Altoglass - another thermal shock compliance mystery

Recently a client inquired about using ALTOGLASS.COM glass mosaic tiles in their swimming pool.  The manufacturer's website promotes their tiles as appropriate for use in swimming pools.

But a review of the Technical Area on their website (http://www.alttoglass.com/tech.html) on 12/10/2015 revealed that they do not have any test results indicating compliance with ANSI A137.2 - Thermal Shock Standard for Glass Tiles.

Here is a screen shot of the technical data.

Click on image to enlarge

Thermal shock is not even mentioned.

Makes you wonder why it is not mentioned, since the thermal shock standard has been in existence for a few years?!

How can we endorse a product for use in our projects, if it does not meet their own industry standards?


Paolo Benedetti, SWD, Principal 
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa 
www.AquaticTechnology.com 
 International Swimming Pool Consulting and Design, Aquatic Consulting, Watershape Consultants, Expert Witness, Hydraulic Design, Landscape Architecture, Construction Management 
Office: 408-776-8220 
 Email: info@aquatictechnology.com 
Major Markets Serviced: San Francisco, Palo Alto, Atherton, Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Clemente, Pacific Palisades, Escondido, Scottsdale, Seattle, Phoenix, Tempe, Portland, Aspen, Vail, Park City, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, New Orleans, Madison, Detroit, East Hamptons, South Hamptons, Cape May, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cherry Hill, Toms River, Salt lake City, Boise, Denver, Santa Barbaara, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Oceanside, Big Sur, Napa, Sonoma, Sausalito, Danville, Belvedere, Montecito, Palm Springs, Midland, Manhattan, Greenwich Village, Osaka, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Seoul, Sydney, New York, Tokyo, Cairo, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Lisbon, Bonn.

Glass Tile - ANSI A 137.2 Cracked Glass

Cracked Glass Tile Mosaics

There are thousands of firms jumping onto the glass tile bandwagon. Of course they all want to sell to the pool industry - 1 tile pool is equal to 1000 tile showers or kitchen back splashes. 

This past week, a client and their interior designer showed me some glass tiles from a national tile distributor. They were told that they "are approved for swimming pools."  The client wanted to move ahead.  I forewarned them, that unless the tiles had passed the tile industry's own thermal shock standards, that we would not touch them.

When I contacted the distributor's technical services department, they advised that the tiles had not been tested for compliance with ANSI A137.2.

It is imperative that swimming pool designers and contractors not be lured by false promises and claims of marketing departments, salespeople and showrooms.  Yes, you can install anything in a pool, but not everything is durable enough!

INSIST that any glass tile you specify or install, has been tested and is in compliance with ANSI A137.2.  It outlines the durability requirements, and most importantly, the tile's resistance to thermal shock.

WARNING: There are many name brand tiles that do not comply with ANSI A137.2.  Big box stores, fashion designers, home improvement stores and national tile distributors all have private label brands that do not meet the standards.  Great for a kitchen back splash - but not thousands of square feet in a swimming pool !

REMEMBER - DO NOT take anyone's word for it.  Ask to see the test results from an independent U.S. testing laboratory. Those that have submitted their products for testing are more than happy to provide you with a copy! And they should be proud of it!

For an article that explains ANSI A137.2 check out this link: https://www.tcnatile.com/ima…/pdfs/IntroducingANSIA137.2.pdf

If a firm wants to sell products to our industry, shouldn't they at least conform to the MINIMUM standards in their own industry ??

Paolo Benedetti, SWD, Principal 
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa 
www.AquaticTechnology.com 
International Swimming Pool Consulting and Design, Aquatic Consulting, Watershape Consultants, Expert Witness, Hydraulic Design, Landscape Architecture, Construction Management 
Office: 408-776-8220 
Email: info@aquatictechnology.com 
Major Markets Serviced: San Francisco, Palo Alto, Atherton, Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Clemente, Pacific Palisades, Escondido, Scottsdale, Seattle, Phoenix, Tempe, Portland, Aspen, Vail, Park City, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Austin, New Orleans, Madison, Detroit, East Hamptons, South Hamptons, Cape May, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cherry Hill, Toms River, Salt lake City, Boise, Denver, Santa Barbaara, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Oceanside, Big Sur, Napa, Sonoma, Sausalito, Danville, Belvedere, Montecito, Palm Springs, Midland, Manhattan, Greenwich Village, Osaka, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Seoul, Sydney, New York, Tokyo, Cairo, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Lisbon, Bonn.

