ESG or VSG? Choosing the Right Safety Glass for Loft Doors and Room Dividers (5 Glass Types Explained)

Standard furniture rarely fits perfectly. Period apartments with walls that are never quite plumb, open-plan spaces that need a visual boundary without losing light, attic rooms with unusual ceiling heights - these are situations where made-to-measure is not a luxury but a practical necessity. This guide covers everything you need to choose the right glass type and glass design for a custom loft door or room divider: what ESG and VSG actually mean, how the five available glass options differ, how to measure correctly, and how the Manufaktur X 3D configurator turns your specifications into an instant, transparent price.

Why Made-to-Measure Matters More Than You Might Think

Walk into any large furniture retailer - IKEA included - and you will find doors and partitions in a handful of standard sizes. For a perfectly rectangular opening in a modern new-build, that sometimes works. For a 1960s apartment block where every wall has a slightly different angle, or a converted loft with ceiling heights that do not match any catalogue entry, standard sizes create gaps, require filler strips, or simply do not fit at all. Made-to-measure furniture solves the geometry problem before it starts.

What that means in practice:

• Exact fit for every opening, alcove, or unusual room layout
• No gaps or trip hazards from ill-fitting off-the-shelf parts
• Full design control over frame colour, bar pattern, and glass type
• Long-term durability from solid hardwood and certified safety glass rather than mass-produced materials
• Style flexibility - industrial, minimalist, Scandinavian, and everything in between

Every piece that leaves the Manufaktur X workshop is a single, made-to-order item. There are no stock products and no compromise sizes.

The Product Range at a Glance

The collection covers furniture in steel and solid wood, as well as two steel-and-glass products for interior space planning. Understanding which category a product falls into makes configuration much faster.

Steel and Glass Products

Exactly two products combine a powder-coated steel frame with safety glass panels:

• Loft door - a genuine swing door with hinges, a door stop (choose left or right), opening direction, opening angle, and a choice of three handle styles. The frame is powder-coated steel; the panels are safety glass.
• Room divider - a fixed steel-and-glass partition wall. No door leaf, no handle, no hinges. An optional walk-through opening can be built in as a frameless gap.

Steel and Solid Wood Products (No Glass)

• Large shelf - steel frame with solid wood shelves, optional integrated wooden cabinet sections
• Dining table - solid glued-board or veneer top on a steel base
• Coffee table - solid glued-board or veneer top on a steel base
• Bench - solid glued-board or veneer seat on a steel frame
• Pipe shelf - steel pipe construction with solid wood shelves

None of these products include glass, but they share the same underlying principles: oak, beech or ash only, powder-coated steel in any RAL colour, and millimetre-precise production.

Materials: Wood, Steel, and Glass

Solid Wood: Oak, Beech, and Ash

Only three hardwood species are used - oak, beech, and ash. They are chosen for their density, workability, and resistance to everyday wear. Species such as pine, walnut, cherry, or maple are not available. More than 50 stains allow the surface tone to shift from a pale natural finish through warm honey and tobacco browns to near-black, while keeping the natural grain fully visible.

A note on how wood is used across the range: shelf tops (large shelf, pipe shelf) are always solid wood. Table and bench tops (dining table, coffee table, bench) are available either as solid glued boards or as veneer - both options are offered in the configurator.

Steel Frames: Powder Coating in Any RAL Colour

All steel frames and bases are finished by powder coating - not liquid paint. The process bonds a dry powder to the metal surface under heat, producing a finish that is scratch-resistant, even in colour, and considerably more durable than conventional paint. Any RAL colour is available: deep black (RAL 9005), pure white, petrol, terracotta, anthracite, and everything in between. In our production, the powder-coating step happens after all welding is complete, so every surface - including joints - receives a fully consistent layer.

Glass Options for Loft Doors and Room Dividers

Five glass types are available for both loft doors and room dividers. These are visual and privacy options - they are entirely separate from the question of ESG versus VSG (explained further below).

• Clear glass - maximum transparency, full light transmission, no visual privacy
• Milk glass - frosted white, diffuses light, blocks the view
• Smoked glass - a light blue-grey tint, modern feel, slight darkening effect
• Dark smoked glass - stronger tint, more privacy, stronger design statement
• Textured glass - pressed surface pattern, moderate privacy, interesting light effects

Each option is a single, clearly defined choice in the configurator. There are no sub-types or intermediate opacity levels to navigate.

