I have been trying to upload pictures of my mess for an hour now And I cannot seem to have it work.
My iphotos are to too large

I can't believe this sink just went BOOM literately

You're terrifying me. My sliding shower doors are tempered glass.

I'm so glad no one was hurt, wheatciti!

But seriously here - what the @(*&!@???

Tempered glass shatters into something other than shards and is not considered to be a great hazard. It is a form of safety glass.

Sometimes tempered glass shatters for no apparent reason. Usually, it is due to internal stresses left over from the manufacturing process. They can let go at any time without warning or an external trigger. When it does, it is a warranty issue.

wow...I would never have thought. We buy tempered glass for cabinets and such for safety and strength..uhmmm

Sometimes tempered glass will shatter due to poor installation. My MIL had a TV cabinet door shatter spontaneously soon after it was put together because the door had not been attached properly. I can't remember now whether it was screwed in too tight or not level but Best Buy replaced it at no charge. Maybe you could check into how your sink was installed and if an error was made in the installation.

This does not sound like a simple shattering though, wouldn't it just shatter and fall? The OP says that shards of glass embedded themselves in the opposite wall! Does not sound at all "safe" to me! If it stuck in the wall, it could easily stick in flesh. I thought tempered glass was supposed to become granular - like a car windshield.

I am glad everyone is ok. If the second sink in the bath is from the same manufacturer - I would cover it with a heavy tarp - or a really big plastic bin - anything that will contain the glass should it explode like the other. If there is another bathroom that can be used for the time being, just shut the door to this one until you can have the sink issue resolved.
Email the manufacturer with pics. Ask for a resolution - a totally different type of sink or for money back since you are now afraid to have this product in your home.
I don't know anything about vessel sinks, so I can't help you there.
I just *shudder* when I think of your story.

Hi actually I don't know who the manufacture is as it has been 20 months now since it's been installed. Past the one year warranty.

As for installation issues it was installed by a licensed journeyman plumber who
used to use these sinks every day. (my husband)
He was home as well when this occurred and was the one you cleaned up all the glass.

Yes there was force when it broke as there was glass stuck in the wall and damage to the paint on the opposite side of the bathroom.

the glass was also found in my daughters room across the hall, and of course in the hallway.
I did indeed cover the second sink and we turned the water off.
Any suggestions on nice looking porcelain vessel sinks?
or non shattering material ones?

No one was injured yesterday, but i went to have a bath this morning and got glass stuck in my backside, and feet.
apparently the tub was some what over looked when cleaned up. :-(

All I can say is "wow". I've had Pyrex shatter in my oven before which makes me wonder if it's tempered glass too. Someone was watching over you and your family last night, so glad you were not in the room when that happened, yikes.

Sure there are all kinds of non glass vessel sinks, ceramic, stainless steel, copper onyx, granite even wood. You may want to check out Faucetsdirect, they have 63 pages of vessel sinks! Time to go shoppin!

Your sink may have a lifetime warranty or more than a one year. CAREFULLY check the other sink for any manufacturer's info. Also, see if you can check where you bought it. They may have information for you, too.

I'm still fixated on my shower door. I just cleaned my bathroom, and I was ***SO*** careful cleaning the door! The idea of this thing spontaneously exploding while I'm taking a shower, or brushing my teeth, or anything really - it's a tiny bathroom. The shower door is *there*.

How come these things don't come with warning labels???

Just another to say it's not unheard of. Our stove door shattered as we sat eating dinner one night. We had used it that evening but it was cooling off and had only been heated to 350 F. This was a 40 year old stove. I wouldn't say it exploded, but there was glass everywhere.

I also say it's a warranty issue - even if you only had a one year warranty. The name of the manufacturer should be somewhere on that sink.

I'd do fireclay or metal sinks after that experience. I saw some nice St Thomas vessel sinks at our local plumbing store just the other day. Nice!

This is way too scary. I have two large windows installed above my claw foot tub. They have to be tempered according to code... Yikes!

Aren't our windshields tempered glass too?

In the US, windshields are laminated safety glass. They have a layer of plastic between the two glass pieces. They are designed not to fly into pieces. The rest of the automotive glass is tempered.

