6 November 2026
Curved & Bent Tempered Glass: A Buyer's Selection Guide
Specifying Curved & Bent Tempered Glass
Sourcing curved glass is very different from buying flat panes. Radius, axis, thickness and finished build all interact, and getting the spec wrong means a pane that will not fit the frame. This guide is written for project buyers, façade engineers and specifiers who already know what bent glass is and now need to specify and procure it correctly. If you want the background on how hot and cold bending works, see our article on what is bent glass; here we focus on selection criteria, specs and standards.
As a specialist bent glass manufacturer, our core expertise is curved (single and multi-curved) bent-tempered glass — the most technically demanding part of the architectural glass catalogue.
Single-curved vs multi-curved: which do you need?
Single-curved (hot bent) glass curves in one direction only — a simple arc. It suits storefronts, curved facades, lift shafts and cylindrical feature walls. Multi-curved (double-curved) glass bends in two directions, including positive and negative curvature within one pane, for free-form and sculptural facades. Multi-curved is our flagship, most demanding product and is specified when a single radius cannot describe the geometry.
Key specifications to confirm
| Spec | Single-curved | Multi-curved |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 4–25 mm | 6–15 mm |
| Max size (hard axis) | arc-length 2500 × height 2440 mm | — |
| Max size (soft axis) | arc-length 2440 × height 5000 mm | arc-length 2440 × height 5000 mm |
| Min radius | 900 mm | — |
| Max arch height (rise) | — | 360 mm |
| Bends both directions | no | yes (positive / negative) |
| Standards | ISO 11485-2, EN 1464-06, ASTM C1464-00 | ISO 11485-2, EN 1464-06, ASTM C1464-00 |
When you send an enquiry, the critical data points are: the radius (or a CAD geometry for multi-curved), the axis orientation (hard vs soft), the thickness, the overall dimensions and the finished build (single pane, laminated or insulated unit).
Production capability behind the spec
Precision bent glass depends on the bending lines available. Three dedicated tempering/bending lines cover the range:
- Line 1 — hard-axis and soft-axis curved tempering.
- Line 2 — thickness 3–15 mm, minimum radius down to 420 mm for tighter arcs.
- Line 3 — multi-curved, bending in both directions, up to 360 mm arch height.
Matching your geometry to the right line is part of the quotation, so tighter radii or complex double curvature are confirmed as feasible before you commit.
Hot bent vs cold bent
Most architectural curved glass is hot bent — reshaped on a steel mould at around 600–650 °C and controlled-cooled, then toughened. Cold bent glass is held mechanically to a gentle radius without heat and suits large, shallow curves where a hot-bending mould is not warranted. Tighter radii and smaller panes almost always call for hot bending; confirm the approach with us against your radius.
How to specify and procure
- Fix the geometry first. Supply the radius or full CAD for double-curved shapes, plus the axis orientation.
- Choose the build. Curved glass is commonly built up as a laminated unit for post-breakage retention or an insulated unit for thermal performance — both demand tight tolerances on a curve.
- Name the standard. Projects are typically specified to ISO 11485-2, EN 1464-06 or ASTM C1464-00; our curved tempered glass is produced to these.
- Plan the schedule. Lead time is 7–15 working days and MOQ is 50 m²; panes are quoted EXW or FOB with a 10-year warranty.
- Allow for shelving and fittings. For curved display and bent glass shelves, confirm edge work and thickness against the span before production, as toughened glass cannot be modified afterward.
Browse our single-curved tempered glass and multi-curved tempered glass product pages for full details, then send us your enquiry with your radius, dimensions and quantity and we will quote EXW or FOB.
Sources
- Client product catalogue / knowledge base (single-curved & multi-curved curved tempered glass specs and standards)
- Client knowledge base (bent-glass production lines and general bending process, lead time, MOQ, warranty)
Related reading
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