ESG and VSG: Understanding the Two Safety Glass Types

Glass type (what it looks like) and glass category (how it is manufactured) are two separate decisions. Once you have chosen clear, smoked, or textured glass, you then choose between ESG and VSG.

ESG: Toughened Safety Glass

ESG (Einscheiben-Sicherheitsglas, or single-pane safety glass) is produced by heating a glass sheet to approximately 620 °C and then rapidly cooling it with jets of cold air. This creates compressive stress at the surfaces, making the finished pane roughly five times stronger than standard float glass of the same thickness. If ESG does break - under a very sharp, localised impact - it disintegrates into small, blunt-edged fragments rather than large shards. The injury risk is substantially lower than with ordinary glass.

One critical manufacturing constraint: once a pane of ESG has been through the tempering process, it cannot be cut, drilled, or modified in any way. Every dimension, every hole for a handle, every cutout for a fitting must be finalised before tempering. This is why precise measurement before you configure is non-negotiable. In our experience, the most common reason a custom glass door does not fit perfectly is a measurement error, not a production fault.

VSG: Laminated Safety Glass

VSG (Verbundsicherheitsglas, or laminated safety glass) consists of at least two glass panes bonded together by a tough polymer interlayer. If the glass is broken, the fragments remain attached to the film - the pane holds its shape and does not create an open, hazardous gap. For larger formats, Manufaktur X recommends VSG because the interlayer provides additional structural integrity across a bigger surface area. The choice between ESG and VSG is made directly in the configurator; if you are uncertain, the room divider product page or a direct enquiry will help you decide.

Which Should You Choose?

For a standard interior loft door in a typical apartment - ceiling heights up to around 2.6 m, normal door widths - ESG is the practical default. It is strong, safe on breakage, and well suited to everyday door use. For larger room dividers that span a full wall from floor to ceiling, or for any glass panel with a width or height above roughly 1.5 m, VSG is the more appropriate choice. The laminated interlayer becomes more relevant as the glass area increases.

The Loft Door: What You Can Configure

The loft door is a complete interior door: powder-coated steel frame, safety glass panels, hinges, door stop, and handle. It divides rooms acoustically and visually without sealing them off entirely - light continues to move through the glass, and the space reads as larger than it would with a solid door.

Configurable Parameters

• Width and height in millimetre increments
• Door stop: left or right
• Opening direction and opening angle
• Bar pattern: number and arrangement of horizontal and vertical bars
• Glass type (clear, milk, smoked, dark smoked, textured)
• Safety glass category (ESG or VSG)
• Frame colour (any RAL colour, powder-coated)
• Handle style: three options - Long, Discreet, or Half-Moon

Handle Styles

Handles are exclusive to the loft door - the room divider is a fixed partition and does not have one. Three designs are available:

• Long - a classic bar handle with a clean, straight line
• Discreet - a slimmer, understated profile
• Half-Moon - a curved form that works as a quiet design detail

Where a Loft Door Works Well

• Living room / kitchen: connect open-plan spaces while keeping cooking smells contained when needed
• Home office: acoustic separation with a visual connection - focused work without feeling isolated
• Bedroom: milk glass or textured glass for privacy without blocking daylight
• Bathroom: milk glass or textured glass for full discretion with maximum light transmission
• Hallway: a design statement that immediately elevates the entrance area

The entry price for the loft door starts at 1,157 EUR. The actual price depends on your chosen dimensions, glass type, bar pattern, and other parameters - it is calculated and displayed in real time as you configure.

Room Divider: Fixed Steel-and-Glass Partition

The room divider is a permanent wall element, not a door. It restructures an open-plan space without closing it off completely and without the cost or disruption of building a physical wall. There is no door leaf, no handle, no hinges, and no sliding mechanism. If you need a passage through the divider, an optional walk-through opening can be incorporated as a frameless gap - its own width and height are configured separately, and because it reduces the total glass area, it also reduces the price.

Typical applications:

• Defining zones in an open living and dining area without losing the sense of space
• Separating a home office from a living room while keeping light flowing between them
• Creating a visual boundary between a hallway and a reception room in a larger apartment
• Structuring a studio flat into distinct living and sleeping areas

The room divider shares the same five glass types, ESG/VSG options, bar patterns, and RAL frame colours as the loft door. The starting price is 2,212 EUR in the standard configuration.

