Curved (bent) glass

Curved glass (also called bent glass) is flat glass that has been heated until it softens and then formed over a curved mould in a kiln or bending furnace, so it takes and permanently holds the radius of the former. Crucially it can be made as safety glass — curved toughened and curved laminated are both available — so a curved shower screen, balustrade or door keeps the same toughened/laminated rating as flat safety glass. It's used for curved shower enclosures, curved balustrades and stair glazing, curved shopfronts and facades, feature walls, rooflights and furniture. Because each curve needs a bespoke mould made to your exact radius and a specialist bending process, curved glass costs more and has a longer lead time than flat, and it's made to a precise template — the radius, size and any cut-outs are fixed before bending and toughening, and can't be altered afterwards. A curved glass and glazing specialist templates, bends and toughens it to the design.