How thick should a glass top be for a dining table?

It depends on whether the glass protects the table or is the table. A topper resting on solid wood can be fairly thin, because the wood carries the load. A top spanning a base or pedestal needs noticeably more, and more again for a large table or wide overhangs. Send the size and a photo of the base with your quote request.

My table is oval, or has curved corners. Can the glass follow its outline?

Yes. Round, oval and irregular pieces are cut from a full-size template rather than from measurements. Trace the tabletop on kraft paper or cardboard, trim it until it matches, and mark the upper side. The glass is cut and polished to that outline, then tempered if needed, so the template must be right first.

Do glass shelves have to be tempered?

Not always, but it is usually the better choice. A short shelf inside a cabinet can be plain glass with polished edges. Shelves on open brackets, over a sink or anywhere they might be knocked are safer tempered, and shower shelves should always be. The span and the load set the thickness.

What drives the price of a custom glass table top?

Mostly size, thickness and shape. Tempering adds to the cost, a traced oval takes more work than a rectangle, and polished or bevelled edges add time on every side. Notches, holes and delivery count too. Edges are finished before tempering, so choose the edge when you order; it cannot change afterwards.

Tabletops · Montreal

Made-to-measure glass table tops, toppers and shelves

A coffee-table top that did not survive moving day, a protective glass for a wood dining table, new shelves for a bathroom or a curio cabinet. Simple pieces, but the thickness and the edge matter. We connect you with an independent local glass professional who cuts glass to the shape of your furniture and quotes it from your measurements or a template.

Toppers, full tops and shelves
Round and odd shapes from a template
Quotes from independent local pros

Get a free quote 514-312-6772

A protective top cut to the table's outline, edges polished flat.

Two different jobs

Table topper or glass tabletop

The same words cover two different pieces, and the difference sets the thickness.

A protective topper (protège-table)

It lies on a wood or painted table and guards it against rings, heat marks and scratches. The table carries the weight, so the glass can stay fairly thin. Small clear bumpers keep it from sliding.

A glass tabletop (dessus de table)

The glass is the top, resting on a metal base, pedestals or an open frame. It spans the gap by itself, so it needs more thickness and is tempered in almost every case.

Finishing

Thickness, edges and corners

Thickness depends on the size, the support and the overhang. A topper on a solid table can stay slim; a round top on one pedestal needs more. A photo of the base lets the pro recommend one.

Any edge you can touch should be polished. A flat polish is the everyday choice, a rounded pencil edge feels softer, and a bevel (biseau) adds a slanted border. Rounded or clipped corners are worth it where people walk past or children play. The same options apply across custom glass and mirrors, including a glass backsplash.

Irregular shapes

Templates for irregular shapes

For an oval, curved corners or a shelf that fits an alcove, a full-size template beats a tape measure.

Trace the surface
Lay kraft paper or thin cardboard on the table or in the alcove and trace the outline, then trim until it sits exactly as the glass should.
Mark the extras
Write 'top' on the upper side, mark any notch or hole, and note the edge you want. Photograph it in place beside a tape measure.
Hand it over
Bring it to the counter or have the pro collect it. Tempered glass cannot be trimmed afterwards, so the template becomes the order; custom glass cut to size explains why.

Shelves

Wall, display cabinet and bathroom shelves

Wall shelves

On brackets or a concealed rail, with polished front edges and a thickness matched to the span.

Display cabinets

Cut to the inside width, sometimes notched for pins. A surviving old shelf gives the exact size.

Bathroom shelves

Tempered, over a vanity or in a shower niche, often alongside a mirror cut to size.

Putting up decorative shelves is not work that needs a contractor's licence under the RBQ's subclass rules, so picking up the glass and putting the shelves up yourself is a reasonable option.

Tempered glass

Tempered glass for surfaces exposed to knocks

Tempered glass takes bumps, heavy dishes and heat far better, and if it breaks it crumbles into small, blunt pieces. For a standalone top, a coffee table in a busy room, a shelf over a sink or anything in a bathroom, it is the sensible choice. A thin topper on a solid table is the one place plain glass is sometimes fine. For a child's desk, acrylic sheet cut to size is worth comparing.

What affects the quote

What shapes the price of a glass top or shelf

Each piece is made to order. The pro will ask about:

Size, thickness and shape, or a traced template
Plain or tempered, clear or frosted
Edge finish and corner treatment
Notches and holes for posts or pins
Pickup, or delivery up an outside staircase

Measurements, a photo of the base or cabinet, and the intended use cover most quotes.

Get a tabletop or shelf quote

Free quotes from independent local pros.

Questions

Glass tabletop and shelf questions

Explore your options

Local glass pros cut tops and shelves for homes across the region, including Montréal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Westmount, Saint-Laurent and Brossard.

Send the size, or a photo of your template

Say whether it is a topper, a full top or shelves, and send the measurements or a photo of the template. We'll pass it to a local glass pro who cuts furniture glass, and they'll get back to you with a quote.