So glad you and your family weren't injured. but it's so timely that you posted about this because just the other day I was researching glass shower doors and came across a lot of websites about the exploding-tempered-glass problem. It actually has to do with the process of tempering the glass -- the nickel sulfide is cooled too quickly, or something like that. Anyway, my dh said that it shouldn't stop us from getting the glass doors because the chances of it happening are less than the chances of other random accidents, like an an auto accident. But now that I know about this problem, I'll think of it every time I look at those glass doors!

wheatciti,

What "brand" of glass vessel sink do you have? There are so many on the market. We've had two installed for years (one for just under 10 years in a powder room) but they are hand blown glass vessel sinks made by an artisan in the NW (SinksGallery.com). Somewhat spendy, but truly works of art. While installing a mirror I dropped a hammer into one of them and I couldn't believe that it didn't break - not even a scratch!

I've often wondered about the "molded" sinks we've seen coming in from China these past few years and have heard mixed reports. I'm sure others on the board here would be interested in hearing what specific sink it was if you are willing to share.

I just spoke to a glass worker I know rather well. She said that what happened to the sink in this thread was almost certainly because it was cooled too fast. There is a lot of cheaply made "artisan" glass coming into the US from overseas. Production is likely forced, and corners are almost certainly cut. One way to speed the process is to cool the glass as rapidly as possible without it cracking. Unfortunately, that is a good way to produce a product with internal stresses, which may let go later.

It can also happen to the best producers. Even the famed Blenko Glass has produced pieces that have spontaneously cracked long after they were manufactured.

Let me guess - another product from the same guys who have poisoned dogs and babies?

I dropped by the plumbing store today. When I saw a glass vessel sink on display, I mentioned what happened to wheatciti's sink. He said it was likely a manufacturing stress problem but he had also heard of loud music breaking tempered glass.

I told him I hadn't heard of any trends lately where people are holding concerts in their bathrooms lately but maybe the kids were practicing a new instrument. LOL!

I love that there is plastic in my windshield.

The OP didn't say it was tempered glass . . . I suspect Muddypond's friend is correct, that it was one of the imported artisan glass bowls. My original plan was to use them in a couple places -- I was amazed at how many inexpensive ones I could find. I ended up using porcelain ones instead.

Good luck finding replacements . . . and getting the shards out of your . . . ummm . . . bathtub!

hostagrams is absolutely right -- the OP has *NOT* said that the sinks were tempered glass. The shards seem to confirm this. Tempered glass breaks into little tiny pieces -- mosaicists use it all the time in its broken state. That sink really doesn't sound like it was tempered. Pharaoh just happened to mention tempered glass in the first response--that's where the word came up.

I looked into this a little. I think I know where the confusion comes from.

Tempered glass is made a couple of ways. One is by controlled annealing. To anneal glass, its temperature is raised in a kiln to a point that the internal stressed are relieved, but not high enough for the glass to deform. It is then cooled slowly under controlled conditions. If it is cooled too rapidly or the kiln has an uneven temperature distribution, the stresses may not be relieved.

These glass sinks do not appear to be made from tempered glass, per se, but the manufacturing process does include annealing. The sinks are made of colored art glass, which is manufactured specifically to be worked with heat. The art glass is heated in a kiln to the point that it deforms into a mold in a process known as slumping. Decorative pieces may also be fused to the main piece at the same time. Once the glass is slumped and/or fused, it is annealed by slow cooling to relieve the internal stresses. In theory, this prevents the glass from cracking or shattering.

The process requires precise control of time and temperature. The glass may be held at specific temperatures for specific amounts of time. Modern kilns, even hobbyist versions, are computer controlled, with varying programs for different types and thicknesses of glass. If the glass worker gets it wrong, the piece will crack, usually during the annealing process. However, it may crack later. Even if the glass worker does everything right, the glass will sometimes crack.

Based on what I have learned and the experience of the OP here, I would not purchase a glass sink from an unknown source. I might purchase one from a local artisan with a good reputation, but even then I would be a bit leery of it.

You don't need to worry about your shower door exploding & impaling you. It's made out of tempered glass specifically for safety's sake, so that if it does break it breaks into the almost bead-like little pieces instead of dangerous shards. I had the slider in my bedroom (tempered) shatter in the middle of the night - looked like it had been hit from outside with a sledge hammer. We had the cops at the house thinking someone was trying to break-in before we realized it was a faulty door and a very slight earthquake (that we slept through) had pushed it past it's stress point!