Random Cracking Glass Tile Mosaics Swimming Pool

Most of the time, cracking in swimming pool glass tile mosaics can be explained by poor installation practices or shoddy workmanship.  Other times the cracking occurs without rhyme or reason in random tiles.
 
Random Cracking

Random cracking of glass tile mosaics is rarely the fault of the installer.  It is usually the symptom of inherent stresses within the glass tiles.

(Click on an image to enlarge it)

Random cracks in Oceanside Glass Tile Mosaics

But, without a "before and after" inspection of those same exact cracked tiles, there is no way to say with absolute certainty that the glass is to blame.  So it will become a case of finger pointing and blaming each other.

(Click on an image to enlarge it)

Random cracks in Oceanside Glass Tile Mosaics

 

Pre-Existing Stresses

A consumer or installer cannot be certain that any individual piece of glass tile does not possess a preexisting stress or flaw from the manufacturing process.

The only way to be absolutely sure, is to inspect each tile prior to installation... Time consuming and costly for sure.

Failure to Inspect
 
I do not know of any manufacturers of glass tile mosaics that perform a visual inspection of every single glass tile, prior to shipment.  Again, it would be too costly and time consuming.  

I'm sure that there are computerized optical inspection systems that could be employed, but after all it is "only glass tile."  The cost simply does not outweigh their liability for a few cracked glass tiles.

Protecting Yourself

The best way to protect yourself prior to an after installing glass tile mosaics, is to closely follow the installation instructions.

Unmounted sheets from each lot, color and pattern should be stored in a safe, cool & dry location.  Should there ever be a suspected failure, these samples can be tested at a materials testing laboratory for thermal shock resistance and inspected for preexisting stresses.


Paolo Benedetti - Aquatic Artist 
"Creating water as art."™ 
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa ©www.aquatictechnology.com 
You may contact Paolo Benedetti at: info@aquatictechnology.com or at 408-776-8220

Expert Glass Tile Mosaic Installations

Spontaneous Glass Breakage

Glass is a beautiful medium for lining swimming pools.  The color spectrum is vast and the colors sparkle.  However, many poorly manufactured glass tile mosaics are flooding the market and home improvement warehouses.

Compression & Tension

However, glass is temperamental.  Manufactured incorrectly, glass can be both under compression and tension.  This is okay for tempered glass (that's exactly why tempered glass breaks into little square pieces).  But it is bad for glass tile mosaics.

You cannot tell by looking at the glass tiles with the naked eye.  Special devices are required to view the internal stresses.

Thermal Stress

If the glass tile mosaics are subject to thermal stress, they may spontaneously crack.  This is due to the conflicting stresses that may exist in poorly manufacturer glass.

Saving a Buck

Inferior glass tiles are easy to manufacture.  The annealing process, (or the slow cooling of freshly manufactured glass), is performed faster than is required.  This speeds the manufacturing process and reduces their energy costs - which are tremendous to operate glass kilns.  It's all about saving a few bucks.

Most glass tile manufacturers do not maintain a quality control program.  They do not randomly sample tiles for testing.  Eliminating tests for resistance to thermal shock or the presence of tessellated stresses saves them money.

Consumer Protection

How does a consumer protect themselves?  They should only buy name brand glass tile mosaics.  They should inquire if the tiles are guaranteed to be resistant to thermal shock (even slow thermal shock, as what occurs when a spa heats from 50º-104ºF).  They should inquire if the tiles undergo random sample testing to ensure that they are not concealing internal stresses.  Get their promises in writing...

Paolo Benedetti - Aquatic Artist 
"Creating water as art."™ 
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa 
©www.aquatictechnology.com 
You may contact Paolo Benedetti at: 
info@aquatictechnology.com or at 408-776-8220