Modern glass “bricks” are usually used indoors to bring lightness and airiness, shine and radiance to the interior. There are quite a few ways to use glass blocks in the interior. In addition to the traditional construction of walls from blocks, designers are ready to offer many other solutions, including very bold ones.
We can say that the good old glass blocks recently experienced a rebirth, which gave them the opportunity to express themselves in a new capacity. If previously glass blocks were used mainly as construction material, then now their main role is decorative.
Fortunately, the material in its modern incarnation allows us not to limit the flight of imagination. Glass blocks today bear little resemblance to those dull, bottle-colored “bricks” that surrounded us everywhere in the recent past. Now they are made in almost any color scheme: red, blue, light blue, purple, pistachio, etc. However, colorless blocks of clear glass. True, the glass blocks themselves can be opaque due to the relief. In a word, there is plenty to choose from. 
If you want something more interesting, you can purchase glass blocks with stained glass patterns or with internal inserts. Since the glass block is hollow inside, you can place any decorative objects in it: for example, sea shells and stars, dried plants or photographs. True, such decorative glass blocks are used fragmentarily, in the form of inserts into a wall or other surfaces.
Diversity opens up broad horizons for us and encourages creativity. We bring to your attention the most popular options for using glass blocks in the interior. Perhaps the examples will inspire you to make your own decisions - daring and unique.
Glass blocks in the interior
Using glass blocks in interior design, they enjoy significant advantages of this material. Firstly, glass blocks let light through. Partitions made of glass blocks do not reduce the amount of light in home spaces, while solid partitions made of plasterboard and brick do not have this advantage.
While transmitting light, glass blocks refract it. Glass block surfaces in the interior look like large lampshades. This makes the room spectacular.
Secondly, unlike glass, blocks can be opaque. The light is transmitted, but the “picture” is not. Why should prying eyes see something they shouldn’t see? This advantage of glass blocks has made them a popular material for glazing windows in bathrooms.
Thirdly, blocks are convenient for embedding into various surfaces. This is a wonderful decoration for walls, floors, partitions, furniture, etc.
Unlike glass sheets, blocks are safe and reliable.
Now let’s look at specific ways to use glass blocks in the interior.
Glass block walls
Today, many owners of apartments and houses prefer to remove non-load-bearing walls and build them anew, in a way that is convenient for them. This allows you to plan the space most rationally. This is where, before the construction of new walls, many people remember glass blocks. This is especially true for those walls that separate rooms with windows from dark halls and corridors. A wall made of glass blocks will let in a lot of sunlight, which means that the corridors, hallways and lobbies will have plenty of light during the day. At the same time, corrugated glass blocks will protect against prying eyes.
In addition, walls and partitions made of glass blocks do not look heavy, which visually lightens the entire space.
Originality matters too this decision, because not everyone has modern apartments glass blocks are present.
Glass has one drawback: it is cold and “soulless”. Glass blocks even look like ice cubes. Therefore, if you need to build a large wall, glass blocks should be combined with another material. For example, two-thirds of a wall might be made of drywall and one-third of glass block. Often fragments of blocks are erected in places where walls are curved or protrusions. These fragments become accents that make the interior not boring.
Glass block partitions
Glass blocks are good because they can be used to easily and quickly build a partition of any height and width. The top of the partition can be uniform or figured: stepped, in the shape of a pyramid, ziggurat, etc.
Most often, glass block partitions are built in bathrooms. In general, initially glass blocks were used mainly only in bathrooms, and there is an explanation for this.
Glass blocks in the bathroom interior are the most harmonious. They follow the rhythm of the tiles on the walls without conflicting with them. Glass is not afraid of moisture, and the blocks, on top of everything else, are not completely translucent, which means they allow you to create so-called “intimate zones.”
Today, glass blocks are actively used in the creation of shower enclosures, because this material is more reliable and safer than glass sheets.
Glass blocks zone the bathroom space, separating the washbasin, bathtub, shower and toilet areas. At the same time, zoning is also practically useful: when taking a shower, you won’t flood the countertop with water.