How the Configurator Works

The Manufaktur X 3D configurator shows every change in real time: dimensions, glass type, bar layout, frame colour - and the updated price, instantly. Shipping costs and lead times are shown transparently before you reach the checkout.

Step by step:

1. Choose your product (loft door or room divider)
2. Enter your dimensions (width and height - based on your measurements, see below)
3. Set the bar pattern (number and arrangement of horizontal and vertical bars)
4. Select the glass type (one of five options)
5. Choose the safety glass category (ESG or VSG)
6. Pick a frame colour (any RAL colour)
7. For loft doors: set the door stop side, opening direction, opening angle, and handle style
8. For room dividers: optionally add a walk-through opening, side panels, or a top section
9. Read the live price and place your order

The configurator does not generate downloadable technical drawings. For unusual projects - irregular wall openings, multi-section dividers, combinations of a door and a fixed glass panel - you can upload a sketch at manufakturx.com and receive a bespoke quote.

How to Measure Correctly

Accurate measurement is the single most important step before you configure. With ESG glass in particular, no changes can be made after the tempering process - every dimension is locked in from the moment production begins. Getting the numbers right the first time is not optional.

The Core Rule: Measure in Multiple Places, Use the Smallest Figure

Walls, floors, and ceilings are rarely perfectly flat - especially in period buildings. Measure the opening at a minimum of three points across both width and height (top, middle, bottom for width; left, centre, right for height) and always work from the smallest measurement you find. The product is manufactured to the exact dimensions you enter in the configurator - no more, no less.

Installation Clearance for Loft Doors

Beyond finding the smallest measurement, you need to subtract an installation gap. Allow approximately 5 mm on each side - left, right, and top. This clearance means the door can be fitted cleanly even if the opening is very slightly out of square, which is almost always the case in real buildings.

Practical example: If the narrowest measured width of the opening is 990 mm, enter 980 mm in the configurator (5 mm gap on each side). For a ceiling height of 2,200 mm at the lowest measured point, enter 2,190 mm for the door height.

Measurement Checklist

• Measure width at a minimum of three heights
• Measure height at a minimum of three width positions
• Record the smallest figure in each direction
• For loft doors: subtract approximately 5 mm per side (left, right, and top)
• Check that the opening is plumb and square with a spirit level

Glass Type and Privacy: Choosing the Right Option for Each Room

The glass type determines how much light passes through and how much visual privacy the door or partition provides. Here is a quick reference:

Milk glass offers the strongest visual screen while still transmitting a generous amount of diffuse light - the right choice wherever privacy is the priority. Textured glass creates interesting light-play through its surface pattern while providing moderate obscuring. Clear glass maximises light transfer and allows rooms to read as one continuous space, with no privacy at all.

Steel and Glass in Interior Design: Why the Industrial Aesthetic Endures

The combination of slender steel frames and large glass panels has its roots in early twentieth-century factory and warehouse architecture. What began as a purely functional building method - maximising light in production spaces - gradually became one of the most recognisable interior design languages of the past three decades. Its appeal is straightforward:

• Glass keeps light moving through a space and prevents rooms from feeling boxed in
• Steel provides a clear structural line and an honest, undecorated aesthetic
• Together they work across a wide range of styles - industrial, Scandinavian, minimalist, and mid-century modern all sit comfortably alongside a steel-and-glass partition

In European homes, this aesthetic performs particularly well in period apartments where original architectural features - exposed brick, timber beams, generous ceiling heights - already carry a certain rawness that a steel-and-glass door complements rather than contradicts. It works equally well in a clean, white new-build flat where the frame becomes the only decorative element in the room.

Style Configurations Worth Considering

• Industrial: black frame (RAL 9005), clear or smoked glass, multiple bars - the classic loft look
• Minimalist: slim profile, few or no bars, clear glass, a neutral mid-grey or off-white frame
• Scandinavian: white or light grey frame, clear glass, the warm wood handle as contrast
• Vintage / Retro: more bars, textured glass, a darker frame colour such as dark bronze or graphite

Care and Maintenance

Cleaning the Glass Panels

• Use a microfibre cloth or a soft, lint-free cloth for daily cleaning
• A streak-free glass cleaner or isopropyl alcohol works well for stubborn marks
• For milk glass and textured glass: use a soft cotton cloth rather than microfibre - microfibre can leave microscopic scratches in a matte or structured surface
• For textured glass: a soft brush helps to clean inside the surface recesses without applying too much pressure
• Clean on a cloudy day or in the evening - direct sunlight causes cleaning solution to dry before you can wipe it off, leaving streaks
• Never use steel wool or abrasive pads on any glass surface

