MILLET GLASS INDUSTRY
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SPANDREL GLASS
The opaque glass that seamlessly perfects your facade
SPANDRELGLASS
SPANDRELGLASS
Why spandrel glass is so widely used and beneficial?
Spandrel glass products are an essential component in modern architecture, particularly in curtain wall systems and building facades. Unlike vision glass, which is transparent and allows views in and out, spandrel glass is opaque. In essence, spandrel glass is crucial for achieving modern, visually appealing, and functional building facades by intelligently concealing necessary but unattractive structural and mechanical elements while maintaining a streamlined glass aesthetic.
Concealment of Unsightly Building Elements
This is its primary function. Spandrel glass is used to hide structural components (like floor slabs, columns, beams), mechanical systems (HVAC ducts, vents, wiring, plumbing), insulation, and other utility areas located between floors or behind the transparent "vision" glass sections of a building. Without spandrel glass, these elements would be visible from the exterior, creating a cluttered and unappealing facade.
Architectural Continuity and Aesthetic Uniformity
It allows architects to create the illusion of a continuous, seamless glass facade, even though there are opaque areas behind it. This provides a sleek, modern, and cohesive look to the building's exterior. Spandrel glass can be color-matched (or intentionally contrasted) with the adjacent vision glass, or with other facade materials, to achieve a specific design aesthetic. Ceramic frits or silicone-based paints are applied to the glass to create its opaque appearance, offering a wide range of color and finish options.
Thermal Performance (when insulated)
While its main role is concealment and aesthetics, spandrel glass, especially when used as part of an insulated glass unit (IGU) and/or with insulation behind it, can contribute to the building's overall thermal performance. It helps to reduce heat transfer through the non-vision areas, improving energy efficiency and occupant comfort.It's important that spandrel glass is heat-treated (tempered or heat-strengthened) to withstand potential thermal stress, as the opaque coating can absorb more heat.
Durability and Weather Resistance
Like other architectural glass, spandrel glass is designed to be durable and withstand external elements such as wind, rain, and temperature fluctuations. The opaque coatings are typically fused onto the glass or are highly durable paints, making them resistant to fading, scratching, and environmental degradation.
SPANDRELGLASS
OUR PROCESS
OUR PROCESS
Millet Glass Industry fabricates high-quality spandrel glass by precisely applying durable ceramic frit, which is then permanently fused during thermal treatment, creating uniform opaque panels for seamless facade integration.
Millet Glass Industry employs a sophisticated and controlled process to fabricate high-quality spandrel glass, ensuring both its aesthetic uniformity and structural integrity for modern building facades. The primary objective of spandrel glass is to be opaque, concealing structural elements like floor slabs, HVAC systems, and wiring from exterior view, while seamlessly matching or complementing the adjacent vision glass. Millet's spandrel fabrication typically involves the following key steps, with a strong emphasis on thermal treatment for durability.
#1 Glass Preparation
The process begins with precisely cut glass lites, which may include clear, low-iron, or tinted glass, depending on the desired final color and appearance.
The glass is thoroughly washed to remove any impurities or debris that could affect the coating's adhesion or final finish. If the glass has any low-emissivity (Low-E) coatings, careful edge deletion might occur at this stage to prevent issues during the coating application.
#2 Opacifier application
Millet Glass Industry primarily uses ceramic frit for its spandrel glass. The ceramic frit is applied uniformly to one surface of the glass, usually the interior surface (Surface 2 for monolithic glass or Surface 4 for an Insulated Glass Unit - IGU), which will face the building's interior or the air space of the IGU. This placement protects the opaque coating from external weathering and abrasion.
Application methods can include screen printing (for solid, repetitive patterns or single colors) or digital printing (for more complex patterns, custom colors, or varying levels of opacity). Millet's capabilities in both screen and digital printing allow for a wide range of aesthetic outcomes.
After application, the ceramic-coated glass typically goes through a drying oven to partially cure the frit and prepare it for the crucial thermal treatment stage.
