How to measure for cut-to-size glass
Your glass is made to the exact sizes you enter. We don’t measure on site, so take your time, measure everything twice, and check this guide before you order.
Toughened glass can’t be cut after it’s made
Toughened (tempered) glass is cut, edged and drilled first, then heat-treated. After that it can’t be cut, trimmed, drilled or re-edged — any attempt will shatter it. If a size is wrong, the piece has to be remade at your cost. See remakes & returns.
What you need
- A good steel tape measure (not a cloth or sewing tape)
- A spirit level — the longer the better (1200 mm or more is ideal)
- Pencil and paper — sketch the panel and write every measurement on it
- A second person for wide or tall openings
Walls and floors don’t have to be square
Most walls lean a little and most floors aren’t dead level. Our panel builder handles that: you enter how far each wall is out of plumb and how far the floor is out of level, and we cut the panel to follow them. That means the top and bottom widths can differ, and so can the left and right heights. The drawing in the builder updates as you type, showing the real cut sizes on every edge.
Step by step
- Work in millimetres. 1 m = 1000 mm. The builder takes whole millimetres.
- Measure the width at the top, middle and bottom. Measure side to side as the glass will sit. Write all three down. If they differ, a wall is out of plumb — that’s fine, keep reading.
- Measure the height on the left and the right. Bottom to top at each side edge. If they differ, the floor or bench is probably out of level.
- Check each wall for plumb. Hold your level upright against the wall with the bubble centred, and measure the gap between the level and the wall at the top or bottom. Then work out the total lean over the full height of the glass (if your level is 1200 mm and the glass is 2000 mm high, scale it up). Note which way it goes: does the top lean in (opening narrower at the top) or out (wider at the top)?
- Check the floor or bench for level. Lay the level along it, lift the low end until the bubble is centred, and measure that gap. Scale it to the full width of the glass and note which side is lower — left or right.
- Measure any notch from the edges. If the panel needs a corner notch (say, around a hob, skirting or step), measure its width in from the side edge and its height up from the bottom (or down from the top). Check its edges for plumb and level too.
- Take off your clearances (see below). Enter the finished glass size, not the size of the opening.
- Enter it in the builder and check the drawing. Make sure the shape and sizes on the picture match your sketch.
How run-outs work
A run-out is how far an edge is off true over the length of the glass. In the builder you choose Width & heights + run-outs, then enter:
- Bottom width, left height and right height.
- Left and right edge out of plumb in mm, with the direction — top leans in (narrower top) or top leans out (wider top).
- Bottom out of level in mm, with the side that’s lower.
The builder then works out the tapered (raked) shape and shows every edge size on the drawing. If you’d rather measure each side directly, choose Measure each side and enter the top and bottom widths and the left and right heights, and say which side is the straight vertical one.
If your top and bottom widths don’t agree with your plumb readings, measure again before you order.
Notches
You can add a notch on any one corner — bottom-left, bottom-right, top-left or top-right. Each notch has its own width (in from the side edge) and height (from the bottom or top edge), and its own run-outs if the thing you’re notching around isn’t square. The notch must leave at least 50 mm of glass beside it and above or below it. The notch is drawn on the picture with its sizes.
Maximum piece size: 3000 x 2000 mm (long side up to 3000 mm, short side up to 2000 mm). Panels larger than 1000 x 2100 mm need a second person to help lift on delivery.
For hinge cutouts or holes, contact us for a quote.
Clearances and gaps
Glass needs room to fit. You (or your installer) decide the final glass size. As a general guide, allow a few millimetres on each side of panels that go into a recess, frame or channel so the glass goes in without forcing.
We cut exactly to the sizes you enter
We don’t round, adjust or second-guess your numbers. Double-check every measurement and direction, and have someone else check them too, before you send your order.
Manufacturing tolerances
Glass is made to your sizes within normal manufacturing tolerances, so allow a little room in your clearances. Glass within tolerance is not a defect. If your job needs a tight fit, tell us in your order notes and we’ll talk it through before we cut.
Choose the right glass
Glass in doors, showers, low windows, splashbacks behind cooktops and other human-impact areas must meet Australian Standard AS 1288. Toughened glass is a safety glass; standard annealed glass is not. You or your installer are responsible for choosing compliant glass for your location. Pool fences must also comply with AS 1926 and local council rules (see pool fencing glass). Balustrades are not sold online.
Final check before you order
- Every size is in millimetres and entered as width × height.
- Width measured at top, middle and bottom; height on the left and right.
- Clearances for silicone, frames or channels are already subtracted.
- Walls checked for plumb and the floor for level, with the direction of each run-out.
- The drawing in the builder matches your sketch, including any notch.
- Glass type, thickness and edge finish are what you (or your installer) need.
- Someone else has double-checked the numbers.
At checkout you’ll be asked to tick “I confirm my measurements are correct”. Measuring and installation are not included in any order.