Glass for furniture.

[Peri]

So, my wife has an idea for two side tables she'd like.
She's got some nice sculptures, and she'd like something that can show them off.
As a basic idea, something like this, but with 4 glass sides and some led lighting in the top.



I have two questions - first, does it need to be toughened glass?

Secondly, an online quote for 8of 400x400x4mm toughened glass panels is over £320 - that seems a bit steep to me....or is that what glass goes for?

Ta.

 

[Cabinetman]

Yes it does as it’s below a certain height (a mtr?) and those online glass places are pretty terrible, you’ll get a price much more to your liking at a local co.
Perspex is pretty indistinguishable from glass as long as it doesn’t get scratched.

 

[Doug]

Personally I’d opt for laminate glass which would be cheaper

 

[Stuart]

At low level I wouldn’t use plain glass for obvious reasons. As Ian has said, a local supplier is likely to be much cheaper than on line.

Laminate is likely to be cheaper but it depends on your circumstances. I prefer toughened because if it does break it tends to be into ‘safer’ bits whilst laminated can leave sharp bits exposed.

 

[Windows]

So, my wife has an idea for two side tables she'd like.
She's got some nice sculptures, and she'd like something that can show them off.
As a basic idea, something like this, but with 4 glass sides and some led lighting in the top.

View attachment 38522

I have two questions - first, does it need to be toughened glass?

Secondly, an online quote for 8of 400x400x4mm toughened glass panels is over £320 - that seems a bit steep to me....or is that what glass goes for?

Ta.

Oct 2025, I paid £48 inc VAT for two 4mm toughened glass at 392 x 1242, for pickup at a local shop (the glass is done by pilkington so took about 10 days to do).

 

[Accipiter]

I've a 'Roman Glass Co' unit on the trading estate at the back of me. About 6+ years ago I had to replace the glass top to a circular garden table - it cost £70 back then. About 3ft diam. Okay, it had to be cut circular but I thought £70 was a bit steep back then.

 

[Peri]

Thanks folks - top quality advice as always

 

[fuse]

bevelled would look nice

 

[Doug71]

I'm always surprised just how cheap 4mm toughened glass is, there is often a minimum charge of 0.3m² per pane no matter how small the pane is though.

You can ask for toughened glass to have a furniture stamp to prove it's toughened, much less obvious then the normal markings that toughened glass comes with, my supplier can only do this if they also polish the edges but it's not that much more expensive.

And yes as said that is crying out for bevelled edge glass.

 

[fiveeyes]

Perhaps an aquarium, if you could find a suitable size. A base, columns, and a lift off top.
Thinking outside the box.

 

[AJB Temple]

How are you going to get the power supply in for the lights? Will the tables be up against a wall near sockets?

 

[Peri]

They're going to be at either end of the sofa, close to a wall. Each of them will have a lamp on top as well.

 

[Jonathan]

If it was me I would use 4mm plate glass
If it was for a client I would give them the choice of laminate or toughened.

400x400 is relatively small so don’t see to much danger.
How many people put laminated or toughened glass in a window that small?

 

[Pete Maddex]

You have to use toughened or laminated glass on windows below a certain height.

I use a local glass company I got 10 toughened glass shelves for a cd rack for £100

Pete