#3 Thermal Treatment
This is a critical step where the applied ceramic frit is permanently bonded to the glass, and the glass itself gains its necessary strength to withstand thermal stress and other loads. Millet Glass Industry offers both options:
Tempering: The glass is heated to extreme temperatures and then rapidly cooled. This process not only makes the glass 4-5 times stronger than annealed glass but also fuses the ceramic frit directly into the glass surface, making it incredibly durable, scratch-resistant, and impervious to fading. Tempered spandrel glass is considered safety glass and is often recommended for lower floors or areas where human impact is a concern.
Heat-Strengthening: The glass is heated and cooled at a slower rate than tempering, resulting in glass that is approximately twice as strong as annealed glass. Similar to tempering, this process permanently fuses the ceramic frit, creating a robust, opaque panel. Heat-strengthened spandrel glass is widely used as it provides excellent thermal stress resistance and reduces the risk of spontaneous breakage compared to tempered glass, while still offering enhanced strength over annealed glass.
#4 Assembly
If the spandrel glass is part of an Insulated Glass Unit, the now opaque and heat-treated lite is assembled with another glass lite (vision glass or another spandrel lite) using a spacer and sealants to create an insulated air space, enhancing thermal performance.
Millet can also produce laminated spandrel glass, where the opaque frit is on one of the lites that are then bonded together with an interlayer, offering additional safety and acoustic benefits.
SPANDRELGLASS
THERMAL TREATMENTS
THERMAL TREATMENTS
Millet Glass Industry utilizes advanced thermal treatments, including tempering and heat-strengthening, to permanently fuse the opaque finishes onto its spandrel glass, ensuring exceptional durability.
Tempered
Tempered
Tempering spandrel glass provides several significant benefits, which are essential for both safety and performance in modern building facades.
Benefits of Tempering Spandrel Glass
Increased Strength and Durability: Tempered glass is approximately four to five times stronger than regular (annealed) glass. This enhanced strength makes it more resistant to wind pressure, thermal stress, and impact, which is crucial for exterior applications.
Thermal Shock Resistance: The tempering process gives the glass a high resistance to thermal shock. This is particularly important for spandrel glass, as it is often located in areas where solar heat can cause significant temperature differences between the glass and the building's interior.
Safety: When tempered glass breaks, it shatters into thousands of small, relatively harmless, blunt pieces rather than large, jagged shards. This significantly reduces the risk of serious injury in the event of breakage, making it a "safety glazing" material as defined by building codes.
Durable Opaque Finish: By fusing the ceramic frit to the glass during the tempering process, the opaque coating becomes highly durable and resistant to fading, scratching, and peeling. This ensures that the aesthetic appearance of the spandrel panels remains consistent over time.
Uniform Appearance: Tempering ensures a more uniform and consistent appearance across all spandrel panels. This is especially important for creating a sleek and seamless facade that blends well with the surrounding vision glass.
Benefits of Tempering Spandrel Glass
Increased Strength and Durability: Tempered glass is approximately four to five times stronger than regular (annealed) glass. This enhanced strength makes it more resistant to wind pressure, thermal stress, and impact, which is crucial for exterior applications.
Thermal Shock Resistance: The tempering process gives the glass a high resistance to thermal shock. This is particularly important for spandrel glass, as it is often located in areas where solar heat can cause significant temperature differences between the glass and the building's interior.
Safety: When tempered glass breaks, it shatters into thousands of small, relatively harmless, blunt pieces rather than large, jagged shards. This significantly reduces the risk of serious injury in the event of breakage, making it a "safety glazing" material as defined by building codes.
Durable Opaque Finish: By fusing the ceramic frit to the glass during the tempering process, the opaque coating becomes highly durable and resistant to fading, scratching, and peeling. This ensures that the aesthetic appearance of the spandrel panels remains consistent over time.
Uniform Appearance: Tempering ensures a more uniform and consistent appearance across all spandrel panels. This is especially important for creating a sleek and seamless facade that blends well with the surrounding vision glass.
Heat-Strengthened
Heat-Strengthened
Heat-strengthening provides several distinct benefits, particularly for spandrel glass applications on the exterior of a building.
Benefits of Tempering Spandrel Glass
Increased Strength: Heat-strengthened glass is about twice as strong as regular (annealed) glass. While not as strong as tempered glass, this increased strength is sufficient to withstand typical wind loads and thermal stress.
