PRL Frequently Asked Questions:

Laminated glass is comprised of two or more pieces of glass that are permanently bonded together with interlayer materials. It’s made by bonding these interlayers to the glass under pressure and heat. At PRL, this process is done by putting the glass through a pinch press then using our autoclave.

We can laminate glass sizes up to 96” x 153”.

Minimum sizes depend on if you’re laminating tempered or annealed glass. Minimum tempered sizes are 12” x 12”.
For laminating annealed glass, sizes can vary. We begin with a 12” x 12” sheet, then cut it down to the size needed.

You can purchase laminated glass in a minimum of 3 square ft.

The maximum overall laminated thickness we can generate is 2 ¾”. The minimum overall thickness is ¼”.

We use a wide range of PVB’s and Structural SentryGlas® laminated interlayers. We also work with TPU’s and polycarbonates for custom laminations and bullet resistant glass products.

You can specify PVB interlayers in clear, 3 whites, sound control and over 12 standard colors. We carry 65% Translucent White, 81% Sand White, 7% Shinning White, 52% Bronze, Brilliant Black and our line of 12 Rainbow colors. We can also create custom colored interlayers.

We stock clear and Translucent White SentryGlas® interlayers.

No, PVB and SentryGlas® interlayers can not be combined for laminated glass. Since they are different materials, PVB’s can only be combined with other PVB’s and SentryGlas® can only be combined with other SentryGlas® interlayers.

PVB’s are the most commonly used interlayers for laminated glass since they’re more cost efficient. However, they carry no warranty on exposed edges. Also, PVB’s have no structural support. So if the glass breaks, it will stick to the interlayer, but fall over like a wet blanket.

SentryGlas®, on the other hand, becomes rigid after the lamination process. So it provides impact resistance and post breakage stability. Because these interlayers are less susceptible to moisture intrusion, they do carry a warranty on exposed edges.

For laminating tempered glass, interlayers .060 or thicker must be used for two reasons- to fully laminate the two glasses together and to help eliminate roller marks or distortion.

During the tempering process the glass must cool over rollers. This may cause roller marks or distortion. Because each piece goes through the tempering oven individually, it’s impossible to have the same pattern. Using this additional interlayer thickness fills in any gaps between the two pieces and eliminates any roller marks or distortion.

Yes, we do render custom colored laminated glass in our facility. However, because this process is done by hand, we can not guarantee it will match your sample exactly.

Using our 12 Rainbow interlayer colors, we can create virtually any shade. Our lamination department can combine them with tinted glass or other colored interlayers to generate new hues. We can also produce frosted colors using white interlayers.

For this process, you will need to send your color chip sample so our lamination team can determine if they can match it. We charge a fee for this service and the samples we manufacture. Please contact PRL for pricing.

Yes, we can! We create all sorts of decorative laminated glass using different materials inside the make-ups.

You will need to provide a sample of this material (fabric, film, wood veneer, etc.) for a test piece to be made. This will allow us to determine what interlayer is required, which thickness is needed and how your material holds up in the lamination process. Please be aware these items will carry no warranty

Typically the largest size IG unit we produce is 98” x 137”. However, this depends on the make-up of the unit. Because excessive deflection or distortion may occur in a variety of make-ups we fabricate, there can be limits for the sizes we warrant. Please contact our order desk to discuss your IG requirements.

You can request IG units as small as 3 feet square.

We generate IG units with max overall thicknesses of 1 ½”.

Yes, we warrant our IG units. It covers a standard seal warranty for 5 years and a silicone seal warranty for 10 years. For more details, please contact our IG department.

Yes, you can have cut-outs made in low E glass for IG units. We can render them in Pilkington and Guardian low E glass, but not in Solarban® products. This low E glass is more delicate to work with, so we use our waterjet system. Using water to make cut-outs in Solarban® will stain the glass in IG units.

There are 3 surface options for spandrel coatings in IG units. The best surface we recommend is #4, followed by #2- both with edge deletion. Spandrel coatings can also be applied to surface #3 of IG units (also with edge deletion) as long as there is no low E coating on surface #2. However, we usually don’t recommend it since the coatings are viewed from the back side through the outboard lite.