It's my understanding that it is precisely the tempered type of glass that can spontaneously explode. It is the process of tempering it that involves very fast cooling. In fact, one of the consumer complaint websites I read had two complaints about exploding tempered-glass shower doors made by a well-known manufacturer.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/century.html

Here is a link that might be useful: complaint about exploding tempered glass shower door

I've pasted below a link to another webiste that describes a spontaneous explosion of tempered glass. This site includes links to a mini-physics lesson on why this can occur.

Here is a link that might be useful: Example and explanation of exploding tempered glass

My bathroom sink exploded too! We left Saturday morning, came back Sunday evening to find our lovely glass sink in a million pieces. We thought, "Oh no, theives!" but quickly realized that the sink had just exploded all by its lonesome. Bizarre.

This recently happened to me (2015) I know this post is old but i wanted to warn people. This wasn't a vessel sink, the entire sink was glass and exploded 5 seconds after my son finished brushing his teeth. it was horrifying.

My blue mermaid sink made by veite exploded yesterday . Anyone else had that manufacturers sink explode?

I remember this thread when it was first posted and remembered how grateful I was that no one was injured and that my one year old Oceana glass sink wasn't made of tempered glass! We've since added another. If anyone is looking for a glass sink, here is an explanation of their "Hard Roc" formulation. These sinks are also used in the kitchen and can withstand temps of 212 degrees. No, I'm no way affiliated with Oceana/JSG. Just a fan of their beautiful sinks (and decorative bowls)

Oceana Glass Sinks

My powder room Krauss vessel sink just blew up. I thought someone broke my front door glass. Hundred of pieces everywhere. Couldn't believe how loud it was.

After the clean up

I'm betting there was some sort of raw glass that was unabraded, creating a microscopic stress riser. Probably pressured unevenly, the stress riser started a crack that blew up the bowl. Everything around the bottom of a bowl should be perfectly smooth, no matter the material.

Mine blew up as well this weekend,wondering in homeowners insurance covers it? Can't find another one like it on the Web. Eched probably goes for 3k. 4 years old

January 2017 and our vessel sink just exploded this morning. It was shocking to me as I walking into our bedroom then bathroom after I heard the terribly loud sound of shattering glass. No golfball had made it through our large bedroom window. The skylight was intact in the bathroom yet there was green glass all over the bathroom floor. Walking into the bathroom I see shattered glass all over our countertop. One vessel intact but mine had blown apart! Really a shocking something to happen. I had no idea this could happen to a glass sink and was terrible glad that my little dog had not wandered into our bathroom looking for its ‘human’. We have a ceramic vessel sink in a different bathroom... but for this bathroom, I really don’t know what we will replace it with -- replace it and the one that is intact. No way are we gonna be waiting for another explosion like this one. Why are they even sold today?

Another exploding glass sink!! Was in the kitchen and heard the loud crash!! Thought my dogs must of knocked something over.. No.. it was the powder room bathroom sink! Exploded just like so many have reported in this thread! Thankfully noon was in there and none was injured. I had a guest use this rest room only a few hours before! Can't imagine what would of happened if she or one of my family members was in there at the time.. terrible! We bought this house less than a year ago and I thought the sink was a pretty choice for the room.. have no clue who made or installed it. NOT going to use a glass sink ever again!! So relieved to find this tread!!

Unfortunately, this happens once in a while. Most common issue is that the pop-up drain was tightened too much putting too much stress on the sink and eventually it explodes. In order for it to break due to changing temperature, you would literally have to put boiling water into it and then immediately put ice water in it. I would call whoever sold you the sink and have them send you another one.