Thermal Shock Resistance: The process gives the glass enhanced resistance to thermal shock, which is a major benefit for spandrel panels exposed to direct sunlight and temperature fluctuations. This reduces the risk of glass breaking due to uneven heating.
Unique Breakage Pattern: One of the most significant benefits of heat-strengthened glass is its breakage pattern. When it breaks, it fractures into large, sharp pieces that tend to remain in the frame. This can be a desirable safety feature for high-rise buildings, as it reduces the likelihood of glass falling from a great height and causing injury to people below.
Reduced Distortion: Because the cooling process is slower and more controlled, heat-strengthened glass often has less optical distortion than fully tempered glass. This results in a flatter and more visually consistent appearance, which is important for maintaining a clean, uniform building facade.
Durable Opaque Finish: Similar to tempered spandrel glass, the ceramic frit is fused to the glass during the heating process, creating a permanent, durable, and fade-resistant opaque finish.
Benefits of Tempering Spandrel Glass
Increased Strength: Heat-strengthened glass is about twice as strong as regular (annealed) glass. While not as strong as tempered glass, this increased strength is sufficient to withstand typical wind loads and thermal stress.
Thermal Shock Resistance: The process gives the glass enhanced resistance to thermal shock, which is a major benefit for spandrel panels exposed to direct sunlight and temperature fluctuations. This reduces the risk of glass breaking due to uneven heating.
Unique Breakage Pattern: One of the most significant benefits of heat-strengthened glass is its breakage pattern. When it breaks, it fractures into large, sharp pieces that tend to remain in the frame. This can be a desirable safety feature for high-rise buildings, as it reduces the likelihood of glass falling from a great height and causing injury to people below.
Reduced Distortion: Because the cooling process is slower and more controlled, heat-strengthened glass often has less optical distortion than fully tempered glass. This results in a flatter and more visually consistent appearance, which is important for maintaining a clean, uniform building facade.
Durable Opaque Finish: Similar to tempered spandrel glass, the ceramic frit is fused to the glass during the heating process, creating a permanent, durable, and fade-resistant opaque finish.
SPANDRELGLASS
CONFIGURATIONS
CONFIGURATIONS
Millet Glass Industry offers versatile spandrel glass configurations, including monolithic and insulated units, all featuring durable, thermally-fused opaque finishes for seamless facade integration.
Monolitic spandrel
Monolitic spandrel
Laminated spandrel
Laminated spandrel
Insulated spandrel
Insulated spandrel
Curved momolitic spandrel
Curved momolitic spandrel
Curved insulated spandrel
Curved insulated spandrel
SPANDRELGLASS
APPLICATIONS
APPLICATIONS
Millet Glass Industry's spandrel glass is ideal for facade integration, seamlessly concealing structural elements like floor slabs and HVAC systems. Its versatility extends to exterior wall cladding, providing sleek, opaque, and thermally robust finishes for various architectural applications.
Millet Glass Industry's spandrel glass is a highly versatile and essential component in modern architectural design, particularly where the desire for a seamless, all-glass aesthetic meets the need for concealment and performance. Its primary applications revolve around its ability to provide an opaque, visually consistent surface on a building's exterior, but there are other applications for spandrel glass.
Facade Integration
This is the most common and critical application. Spandrel glass is strategically placed between vision glass (transparent windows) on each floor of a building.
Concealing Structural Elements: Its main function is to visually hide structural components such as floor slabs, columns, beams, load-bearing walls, and insulation that would otherwise be visible from the outside.
Masking Building Systems: Spandrel glass also effectively conceals mechanical and electrical systems, including HVAC ductwork, wiring, plumbing, and piping, ensuring a clean and uncluttered exterior appearance.
Achieving Seamless Aesthetics: By matching or complementing the color and reflectance of adjacent vision glass, Millet's spandrel glass helps architects create the illusion of a continuous, uninterrupted glass surface, achieving a sleek and contemporary facade.
Exterior Wall Cladding
Beyond curtain walls, spandrel glass can be used as a primary cladding material for entire sections of a building's exterior.
