“Are you looking for a glass glazier on wondering what glass glaziers do? If so this article is for you.
What do Glass Glaziers do?
The term glass glazier is referring to someone who works with glass, regarding installation, cutting, and measuring. A glazier is someone trained in the trade of working with flat glass and in some cases curved glass/custom shapes.
A common misconception about a glass glazier is that we make and manufacture glass. This is untrue. Whilst a glass glazier may be proficient in the art of processing (something I’ll answer later), a glazier only works with glass that is already finished and ready to cut or install. For more info on manufacturing please read more here.
A glass glazier is responsible for some of the following applications of glass. Mirrors Glaziers are often experts at measuring and installing mirrors. Because a lot of bathrooms and other surfaces are out of square the glass glazier responsible for measuring will need to use a leveling device. Depending on the span of the mirrors the glass glazier will also need to pay great attention to warping effects. Shopfronts As a glass glazier, they will get called out to measure and install shopfronts. this can be broken down into 4 main categories…
1. Measuring
Measuring a shopfront is crucial to a business undergoing the work. A wrong size can cost a glass business a lot of money in time and glass costs because usually multiple glass glaziers will be called on-site to replace the shopfront and the glass is large, heavy and expensive. Because of this high cost of labour and glass, measuring is the most important factor when installing shopfronts, especially considering once the old shopfront is de-glazed this will leave the shop exposed and need of a new piece of glass or boarding up.
2. Cutting
Cutting shopfronts is pretty straightforward. This will involve expertise in cutting heavyweight glass and perhaps long corners or other out of square requirements. It pays to only use an experienced glass glazier when cutting shopfronts, there’s very little room for error and the cost is large if the task is mismanaged.
3. Deglazing
If the shopfront is float glass or badly damaged and requires removal in smaller pieces this can be very dangerous. I recall when I was an apprentice my boss, who was very experienced, got a decent cut while we were removing an old 10mm float shopfront. It pays to work with an experienced crew of glass glaziers when removing large shop fronts, taking your time and being very careful is a must.
4. Installation
Installation this is the easiest part but does require brute force as shopfronts are heavy. The most experienced team members should be on both ends. Often the least experienced can be standing by ready to move loading blocks and place the setting blocks in position once the shopfront is in place, in the frame.
Splash-backs
When I was an apprentice my employer reveled in the profits splash-backs rewarded. Fast forward 17 years and the whole industry has changed. This is excellent for the consumer and has leveled the playing field. Aside from needing to be measured by a skilled trades-person and installed by an equally skilled trades-person, there is a fair bit of knowledge required when dealing with splash-backs and a customer’s kitchen.
Vast knowledge about colours, lighting, glass and other interior knowledge is crucial. Once the splash-back is installed the decision is final so choosing the right colour is crucial. I would highly recommend doing quite a lot of shopping around and choosing a glass glazier that has a fantastic track record of completing splash-backs that satisfy their customer’s needs. Trying to cut costs will haunt you for years to come and you’ll be remembered every time you walk into your kitchen.
Customer Service
The most common form of work to be performed by a glass glazier is glass repairs. In the industry, this is known as a hack out or re-glaze. Mostly this is undertaken on domestic premises and the glass glazier will be in direct contact with the customer so an element of customer service will need to be practiced.
A common misconception with customers is that a big respected glass company will service their home with the best glass glaziers and customer service. If you’re in two minds about whether or not a larger company can provide the best customer service I’d consider perusing the most famous glass company’s google reviews. You’ll soon realize that customer service isn’t high in their priority. Many of our customers have complained about the pain of dealing with larger companies and commend us and other smaller businesses in our crusade in practicing good old customer service.
“Eliminating customer service from the equation a glass glazier’s ability to repair your window can vary greatly depending on their training and skill level.”
I have been to many jobs replacing a window only to look to my left or right and see a previously repaired window that looks like the silicon work of a blind man. Although glazing is a relatively straightforward trade, on occasion, some tricks and techniques are required for a competent glass repair job.
Regardless of whether you use Adelaide Glaziers or not, I’d hope to give you as much value as possible and one key takeaway is to use a glass glazier that has a proven track record of quality work. As the old saying goes “you get what you pay for”, this often rings true in a lot of trades so do your homework before making a firm decision.
What kind of processing work is involved with flat glass?
Processing glass doesn’t necessarily need to be done by a glass glazier but may require a highly skilled worker who has a vast knowledge of how to hold, cut, drill and manage glass. Some of the skills required for glass processing are… sandblasting
beveling holes
toughening
CNC operation.
Common Questions.
Is being a glazier difficult?
What skills do you need to be a glass glazier?
How to become a glass glazier?
Helpful Links
For Adelaide Glazier’s glass replacement service click here.
For all our glazing services be sure to check our services page.
If you would like to learn more about glass and glazing then visit our learn page.
If you have any further questions call Adelaide Glazier’s on 0426 584 140 or complete the contact form on our homepage.
1 thought on “What is a Glass Glazier?”
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