On this page
Clear glass has a faint green cast you can see at the edge. Low-iron glass has almost none, so whites and pale colours read true through it. Grey and bronze tints darken the view without blurring it. Online, low-iron is offered on splashbacks, and grey and bronze tints on shower and bath glass in 8 or 10 mm. A tint or texture is a visual choice; it does not change what safety glass a position needs.
What is the difference between clear and low-iron?
Ordinary float glass contains a little iron oxide from its raw materials. Looking through the face of a pane you barely notice it, but the edge looks green, and a white or pale colour seen through the glass picks up a slight green tinge.
Low-iron glass is made from raw materials with much less iron. The edge is far paler and colours behind it look closer to the paint chart. It is not completely colourless, and it is priced at its own rate. It reduces the green cast; it does not promise that a paint code or screen image will look identical through the finished glass.
Which glass can I choose for each product?
| Product | Clear | Low-iron | Grey or bronze tint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower and bath glass | Yes, 8 or 10 mm | Ask us | Yes, 8 or 10 mm |
| Splashback | Not for new orders | Yes, 6 mm | No |
| Mirror | Silvered mirror | No | Grey, bronze, blue and green tint mirrors |
The configurator shows only the glass each product offers. If you want low-iron for a product that does not list it, ask us whether it can be made. Do not pick a different product just to get a glass on the list: the product decides the processing and fitting rules.
When is low-iron worth it?
Low-iron makes the most difference when you look through the glass at a colour or at a white surface:
- a white or pale back-painted splashback, where clear glass would turn the white slightly green
- a long run of glass where the edge is on show
- a shelf or table top with polished edges you can see from the side
For a clear shower screen in a tiled bathroom, most people do not see the difference through the face. Look at the edge, which on a frameless screen is on show.
What do grey and bronze tints do?
A tint colours the glass all the way through. Grey tint gives a neutral, smoky look. Bronze tint gives a warm, brown look. Both cut the light coming through and soften the view behind them without blurring it, so you can still see shapes clearly. For a blurred view, choose satin (etched) or fluted glass instead, which come in 10 mm only. Our glass types guide shows every option.
How do I choose the right glass?
Step 1: Decide what you will look at through the glass
A coloured surface behind the glass, a tiled wall, or the room beyond. Pale colours behind glass favour low-iron.
Step 2: Decide how much privacy you want
Clear and low-iron hide nothing. Tints darken the view. Satin and fluted glass blur it.
Step 3: Check what your product offers
Open the configurator for your product and look at the glass list. It only shows what that product can be made in.
Step 4: Look at a real piece
Screen colours are only a guide. See glass at a branch counter, or ask about samples, and look at it in your own light.
Step 5: Match existing glass with care
To match a pane beside an older one, send a photo, any previous order reference and what you know of the old glass. Age, lighting and batch can change how glass looks, so compare a sample rather than matching by name.
Step 6: Check the drawing caption
Your drawing and order confirmation name the glass type and thickness. Check both before you tick to confirm at checkout.
Does the glass type change the price?
Yes. Low-iron and tinted glass are priced at their own rates, and the configurator updates the live price as soon as you pick one. Satin and fluted glass are priced separately again. You see the effect on the price before you order.
Where to go next
- Compare the glass for your product: open the configurator
- Glass types we cut
- Glass splashbacks
- Shower screens and enclosures
Questions we get asked
Why does my white splashback look green?
Clear glass adds a slight green tint to white behind it. That is why low-iron is the clear glass offered for splashbacks.
Can I have a low-iron shower screen?
It is not offered online today. Ask us whether it can be made for your sizes.
What is the difference between satin and fluted glass?
Satin (etched) glass blurs the view evenly across the pane. Fluted (reeded) glass has a ribbed surface that breaks the view up. For showers both come in 10 mm only.
Are tinted shower screens harder to keep clean?
Water marks show differently on tinted glass, but the cleaning routine is the same as clear. A squeegee after each shower keeps any glass looking clear.
Is tinted glass still safety glass?
Yes. Our shower and bath glass is toughened whatever the tint, with polished edges.
Contact the team with your order reference and the step you need help with, or search all help topics.