Which Makes a Better Fireplace Door: Ceramic or Tempered Glass?

Fireplace doors aren’t constructed with regular glass. Contractors recommend either tempered or ceramic fireplace door glass due to their heat-resistant properties. Take a look at the key differences between these two materials before ordering custom fireplace door glass in Minneapolis, MN.

Heat transfer

Tempered glass has a much higher rating for heat resistance. This means it barely allows any heat to pass through the door. For this reason, manufacturers discourages homeowners from burning a fire with the door closed. The fire’s extreme heat will build up behind the glass and poses the risk of shattering the tempered glass.

Ceramic fireplace door glass has a lower heat resistance, allowing heat to flow into the room even with the door shut. Ceramic glass doesn’t expand or contract that much with temperature fluctuations. However, it won’t shatter when the door is closed. Since most homeowners keep their fireplace doors open, ceramic is best suited for a coal or wood-burning stove.

Durability

When it comes down to durability, tempered glass is the clear winner. This has to do with how it’s made. Tempered glass fireplace doors start off as regular glass, which is heated in a furnace and then quickly cooled down. The process of rapidly changing its temperature strengthens tempered glass so it can stand up against the blast of a fire.

Ceramic glass is less durable because it doesn’t undergo this heating process. Those with the option of designing custom fireplace door glass should request ceramic glass mounted in a steel door frame. Steel is better for holding ceramic glass in place, which helps increase the durability.

Construction process

The process of constructing a tempered glass fireplace door is a bit more involved than ceramic. Fireplace door manufacturers in Minneapolis, MN have to order tempered glass from an outside company before they can build the door and ship it. This results in a longer wait time for you.

However, a fireplace door manufacturer can store ceramic glass in their warehouse and cut the appropriate size whenever they need it. While the wait time for tempered glass is usually a month or more, homeowners who choose ceramic fireplace door glass can receive their product in as little as one week.

Thermal shock rating

A glass door’s thermal shock rating is the maximum temperature it can handle before it shatters. The thermal shock rating for tempered glass is at the lower end, ranging between 400 and 600 degrees Fahrenheit. This means if you leave the fireplace door closed, it will eventually crack.

Ceramic glass’s shock rating clocks in at an impressive 1,380 degrees Fahrenheit. Even though fireplace doors usually remain open, ceramic would allow you to close it while a fire is going if necessary. For this reason, custom fireplace door glass made with ceramic is gaining popularity among homeowners in Minneapolis, MN.

As you can see, both types of fireplace doors have their benefits and drawbacks. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and which features matter to you the most. The experts at Custom Glass & Screen offer the most popular types of fireplace door glass and will help you make an informed decision. Reach out today to learn more.

Categorised in: Fireplace Glass

This post was written by Writer