This means the fire rated glass we supply does both. It protects people from smoke and flames and meets certain fire ratings.

For fire protection, Keralite® products divide building sections and block smoke and flames. However, they will not block the transfer of heat to the opposing side of the glass. Carrying fire ratings ranging from 20-80 minutes, this glass does have some limitations on maximum sizes and when it can be used in buildings. Please consult us for details.

Because Keralite® fire rated glass is a ceramic glass product. Unlike regular glass, it’s engineered with different chemical compositions. This creates a light amber coloring and certain optical and visual faults which are inherent to the production process. These characteristics do not affect the performance of the glass and shall not be considered cause for rejection.

Aluminum tape is applied to laminated fire rated glass for two reasons. To help prevent its interlayer from melting during a fire and, in the event this happens, to prevent delamination of the ceramic glasses.

Keralite’s® laminated fire rated product is made up of two ceramic glasses. Because they’re laminated together with PVB, this aluminum tape is necessary for these preventative reasons.

To determine if the fire rated glass we carry can be used for your application. We ask questions so we can cross reference the size, location, framing and minute rating as well as how it will be used.

Fire rated glass is a life-safety product monitored by the UL (Underwriters Laboratory). Since the glass we stock is only a fire protective product, we need this information to make sure it will meet UL standards for your project.

No, fire rated glass is a ceramic product, so it can not be tempered to increase safety. However, both Keralite® glasses we carry are safety products. Keralite® Filmed has a coating fused to the glass and Keralite® Laminated has a laminate applied, making them both safety products.

Yes. We produce IG units with fire rated glass on one side of the unit. To do so, we use a ½” galvanized steel air spacer during the manufacturing process.

Yes, we can render sandblasted graphics on Laminated fire rated glass, but not on Filmed products.

For Keralite® Laminated panels, we add the UL bug in-house by sandblasting it on the glass. So the bug would be on one side and your design would be on the other. Filmed products, however, already have the bug on one side with its film on the other. So we can not add any sandblasting to these fire rated glass panels.

No. You can not use fire rated glass for your fireplace. The two products we offer aren’t intended for this application. Fire rated glass can only be used for interior projects and installed in fire rated framing.

Spandrel glass is a glazing product that’s been coated with a tinted material. This glass is not transparent- it’s opaque. Resembling colored paints, these coatings come in boundless shades by various manufacturers.

We make all spandrel glass by applying this material to panels of glass we fabricate in-house. To ensure even, smooth application, they’re applied by roller-coating or spraying the paint onto glass sheets.

For our spandrel glass we use ICD’s OPACI-COAT-300® water-based silicone coatings. This is a high-quality flowable thixotropic emulsion. Upon evaporation of water, this tinted material cures to a tack-free elastomeric film.

Yes. ICD’s paints pose no health or safety issues to people or the environment. They can be handled at any stage. Unlike other spandrel glass products, OPACI-COAT-300® is lead-free, contains no organic solvents and is self-extinguishing.

Yes! We’re certified to apply ICD’s materials. What does this mean for you? Superior adhesion, quality control and spandrel warranties. Along with regularly scheduled inspections, we apply all coatings in a controlled environment with specialized ICD approved equipment. Please contact us for warranty details.

Yes, these opaque paints can be used for safety glazing. And no, you won’t have to apply tape or scrim films. This is because spandrel materials create a rubber-like elastomeric coating that satisfy the criteria for safety glazing and fallout protection.

Since spandrel films are applied without heat at the final stage of fabrication, they can be used on several glass types. So, you can bid clear annealed, heat strengthened and tempered, as well as low iron and mirrored glass.

These colored paints can also be used for high performance products. We can apply them to IG units and low E glass to improve energy efficiency, and tinted or reflective panels to eliminate banding effects on their vision sides. To do so, you choose a spandrel shade that matches the front side of the glass, and we’ll apply it to the backside.

Our glass experts produce spandrel panels in a range of sizes. Typically, they vary from 60” x 120” to 110” x 198”. However, there can be exceptions depending on your project. To ensure correct dimensions, consult with us prior to quoting.

Yes, you can. These opaque coatings can be applied to any thickness of glass. Most spandrel sheets we sell are in ¼”, 3/8”, ½” and ¾” thicknesses.