This allows for a uniform, high-gloss, or matte finish that can be customized in a wide array of colors and patterns.It provides a durable, weather-resistant, and aesthetically pleasing exterior surface.
Concealing Interior
In some designs, spandrel glass might be used on portions of the facade where the interior space behind it is not intended for occupancy or is left unfinished, requiring visual obstruction from the outside.
Aesthetic Design
While its primary role is functional, Millet's ability to produce spandrel glass in a vast array of colors and with custom screen-printed or digitally printed patterns also makes it a powerful aesthetic tool.
Architects can use it to introduce vibrant accents, create subtle textures, or even incorporate branding elements onto the facade.
SPANDRELGLASS
SPECIFICATIONS
SPECIFICATIONS
Millet Glass Industry's spandrel glass is precisely fabricated, with durable ceramic frit coatings permanently fused for ideal opacity.
Millet Glass Industry's spandrel glass meets precise specifications for various architectural needs. Our advanced screen printing and digital printing capabilities allow for impressive panel sizes.By providing detailed specifications, Millet Glass Industry enables architects to make informed decisions, ensuring their spandrel glass solutions meet the complex demands of modern high-performance facades.
Digital printing capabilities
Maximum digital printed glass sizes:
Width: 129" 59/64 (3300 mm)
Height: 240" 5/32 (6100 mm)
Minimum digital printed glass sizes:
Width: 7" 15/32 (190 mm)
Height: 13" 49/64 (350 mm)
Screen printing capabilities
Maximum screen printed glass sizes:
Width: 94" 31/64 (2400 mm)
Height: 200" 25/32 (5100 mm)
Minimum screen printed glass sizes:
Width: 7" 15/32 (190 mm)
Height: 13" 49/64 (350 mm)
Important information when selecting your spandrel glass
Important information when selecting your spandrel glass
- Type of Opacifier
- Silicone-based Paints (Back-Painting): Applied to the back surface of the glass, these are also baked on for durability.
- Opaque Film/Membrane: Applied to the glass surface or integrated within a laminated assembly.
- "Shadow Box" Assemblies: This isn't strictly an opaque glass, but rather a transparent or translucent glass panel with an opaque back-pan or insulation set behind it, creating an opaque appearance. Millet would focus on the glass component of this.
- Color Matching and Consistency
- Color Palette: Standard and custom color options (e.g., RAL, Pantone, custom-matched from samples).
- Batch-to-Batch Consistency: Critical for large projects to ensure uniform appearance across multiple glass lites produced at different times.
- Visual Inspection Criteria: Standards for acceptable color variation, pinholes, streaks, and other visual anomalies when viewed from a specified distance (e.g., 10-15 feet under natural daylight). This is often an agreement between the manufacturer and the architect/client based on mock-ups.
- Coverage: Full coverage (100% opaque) is typical, but translucent or patterned frit (where a pattern is applied to allow some light transmission while still obscuring view) can also be specified for certain aesthetic effects.
- Glass Substrate Specifications
- Clear Float Glass: Standard.
- Low-Iron Glass: Used for purer color representation, especially with lighter or vibrant frit colors, as it removes the greenish tint of standard clear glass.
- Tinted Glass: Can be used to influence the base color before opacifier application, or to match adjacent vision glass.
- Thickness: Available in various thicknesses (e.g., 3mm to 19mm / 1/8" to 3/4"), chosen based on structural requirements, thermal performance, and overall assembly needs.
- Seamed Edges: Standard for monolithic spandrel glass before it's heat-treated.
- Polished Edges: For applications where the edge might be exposed (less common for spandrel).
- Thermal and Structural Performance
- Tempered (Fully Tempered): As mentioned, offers 4-5x strength and safety breakage (small cubes). Required when spandrel areas are subject to human impact or high thermal stress.
- Heat-Strengthened: Offers ~2x strength and improved thermal stress resistance compared to annealed glass, breaking into larger pieces. Often preferred for spandrel to reduce the risk of spontaneous breakage.
- Heat Soaking: While not a "treatment" in itself, heat soaking is an optional, additional process for tempered glass to reduce the risk of spontaneous breakage due to nickel sulfide inclusions. Millet would offer this for high-risk applications.
