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February 25, 2020 4 Myths About Fire Rated Glass Floors
What are some of the myths you have heard of about the glass floor? Easy to break? Too thin for industrial use? When it comes to glass floors, LITEFLAM fire-rated glass floor is more than just durable. In case of fire, LITEFLAM glass can trap fire and retain heat and smoke for hours.
As a global leader in fire-rated glass floor manufacturing, Greenlite Glass Systems carries a variety of fire-rated glass solutions, including LITEFLAM walkable skylights and fire-rated glass floors.
Keep reading to learn 4 myth-busting facts about LITEFLAM fire-rated glass floors:
Myth #1: Glass is Not as Strong as Wood, Steel or Concrete
A common misconception about glass floors is that they cannot support heavy loads as glass is known to crack quite easily. However, this is not the case for commercial-grade glass, including LITEFLAM.
Though LITEFLAM features a slim profile of 3.5” in overall thickness, it boasts a standard live loading capacity of 100 pounds per square foot (PSF) and can be engineered to take larger loads if required. Whether the goal is to sustain heavy loads or complement a design, LITEFLAM glass floors can easily compete with traditional floor construction.
Myth #2 Glass is a Safety Hazard
Many also believe that glass floors are slippery and not the most conducive for heavy foot traffic, thereby becoming a safety hazard. However, LITEFLAM consists of CONTRAFLAM® intumescent glass and structural glass that is laminated. The walking surface has a durable baked-on frit that is slip-resistant to prevent any slips or falls.
Aside from helping to avoid slip-and-fall accidents, LITEFLAM is also a fire-rated glass floor. This advanced glass floor system is engineered to retain and direct fire, smoke and radiant heat for up to 1-2 hours. In case of fire, the glass floor will act as a barrier to trap fire, smoke and heat which gives people enough time to evacuate the building.
Myth #3: Glass Floors Have Limited Design
A lot of people believe that it’s not possible to have both aesthetically pleasing and durable floors. That’s why LITEFLAM glass floors are engineered not only for durability and fire-resistance but also for design flexibility. Not only does the LITEFLAM conform to modern design standards, but it can also be customized with decorative colour frits and sandblasted glass, without affecting its fire rating. LITEFLAM can also be used in both interior and exterior applications.
Myth #4: Glass Floors are Susceptible to Heat Loss in the Winter
LITEFLAM is engineered with the vision to create open and light-filled areas without exacerbating the energy and operational costs of a building, particularly during the colder seasons. That’s why each glass panel can be coated with solar control coating for added solar energy access, or customized into a fritted surface to help avoid heat loss.
Additionally, the LITEFLAM features sealed insulated glass unit assemblies to trap and reflect heat back inside the building. This contributes to higher energy efficiency, as reduced heat loss prevents the building’s heating system from overworking and increasing energy bills. Not only does it conserve heat, but LITEFLAM glass floors also bring daylight deep into building interiors, creating scenic visual effects for added design.
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