Caring for the Steel Frame

• The powder-coated surface needs only a damp cloth - no aggressive cleaning agents
• Avoid abrasive cleaners or scouring pads that could damage the powder coating
• Lubricate the loft door hinges with a light machine oil once a year to prevent squeaking
• Check fittings periodically to ensure all fixings remain tight

Caring for Solid Wood Surfaces

• Wipe down regularly with a lightly damp cloth
• Never allow water to stand on the wood surface
• Use care products appropriate to the finish (oiled, stained, or lacquered)
• Avoid prolonged direct sunlight to reduce fading over time

Pricing: What Does a Made-to-Measure Loft Door or Room Divider Cost?

The loft door starts at 1,157 EUR for the most basic configuration. The room divider starts at 2,212 EUR. In both cases, the price you see is determined by your chosen dimensions, glass type, bar count, and additional parameters - and it updates live in the configurator as you adjust each option. Shipping costs and lead times are displayed transparently before checkout.

Production time for all made-to-measure products is 5 to 6 weeks from order confirmation.

Current prices for all products:

Comparing Made-to-Measure with Off-the-Shelf Options

IKEA's standard door range covers common sizes well and represents good value at its price point. Where it falls short is in non-standard openings - a 1930s apartment with a 2,350 mm ceiling height and a 920 mm door width simply does not map to any catalogue page. That is the gap made-to-measure furniture fills, not as a luxury choice but as the only workable solution.

Custom Projects: When the Configurator Is Not Enough

Most projects fit comfortably within the standard configurator. Some do not. Irregular wall openings, combinations of a door and a fixed glass side panel, multi-section room dividers, or openings where one wall is significantly out of plumb - these situations benefit from a more detailed conversation. For projects like these, you can upload a sketch directly at manufakturx.com and receive a individually costed proposal. Particularly useful for:

• Openings with non-standard reveals or significantly sloped walls
• Multi-section room dividers spanning a large wall
• Combinations of a loft door with a fixed glazed side panel
• Any project where the geometry is complex enough that a photo or sketch communicates more than numbers alone

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a loft door and a room divider?

A loft door is a functioning swing door: it has hinges, a door stop (left or right), a configurable opening angle, and a handle. A room divider is a fixed partition wall - no door leaf, no handle, no hinges, and no moving parts. If you need a passage through the room divider, an optional walk-through opening can be added as an unframed gap.

What wood species does Manufaktur X use?

Only three hardwood species are available: oak, beech, and ash. Other species such as walnut, pine, cherry, or maple are not part of the range. More than 50 stains allow a wide range of surface tones on any of the three species.

When should I choose VSG instead of ESG?

For standard interior loft doors in typical apartment ceiling heights (up to around 2.6 m), ESG is the default choice. For larger room dividers or any glass panel with a significant height or width - roughly above 1.5 m in either direction - VSG is recommended, because the polymer interlayer keeps the pane intact after any breakage and prevents an open gap from forming.

Can ESG glass be cut or drilled after production?

No. Once a pane of ESG has been thermally tempered, it cannot be cut, drilled, or modified. Any attempt to do so will trigger the internal stress and shatter the glass. Every dimension and every fixing hole must be decided before the tempering process begins - which is why precise measurement before ordering is essential.

How do I measure for a loft door?

Measure the opening width and height at a minimum of three points each. Use the smallest measurement in both directions. Then subtract approximately 5 mm on each side (left, right, and top) to allow for the installation gap. Enter the resulting figures - your desired dimensions - directly into the configurator.

What handle options are available for the loft door?

Three handle styles are available: Long (a classic straight bar), Discreet (a slim, understated profile), and Half-Moon (a gently curved form). Handles are fitted to loft doors only - the room divider does not have one.

How long does production take?

All made-to-measure products have a production time of 5 to 6 weeks from order confirmation. This applies to every product in the range, including loft doors and room dividers.

Is there a downloadable technical drawing from the configurator?

No. The configurator provides a real-time 3D preview and live pricing, but does not generate downloadable technical drawings. For bespoke or complex projects, you can upload a sketch at manufakturx.com and request a custom quote.

Where are Manufaktur X products made?

All products are made in the EU to consistent quality standards, with EU-wide delivery available.