- Thermal Stress Resistance: Spandrel glass, especially darker colors, absorbs more solar energy. Specifications ensure it can withstand the resulting thermal gradients without breaking.
- Wind Load Resistance: Must meet local building code requirements for wind pressure.
- U-Value (Thermal Transmittance): For spandrel IGUs, the U-value is a critical measure of its insulation performance. This often differs from the U-value of vision glass due to the opaque nature and backing materials.
- Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) & Visible Light Transmittance (VLT): While spandrel is opaque, its SHGC can still be relevant for overall building energy models. VLT is typically 0 for opaque spandrel.
- Condensation Resistance: Especially in IGUs, design considerations for condensation prevention are important.
- Configuration Specifications
- Monolithic Spandrel: Single pane of glass, typically heat-treated, with an opaque coating.
- Insulated Glass Unit (IGU) Spandrel: Two or more lites of glass with an air or gas space, where one lite (usually the interior lite, on surface 3 or 4) has the opaque coating. This provides thermal performance.
- Laminated Spandrel: Two or more lites of glass bonded with an interlayer. The opaque coating can be on one of the lites (before lamination) or sometimes in the interlayer itself for unique effects. This offers enhanced safety, sound control, and security.
- Installation and Background
- Uniform Opaque Background: A critical requirement for spandrel glass is that it must be installed against a uniform, dark, opaque background (e.g., insulation, back-pan). This prevents "read-through" or seeing the internal structure in transmission, which would defeat the purpose of the spandrel. Millet would advise on this for proper application.
- Ventilation: For shadow box applications (where the glass itself isn't fully opaque but conceals a backing), proper ventilation of the cavity can be specified to manage heat build-up.
SPANDRELGLASS
COLOR CHART
COLOR CHART
Presenting our comprehensive spandrel color chart, which includes standard and custom options to meet all your architectural glass needs.
Millet's stock colors
Millet's stock colors
Colors shown on this chart are for reference only. For the most accurate color representation, please request a physical sample.
Supplier’s stock colors
Supplier’s stock colors
Colors shown on this chart are for reference only. For the most accurate color representation, please request a physical sample.
Custom colors
Custom colors
Colors shown on this chart are for reference only. For the most accurate color representation, please request a physical sample.
SPANDRELGLASS
QUALITY GUIDELINES & CERTIFICATIONS
QUALITY GUIDELINES & CERTIFICATIONS
Millet Glass Industry's processes and products are designed to meet or exceed relevant industry standards with stringent internal quality control protocols.
At Millet Glass Industry, our commitment to excellence in spandrel glass is embedded in rigorous quality guidelines that ensure every panel meets the highest standards for aesthetics, durability, and performance. Spandrel glass, particularly when used in building facades, must adhere to a series of standards and certifications to ensure its safety, performance, and aesthetic quality. These guidelines are set by organizations such as ASTM International, ANSI, and various certification councils.
ASTM
ASTM
American Society for Testing and Materials
American Society for Testing and Materials
ASTM standards are a cornerstone for architectural glass, including spandrel glass. The primary standards are:
C1048: This is the most crucial standard for spandrel glass. It is titled "Standard Specification for Heat-Strengthened and Fully Tempered Flat Glass." Spandrel glass falls under Condition B of this standard, which specifies "spandrel glass, one surface ceramic coated." This standard outlines the requirements for the manufacturing process, including the quality criteria for visual blemishes, tong marks, and dimensional tolerances.
C1036: This standard, "Standard Specification for Flat Glass," covers the base quality requirements for the glass before it is coated and heat-treated. It addresses aspects like clarity, blemishes, and other optical properties of the flat glass itself.
C1376: This standard, "Standard Specification for Pyrolytic and Vacuum Deposition Coatings on Flat Glass," is relevant for spandrel glass with specific types of coatings. It covers the performance of the applied coatings.
C1048: This is the most crucial standard for spandrel glass. It is titled "Standard Specification for Heat-Strengthened and Fully Tempered Flat Glass." Spandrel glass falls under Condition B of this standard, which specifies "spandrel glass, one surface ceramic coated." This standard outlines the requirements for the manufacturing process, including the quality criteria for visual blemishes, tong marks, and dimensional tolerances.