The mystery behind an exploded glass vessel without anyone touching it:

the common cause of glass vessel sink exploded should not be the glass vessel sink itself, manufactures should thank me for releasing their liabilities. The killer should be any hard object next to it. The first thing I would check it out is the piece on the top of the sink and any part or surface at the bottom of it. It doesn't matter whether the piece immediate next to the sink surface is smooth or not. It needs a rubber cushioning between a tempered glass what a glass vessel sink made of and any other hard object. Anything (yes, especially that looks very smooth but hard surface like granite or quartz) would give the glass uneven pressure that cause the cracks. Only two things during an installation would prevent any further exploded glass vessel instance: 1. make sure using a pop-up drain that has a rubber ring next to the glass. Don't use any universal regular vanity drain come with faucet; 2. use a metal vessel mounting ring with rubber seal on both sides between vessel sink and any hard surface. Don't use any mounting ring without the rubber seal. A clear silicon caulking doesn't make the cut. The rubber is the key. May the next exploding things be July 4th fireworks not your glass vessel sink.

Zen cabinetry,
We had all of that and our tempered glass vessel sink exploded right next to my head anyways. (I was bending down next to it putting a fresh trash bag in the can't not touching the sink or the vanity.)
We had rubber at every surface point as you described, and the drain was by the same manufacturer as the sink and not some off brand. Nothing had dropped on it. It went off like a bomb and I had multiple minor cuts simply from the speed of the tempered glass hitting me.
In our case the sink manufacturer, Vigo, went above and beyond their warranty after we told our story to one of their higher ups and they replaced our sink with any sink from any of their lines and suggested we might like one from their manufactured stone sinks since I was adamant against another glass sink. We just received our new stone sink a couple of weeks ago. Bravo Vigo! However, tempered glass sometimes explodes even when the consumer has done everything right. ;)

Vigo's Pop-up drain comes with two big wide rubber rings. One for the top and one for the bottom of the sink, not under the counter-top. Because the metal mounting ring also comes with two thin rubber rings, vessel sink slightly wobbles after installed as if it's not sturdy. Some either skip one ring or put it at the bottom of counter-top leaving only a thin ring in between the vessel and metal ring.

Tempered glass do crack sometimes without anyone touching it. The issue for that is the internal tensions are not completely settled during curing process. Either the temperature dropping too quick or time is too short. I am glad that nobody is getting hurt seriously so far. It might also explains why stone sink is getting popular now.

Exactly, we decided it must've not been annealed (cooled down) properly in the manufacturing process. And yes, it came with a lot of rubber rings and we used them as specified. And yes, it did sit up a little above the countertop.
Fwiw, I'm quite happy with the replacement sink we chose from their stone line. It took me a bit to get used to a white sink when I'd had a beautiful blue sink for a year and a half or so, but now I'm not always cleaning up water spots. LOL!

1 of my tempered Vessel sinks spontaneously exploded today. Shattered Glass powder all over master bathroom and into the adjacent rooms. Having the other sink relaced asap.

Same thing happened to our glass counter top two days ago like a bomb and the counter top vanished in million pieces! We were so lucky not to be there. any idea why?

The glass vessel sink in our rental house exploded this morning, exactly as described in earlier posts. The house is 10 years old, sink presumably installed when the house was built. Don’t know whether it was tempered glass, I assume not since the shards were extremely sharp, and everything in this house is cheap. Needless to say, we won’t be installing a glass vessel sink in the house we are building!

That does not look like a typical tampered glass damage. I am now convinced that some glass vessel sink are not so stable. I would be especially cautious with those so called tempered glass but looks a mixture of other materials rather than a pure glass, Hope nobody gets hurt.

I had a hand blown glass sink crack but not explode. The artist who made the sink theorized that the plumber had tightened the drain connection too tightly and it finally gave way. I imagine that maybe I'd put a little pressure on it while cleaning or something that got it started? I don't know, but I wonder if a too tight drain fastener, plus some house settling doesn't cause these incidents?

Tempered glass is not fun! It's a great looking work of art, but changes in temperature can make it unstable and then BOOM. Glass everywhere, thank God the children where not around.

my bathroom glass sink top exploded , no one near iit, loudest ba ever , but now cant find same to replace it , 900mm long

This forum popped up after I wanted to see if I’m the only one whose vessel sink exploded. Omgosh what a crazy experience!! We’ve had it for 15 yrs and as my daughter was brushing her teeth getting ready for work BAM! Lou’s and forceful. Thank goodness her head was up or she’d no doubt have cuts in her eyes. She only sustained minor cuts on her arms. This is a “never again” for me. It was cute but nope, boring sinks from now on.

👎🏼

Yikes! Maybe the ground settled a bit and caused some extra tension on the glass. Glad she's ok!