Yes we do! Our glass department stocks 16 standard spandrel paints. We also furnish endless custom hues from ICD. Standard colors include everything from whites, grays, blacks and browns to bronzes, blues and greens. Custom films include Aged Copped, Fjord blue, reds, purples and more. Custom tints are an additional cost. Just ask our team for specifics.

Yes, you can. We offer spandrel glass color matching through ICD. Just send us your sample, they’ll create your ideal hue, then after you’ve approved it, we’ll apply the coating to your selected glass panels. Ask our representatives for pricing and more color matching info.

For standard shades, glass sheets arrive around 2-3 working days. For custom tints, you can expect your order in about 2 weeks. All spandrel glass lead-times are estimates. For more accurate time frames, reach out to us.

Yes, we can sell case goods and glass stock sheets. While we don’t offer them regularly, we can provide this service to meet your glass needs.

You can bid monolithic glass in a minimum of 2 square ft.

We carry a variety of low E glass brands. We stock Sunguard® by Guardian, Solarban® by Vitro and some Pilkington products.

Looking through these low iron glass products, they should all appear the same- clearer and brighter than clear glass.

Any variations you may notice will be their edge color since they’re made by different manufacturers. Starphire® low iron glass is produced by Vitro®, Diamante® by Saint-Gobain and Optiwhite™ by Pilkington. Also, size plays a factor in edge color as well. Larger pieces of glass will show more color and smaller pieces will have clearer edges.

Yes you can! At PRL, we fabricate everything from the simplest of mirrors with straight edges to custom patterned shaped mirrors with curved and beveled edges.

No, we do not furnish pre-made shower doors. We specialize in custom swing and sliding shower door units. All our complete shower systems are fabricated per order in-house.

No, you can not. We do not manufacture framed shower enclosures. We specialize in frameless all-glass shower systems.

Yes, we will. Our shower door layout team will make deductions for you. With over 20 years’ experience, no shower job is too complicated for us.

For shower units that don’t require custom fabrications, our lead-time is 2 business days. For rushed jobs, you can use our Urgency Program and receive your shower door system the next day. While there is a fee for this service, it enables us to provide you with the fastest lead-times in the industry.

Yes, you can select laminated glass for your shower door enclosure. However, we can only use SentryGlas® interlayers.
While this product does carry a warranty on exposed edges, we do not warrant SentryGlas® on laminated showers if the edges are exposed. Because showers are subjected to water, delamination of glass edges is more likely due to moisture intrusion.

Typically, the maximum size swing shower doors we generate are 36” in width carrying up to 140 lbs. However, using our Samson shower door hinge, we have produced some of the largest showers in the industry. With this hinge, we can construct doors up to 42” wide for 175 lbs. in weight. Our Samson hinge is supplied in brushed and polished stainless steel finishes.

You can choose from a variety of shower hardware finishes for our swing door systems. We offer brushed nickel, polished chrome, oil rubbed bronze and matte black. All of these finishes are available for our standard shower door hinges, clamps, pull handles, knobs and towel bars.

Yes, we do. Upon request, we can purchase custom finishes for your shower hardware from CRL or US Horizon. Please contact our shower department for finish options and ordering details.

This Diamond Seal product is a coating applied to shower glass surfaces. It protects them, makes cleaning easier and keeps glass looking new longer. It works by sealing porous areas so chemicals from household cleaners, soap build up, minerals and stains can’t deposit into shower glass surfaces.

Diamond Seal is a permanent shower glass coating that doesn’t require reapplication or special glass-handling techniques. Resistant to water beads, fingerprints and smudging, it does make maintenance easier, but is not a self-cleaning product. Diamond Seal coatings come with a 10 year warranty backed by the manufacturer, not PRL.

Yes, our Tiffany all-glass showers have size limitations. These sliding doors can not exceed 30” x 84” in dimension and 88 lbs. in weight. The largest shower sliders we can fabricate are 72” in width.

Ruby shower door sliders can not exceed 32” x 84” in size and 120 lbs. in weight. These all-glass enclosures can be manufactured in max shower sizes up to 100”.

Tiffany and Ruby shower sliders accept 3/8” glass thicknesses only. Also, both all-glass shower door systems can be manufactured with 90° return panels.

