Tempered (toughened) glass is heat-treated to build internal stress that makes it several times stronger than standard annealed glass. When it does break, it fractures into small, relatively blunt granular pieces rather than sharp shards — a specific safety behaviour required by code in showers, low windows, and glass doors.
Laminated glass sandwiches a plastic interlayer (usually PVB) between two glass sheets. When it breaks, the interlayer holds the fragments in place rather than letting them fall away — the glass may crack, but it typically stays in one sheet.
Where each is required or preferred
Tempered glass is the default for shower screens, glass balustrades, and cabinet doors, where small blunt fragments are the safer failure mode and the glass does not need to stay in place after breaking. Laminated glass is preferred for skylights, overhead glazing, and some facades, where a broken pane staying intact (rather than raining fragments) matters more.
Laminated glass also offers meaningfully better sound insulation than tempered glass of the same thickness, which is why it is often specified on street-facing facades independent of any safety requirement.
Cutting and modification
Neither type can be cut, drilled, or edge-worked after tempering or laminating — all holes and cut-outs must be specified before fabrication. If a hole is needed later for hardware, the panel usually needs to be replaced rather than modified on site. Confirm all fixture and hardware positions before ordering.