You may have seen reports on social media or in the press about glass-top garden tables that have shattered, sometimes unexpectedly. As a responsible retailer we want to address some of the concerns that you may have around the safety of these products.
We’d like to reassure you that instances of tables shattering are very rare. The tables are designed with safety in mind and are made from toughened glass. We sell more than 100,000 glass-top tables each year and there are very few reports of the glass shattering.
What causes the glass to shatter?
Toughened glass is designed to shatter into lots of tiny pieces when damaged. This is a safety feature to reduce the risk of injury, as it doesn’t form large and jagged shards like normal (annealed) glass. Toughened glass is also stronger and more resistant to heat than normal glass, which is why it is commonly used in products like car windows, shower screens, glass cookware and furniture.
Despite some reports you may have seen, heat from the sun will not cause the glass to shatter. In rare instances, if toughened glass is damaged, for example chips and scratches, it can lead to the glass breaking seemingly of its own accord. Damage to the glass (not always visible) can get worse over time until it reaches a critical point when it may shatter. This is not a fault with the product or design, this is how the glass is intended to behave if damaged, as with all toughened glass.
All of our products go through rigorous safety tests and independent inspections, but to help reduce the chances of damaging glass we have included some guidelines below.
How to prevent damaging your table
Toughened glass can withstand high impact but is not indestructible. Damage is most likely to occur if your table is struck by a hard object, dropped on its edge onto a hard surface or blown over in strong winds. Here’s how you can help prevent this happening:
- During assembly do not lay the table top directly onto patios or other rough surfaces. We recommend laying the table on a blanket or cardboard during assembly. You could even use the box.
- When lifting or turning the table over, ask for someone to lend a hand, trying to move a table on your own can lead to accidents.
- Do not use furniture if any parts are missing or broken. Contact customer services.
- If your table has a parasol, always use a weighted parasol base, and remove the parasol in windy conditions. Parasols can put pressure on the table top or even blow the table over in windy weather.
- Do not place very hot or very cold items, such as saucepans or barbecues, directly on the glass surface. Extreme temperature differences over small areas can damage glass.
- Do not sit or stand upon the glass surface.
- Do not strike the glass with hard or pointed items, or use the glass as a chopping surface.
- Do not drag rough or heavy objects over the top of the glass.
- We recommend using place mats and coasters to help protect against scratches and accidentally dropped items.
- Clean the glass regularly to make sure there are no stones or grit on the top.
- Do not clean glass with washing powders or any other substances containing abrasives, since these substances can scratch glass.
Get in touch if you have concerns
We hope you are delighted with your garden table, but if you do have any concerns or have experienced a problem with your glass-top garden furniture from Asda please email our Customer Services team here – please make sure your subject line includes the words “glass garden table” so we can direct your query to the right team.