You can select from 3 hardware finishes for the Tiffany and Ruby- brushed or polished stainless steel and oil rubbed bronze. For Tiffany all-glass sliders, all 3 are available regardless of shower size.

For the Ruby, we offer brushed and polished stainless steel for enclosures up to 100”. And for sliding shower doors up to 72” in size, all 3 hardware finishes can be requested.

We warrant our swing ingress doors for max widths of 48” with full top and bottom rails.

You can have hinged passageway doors warranted for max heights of 120”. This includes full top and bottom rails as well as a floor closer. Some restrictions apply on glass types and applications. Please contact us for further entry door warranty details.

Our swing entry door warranty covers a period of 2 years from the date of shipment. This applies to systems PRL supplies directly to dealers and customers only. It warrants our access doors on any defects in materials or workmanship.

No, adding a fourth hinge will not make a difference. Our swing entry doors are designed to accept 3 hinges max.

No, we do not. Our entrance door department does not provide in-house engineering or design for our complete systems. We can, however, furnish swing door structural calculations from an outside engineer.

Yes, you can choose from 3 aluminum ingress doors. They’re available in 2” narrow, 3 ½” medium and 5 1/8” wide door stiles.

Yes we do. To meet your passageway needs, we furnish a number of offset and center hung aluminum doors.

You can order offset aluminum ingress doors with butt hinges, gear hinges and op27 hardware.

We provide a scope of rail sizes for aluminum ingress doors. They’re offered in 2”, 3 1/4”, 3 5/8”, 5 1/8” and 10” options.

You can select from 4 different thresholds for your aluminum access doors. They’re available in ½ x 4”, ½ x 5” and ½ x 7” dimensions and we also stock ½” x 5” offset thresholds.

We supply a total of 6 aluminum storefront framing systems. All manufactured in our facility, we render the 250 series, 400 series, 450 series, 201 series, 251 series and the 401 series.

Yes, you can quote center and offset glazed systems for your storefront projects. Our center glazed systems include the 250 series, 400 series and 450 series. Our offset glazed systems include the 201 series, 251 series and 401 series.

Yes we can! Our storefront department produces virtually any custom aluminum framing. Extruding all storefront stock lengths ourselves, we can meet endless specifications. For more custom framing info, please contact us.

You can purchase 3 stock finishes for your aluminum access doors and storefront systems. We carry clear and bronze anodized as well as mill finishes in our facility.

Yes, you can. We offer a large selection of Kynar paints and powder coated colors. To learn which storefront and aluminum ingress door finishes are available, please contact us.

No, we don’t perform our own in-house painting and anodizing. We send our aluminum access doors and storefronts to outside vendors for this service.

Lead-times for aluminum anodizing and painting are very fast. Because we’ve developed good relationships with these vendors, and send them large volumes of storefronts and entrance doors, they turn your orders around quickly.

You can select full-framed passageway doors in 3 vertical stile sizes. These cladded doors are furnished in 3” narrow, 4” medium and 5 ½” wide stiles.

Yes, you can. We stock a variety of hardware to render center hung and offset entry doors. Our center hung cladded doors hang in the center of the surrounding frame. Single acting only, our offset full-framed access doors are set to one side of the frame

No, they do not. Our full-framed entrance doors are manufactured without glass stops. This enables our cladded doors to provide clean, unobstructed sightlines.

Our cladded passageway doors fit glass thicknesses ranging from ¼” to 1”.

You can request 5 standard and numerous custom finishes for full-framed entry doors. Standard cladded finishes include satin or polished stainless steel, satin or polished brass and oil rubbed bronze.

For custom finishes, we offer US10B and an assortment of colors in Kynar paints and powder coats. Please note: Ordering custom finishes will extend lead-times on full-framed cladded doors.

Standard finish lead-times for cladded panic ingress doors range from 5-7 working days. Or you can have them expedited and receive your full-framed panic system in 5 working days. To learn more about this service and applicable fees, contact us.

You can purchase rails in standard and custom sizes for full-framed access doors. We carry standard rails in 4”, 5” and 10” heights. Extruded per your specifications, we produce all custom sized rails for cladded doors in-house.

