Glass Door Issues

[slideaboot]

OK...so I recently read a thread on here about the recommendation of tempered glass for sliding glass doors.

Is "regular" glass a poor choice?

How about plexiglass?

As it stands, JUST the glass for the cage I'm having built is going to cost over 100 bucks! Regular glass is a little less than half that and plexi glass would probably run a little cheaper.

So...do I HAVE to get tempered glass? Am I going to regret it if I don't?

Other than scratched plexi-glass, is there another reason to NOT use plexi?

Thanks guys!

 

[james.w]

I would go with plexi over regular glass depending on how big the doors are. Problem with regular glass is if it breaks it shatters. I used regular glass for mine but the glass is fairly small and they aren't sliding doors.

I also used regular glass in my Melinus enclosure, but they are a shy monitor that doesn't get as bulky as a tegu so I'm not to worried about him breaking the glass.

 

[jondancer]

Plexiglas will scratch and look bad. I would use glass

 

[Rhetoric]

I have plexiglass on one enclosure and real glass (dunno if its tempered its super durable, thick, etc). I like the plexiglass because its lighter, its easier to open those doors. However before I got the plexiglass one the guy had said one of the doors broke so he had to replace it with a thicker piece. Plexiglass scratches (as you know), I clean the doors all the time but I can still see the little scratches on the inside of it from tegu scratching.
The thick glass one is REALLY heavy and sometimes can be a pain to slide open with my shoulder injury, theres no way my tegu can open it, I still have a lock on it though lol. I don't know how thick it really is, its about as thick as a cosmo magazine... lolololol.

 

[montana]

Get the tempered glass ....

 

[eddyjack]

I agree with Montana, get tempered glass. You will find plexiglass more expensive due to it's relationship to oil and you will not like it in a very short period of time because of it's distortion and volnerability to scratches.

 

[Toby_H]

Having used and worked with all three, I suggest using tempered glass...

Shop around at local glass shops and let them know if the size is flexible. It's possible the shop has an existing order then can add you to that can save you money. That's how I got a great deal on my tempered glass.

Plexi is costs about the same as regular glass and the cost of replacing it to keep it looking nice will likely make you regret the choice.

Tempered glass is far more impact resistent so you can use thinner glass. Also when tempered glass does break, it shatters into many many little pieces. Standard glass on the other had breaks in large, sharp, heavy pieces of glass which can then fall and heavily wount you or your animal.

 

[eddyjack]

I just finished a new inclosure and found Plexiglass far more expensive than both regular and tempered glass due to oil prices at least where I am from.

 

[hanniebann]

I wouldn't do plexi... If you're against glass, do acrylic, I don't think it'll warp with heat like plexi, and it's only a little more expensive.. But if you can get tempered glass, by all means get it! You won't have to replace it unless it breaks. No scratches, warping, etc.

 

[slideaboot]

OK...looks like tempered is the way to go (I knew in my heart it was, but really wasn't looking to drop a hundred bucks just on glass--dang!).

Thanks guys!

 

[blackjack41]

Got my tempered for $50 for both pieces. 37 x 20 x 1/4". Called over twenty glass shops in order to find a decent price.