C1036: This standard, "Standard Specification for Flat Glass," covers the base quality requirements for the glass before it is coated and heat-treated. It addresses aspects like clarity, blemishes, and other optical properties of the flat glass itself.
C1376: This standard, "Standard Specification for Pyrolytic and Vacuum Deposition Coatings on Flat Glass," is relevant for spandrel glass with specific types of coatings. It covers the performance of the applied coatings.
ANSI
ANSI
American National Standard for Glazing Materials Used in Buildings
American National Standard for Glazing Materials Used in Buildings
ANSI Z97.1: This is the "American National Standard for Glazing Materials Used in Buildings - Safety Performance Specifications and Methods of Test." It ensures that safety glazing materials, when broken, reduce the risk of injury. Fully tempered spandrel glass must pass impact tests to comply with this standard.
CPSC
CPSC
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Consumer Product Safety Commission
CPSC 16 CFR 1201: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) also has a safety standard for architectural glazing materials that covers similar impact performance requirements.
SGCC
SGCC
Safety Glazing Certification Council
Safety Glazing Certification Council
ANSI Z97.1-2015: As an SGCC-certified manufacturer, our safety glazing materials meet the rigorous impact performance specifications and test methods outlined in ANSI Z97.1-2015. This certification, coupled with regular plant audits, provides independent, third-party assurance that our glass lites (such as tempered or laminated glass) are suitable for use in hazardous locations where human impact is a risk.
IGCC
IGCC
Insulating Glass Certification Council
Insulating Glass Certification Council
As a participant in the IGCC program, Millet's IGUs undergo independent, third-party testing and regular plant audits. This certification provides objective assurance that our products consistently conform to the highest standards for seal durability and performance, as validated against ASTM E2190.
SPANDRELGLASS
SUPPLIERS
SUPPLIERS
Millet Glass sources high-quality glass from trusted global leaders to produce our splendid spandrel glass.
Vitro Glass (Vitro Architectural Glass), formerly PPG Glass, is a major North American glass producer known for its extensive range of architectural glass products. Headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico, Vitro offers a wide variety of glass types, including low-E coatings (like Solarban and Sungate), tinted glass, low-iron options (like Starphire), reflective glass, and vacuum insulating glass (VacuMax VIG). Their focus is on providing energy-efficient, high-performance glass solutions for commercial and residential buildings, emphasizing innovation, consistency, and reliability. Vitro also offers decorative and specialty glass applications like bird-friendly.
Saint-Gobain Glass, a global leader in glass manufacturing with roots dating back to 1665 in France, offers a vast array of high-performance glazing solutions. Their product portfolio includes energy-efficient low-E glass (like the PLANITHERM and COOL-LITE ranges), solar control glass, acoustic insulation glass (STADIP SILENCE), safety and security laminated glass (STADIP PROTECT), decorative glass, and mirrors. Committed to sustainability, Saint-Gobain emphasizes energy efficiency and reduced carbon footprint in their glass solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings worldwide.
Guardian Glass, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, is a global leader in the manufacture of float, coated, and fabricated glass products for architectural, residential, interior, transportation, and technical applications. Known for their extensive product range, including the energy-efficient ClimaGuard and SunGuard series, Guardian emphasizes innovation and works closely with customers to meet specific project needs. With a commitment to sustainability, they focus on efficient resource use, waste reduction, and the development of high-performance glass solutions that contribute to energy savings and environmental responsibility in buildings worldwide.
SPANDRELGLASS
FEATURED PROJECTS
FEATURED PROJECTS
Millet Glass Industry spandrel glass has been integral to numerous architectural projects, providing sleek, opaque, and thermally robust finishes.
Millet Glass Industry has been a trusted supplier of high-quality spandrel glass for a wide range of significant architectural projects. Our commitment to safety, security, and aesthetics has made our spandrel glass the choice for numerous building solutions, demonstrating our ability to meet diverse and demanding project requirements with reliable and high-performing solutions.
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