Yes, our cladded entrance doors will accept mid-rails. We offer them in 2” minimum sizes and render custom mid-rails for nearly any size over this. We can also generate muntins or grids for full-framed doors by simply cladding bar stock and applying it to the face of the glass.

You can buy two different types of closers for full-framed passageway doors. For center hung operations, you can use overhead or floor closers. For offset cladded doors, we supply butt hinges and offset pivots to be used in conjunction with these closers.

For our cladded entry doors, we furnish 4 kinds of locks. We stock deadbolts, latch locks, flush bolts and 3-point locks. Please note: Flush bolts will not pass California building codes. These locks should only be used out of state for private residence full-framed doors.

Yes, there’s a standard pull handle for our full-framed ingress doors. We always recommend using 1” diameter offset pulls. This offset style handle helps prevent hitting your hand on the door stiles. Push-pull handles are also popular for cladded doors. However, they may need to be special ordered depending on door size.

Yes! Panic devices can be used on your cladded passageway doors. However, these devices require a minimum 4” medium door stile for full-framed panic systems.

We warrant doors on Tiffany all-glass sliders up to 108” in height. For further specifications and warranty info, please contact our sliding door department.

You can have doors up to 50” wide warranted for Tiffany interior sliders. Call our sliding door department for other limitations and warranty info that may apply to your systems.

This depends on the handrail’s substrate. The hardware you’ll need differs if it’s wood, concrete or steel.

For wood substrates, guardrails require steel plate attachments for tensile strength. If your system has a concrete substrate, you’ll need 3/8” x 4” wedge bolts. Steel substrates call for steel plates with ½” x 2 ½” x 2 ½” weld blocks and ½”-13 socket head cap screws. Using this hardware, you won’t have to drill or tap handrails into steel substrates at jobsites.

Some city codes do require laminated glass for handrail and guardrail panels. We advise checking with your city’s model code to determine whether laminated glass must be used for your project.

Yes, glass thicknesses can vary for all-glass handrail systems. Code requires these guardrails be fit with ½”, 5/8” or ¾” thicknesses or laminated glass.

Yes, you can. Our guardrails can be produced in numerous glass widths. Since our base shoes were tested with 48” wide glass sheets, this is most commonly used. We can also generate handrail panels up to 72” max widths, but don’t recommend anything wider than this.

Typically, you can request standard ½” gap sizes for handrails. However, larger gaps may be required depending on your system’s conditions. For further details, please contact us.

Yes, there are height limitations. We can manufacture handrails and guardrails up to 42” tall. Measuring from the finished floor to the top of glass panels, or top caps, this is the max height railing we can render.

No. We do not engineer or design our handrails or guardrails ourselves. However, we can supply structural calculations for these railing systems from an outside engineer.

Additional safety measures depend on your specific handrail or guardrail application. Building codes are minimum safety standards. Therefore, keeping the end user in mind should always be a top priority. For these reasons, considering additional safety measures beyond required building codes is advisable for all railings.

Our handrail base shoes are designed so they can be dry set or wet cemented. So, while you can not purchase them specifically for wet or dry set applications, our base shoes can be used both ways.

We offer base shoes in two sizes for our guardrail systems. We furnish them in 2 ½” x 2 ¾” high and 2 ½” X 4 1/8” high sizes.

You can specify 4 standard base shoe finishes for your handrail or guardrail as well as custom painted finishes.
Standard finishes include satin or polished stainless steel and satin or polished brass. Custom painted handrail base shoe finishes are matched per your sample.

Usually, yes. Most city codes require top caps for handrail and guardrail systems. However, this may vary per city. So, we recommend checking with your city model code to learn if top caps will be needed for your railing project.

You can buy guardrail top caps in a variety of sizes and shapes. We supply them in 1 ½, 2”, 2 ½” and 3” sizes in round and square profiles. We can also extrude custom handrail top caps to your size requirements upon request.

You can select top caps in an assortment of finishes for your handrail system. For most round and square profiles, we offer satin or polished stainless steel, satin or polished brass and custom painted finishes matched to your samples. For our 2” round guardrail top caps, you can request clear or black anodized finishes.

Usually, our cut-off times for next day orders is 3:00-4:00 p.m. These times can vary depending on the difficulty of your glass order. Please call us for further details.

