchase to replace your broken ones. As mentioned above, tempered glass is more durable than regular glass. That’s why most outdoor furniture already comes with tempered glass. But maybe you prefer a regular glass piece or don’t want to spend the extra money for a piece made of tempered glass.
- Have a glass company enclose your furniture with tempered glass
If you have furniture that you need to get or have been given that doesn’t have tempered glass, it can be retrofitted. Just call a glass company like the Glass Doctors to take your furniture and enclose it with tempered glass for extra protection. They can also ensure they use quality glass for additional durability instead of defective glass.
Should you leave your tempered glass outside in winter?
With that, we have answered the question of whether you can leave tempered glass outside in winter. Now you’re probably wondering if you should take the risk or not. In the end, it’s up to you. Many owners of tempered glass have risked their furniture during the winter months and had no issues. While others have had to run to the store to buy another table after theirs broke.
Some things that can help you make the decision are:
- Weather
- Location
- Storage available
- Covers
If you frequently experience heavy snowstorms during the winter months, you will probably be better off storing it for safekeeping. Location also plays a role, as if you live in an area where winter is not long-lasting or you get no more than occasional hail showers, you should leave the tempered glass outside.
Finally, if you don’t have space to store your furniture, then you may not be able to store it. You can also purchase covers to protect your furniture if you don’t have the storage space. Covers can also be a good alternative for those who do have space to store their furniture made of tempered glass but don’t want to haul it back and forth.
Ultimately, tempered glass is something that can be outside in winter, but it wouldn’t hurt to take extra precautions.