Most standard glass orders can be made by phone. For custom glass orders, we require drawings be sent with your measurements for the following fabrications: Notches, cut-outs and holes, and for any shapes other than rectangular or square, we’ll need your exact dimensions. For questions, contact us.

No. Sign-offs are only required on glass orders totaling $1,000 or more. If you don’t send your sign-off, your order will remain on hold. Once it’s received, we’ll begin glass production.

Oh no! We’re sorry your order arrived with damage. All claims for scratches, chips or other damage must be made within 3 business days. Once we receive your claim, we’ll make it right.

Quotes for our glass and aluminum products are good for 90 days.

Yes, we do! To match a competitor’s price on a product, you’ll just need to provide us with a printed copy of the competing price.

Our fee for custom spandrel glass colors is $750. After we receive your order, it takes approximately 2 weeks to fabricate your glass panels.

You can pick up your glass or aluminum will call orders as early as 5:00-6:00 a.m.

This depends on your order’s total and where it’s being shipped. For delivery to locations other than your shop, your order must be over $1,500 and shipped to a commercial area.

We deliver our products to a number of states and cities within the United States, Canada and Mexico.

In the U.S., we ship using our vehicle transportation fleet to the following areas in California and Nevada: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Las Vegas. We also deliver to cities in Arizona.

For other territories such as Hawaii, Canada and Mexico, we ship using common carrier or air freight. All merchandise is crated and either cardboard or foam wrapped. For further delivery info, please contact us.

To open an account with us, just complete and submit a New Customer application form.

Yes, we work with job accounts. To create one for your project, complete our Job Information sheet then send it to us.

To get terms for your account, you’ll need to fill out and submit our credit application form.

Yes, you can. We’re able to link more than one email address to your account.

Yes, we accept nearly all major credit cards. To learn which ones can be used for your payment, just give us a call.

To make your payments easy, we provide a number of options. We accept checks and you can also pay by email or over the phone.

You sure can! For accounts paid on time, we offer discounts of 1% with 10 N30 terms. Please contact our accounting department for further details.

Yes! Bundling your glass and aluminum purchases will give you a discount. This helps us save shipping costs, so we pass the savings onto you. For more info, call us. Discounts may vary depending on your order’s total, products bought and being shipped.

Yes, we do. We can provide paperless billing in the form of email statements and invoices. We also offer online accounting.

Yes! You can make secure online payments for your glass or aluminum orders. We use SeamlessChex, so your payments are submitted right away.

We’ve been in operation since 1989. When we first opened our doors, we were established in a 3,000 square foot facility with under 12 employees.

Our company has grown substantially since its inception. Now spanning four locations in the City of Industry, CA., our facilities embody a combined 250,000 square feet and employ over 500 workers.

Yes, we are. As a privately owned family business, we’re able to provide you with more personal customer service. Our goal is to always offer the best service possible for all your glass and aluminum needs.

Yes, we’re an MBE supplier! We meet all minority-owned business criteria and obtained our national MBE certification from SCMSDC in 2017. Our status remains in good standing today.

Since we’re MBE certified, there are several benefits when you partner with us. It can help you meet your MBE spend requirements, increase your chances of winning state projects and landing large federal government contracts. Also, working with us as your MBE supplier entitles you to a number of tax breaks, credits and rebates.

For your questions about glass materials and fabrication, contact our glass department. You can reach us by phone, fax or mail. To contact PRL Glass Systems, Inc., please use the info below.

PRL Glass Systems, Inc.:
Phone (Toll Free): 800-433-7044
Fax: 626-968-9256
Mail: 13644 Nelson Ave. City of Industry, CA. 91746

You can contact the experts in our aluminum department. They can answer any questions you have about our products, specifications or extrusion capabilities. To contact PRL Aluminum, Inc. by phone, fax or mail, just note the options below.

PRL Aluminum, Inc.:
Phone (Toll Free): 877-775-2586
Fax: 877-274-8800
Mail: 14760 Don Julian Rd. City of Industry, CA. 91746

Yes, you sure can! You can email any of your glass or aluminum questions to our customer service department. These knowledgeable representatives will reply to your inquiry lickety-split.

Simply contact us with this email address: info@prlglass.com