If several people use the bathroom, sometimes at once, such partitions are erected from embossed, low-transparent glass blocks. If a person lives alone or alone with a partner, you can use smooth transparent glass blocks. Such partitions look lighter and “airier”. Although this is a matter of taste, of course.
Lightweight glass block partitions can also be erected in residential premises, but this option is not suitable for all styles.
Glass blocks and styles.
In interiors like these modern styles, like loft, hi-tech, urban, partitions and walls made of glass blocks look harmonious. IN classic interiors Glass block walls can look ridiculous. The same applies to rustic, natural styles.Interiors in which decorativeness comes to the fore (baroque, neo-baroque, art deco styles) can be decorated with glass blocks, especially colored ones.
Stained glass blocks fit wonderfully into Art Nouveau interiors. They will be appropriate in both modern classic interiors and oriental stylizations.
A wall made of glass blocks can be used to separate zones in a room: for example, in the kitchen to separate work area from the dining room, and in the living room - a bedroom from the living room.
To prevent the partition from being boring, you can use color blocks, combining colors to create a mosaic effect. The partition will be decorated with inserts made of transparent glass blocks with decorative items inside.
Partitions in both bathrooms and living rooms may consist entirely of glass blocks or be a combination of several materials.
Both options are attractive in their own way, but the second one looks more interesting.
Glass blocks for creating windows
Internal windows can be constructed from blocks. We are talking about windows between rooms. Solid walls do not add light - interior window made of glass blocks solves this problem. At the same time, glass blocks decorate empty wall surfaces, as they look like luxurious glass panels.
For example, a window made of glass blocks can be “cut through” in a wall separating a corridor and a living room, a bathroom and a toilet, a kitchen and a living room, a bathroom and a shower room in large bathroom, bedroom and storage room.
Of course, glass blocks are also used to glaze real windows facing the street. Typically, glass blocks are used for glazing windows in bathrooms, which is quite logical. There are also disadvantages to this solution: you won’t be able to admire the luxurious view from the window, and you may not be able to ventilate the room, since windows made of glass blocks are often made blank. Although they are currently making plastic windows with glass block packages.
By the way, with a blind window it is possible interesting experiments. The window can be given an unusual shape.
Glass blocks refract light, and the complex-shaped window shimmers like a diamond. Such a window becomes one of the main decorations of the house.
Glass blocks for wall decoration
Glass blocks are also used “spot-wise”, as wall inserts. Often these blocks are not through, but “recessed” into the wall structure. Yes, in this case they do not transmit light, but they still “shine”.
There should be few point glass blocks: sometimes one per glass block is enough. square meter walls. Colored glass blocks with internal compositions are used as inserts.
Stationary furniture made of glass blocks
Glass “bricks” are very comfortable material. Glass blocks can be used to build the most different designs. For example, build a stationary island in the kitchen or a bar counter. In the bathroom, a console under the washbasin can be built from glass blocks. Furniture made from glass blocks looks amazingly impressive and festive. One drawback is that you can’t rearrange such furniture, but is it necessary?
Other uses
You can build a screen for a bathtub from glass blocks. It can be lined with glass blocks or just decorated with them. Glass blocks are inserted into the risers of stairs and podiums, they decorate the space around doorways. Kitchen apron can also be glass block. You can also make a false fireplace from this material. In a word, there is room for the designer soul to roam.
Glass blocks have been used in interiors for a very long time, and recently they have experienced a rebirth. Designers began to use this material more widely, creating the most unusual elements premises. Previously, glass blocks were used to create partitions, walls, window openings, etc. They were seen only as a construction element, like bricks or glass. Now glass blocks in the interior of an apartment are mainly decoration, an element of decoration. With their help, the design of the room acquires the desired airiness, lightness, mystery and radiance. However, the entire range of effective uses cannot be described in one sentence.
Glass blocks have been used in interiors for a very long time; they recently experienced a rebirth IN Soviet time glass blocks were such cloudy glass, often square shape bricks with which window openings were laid and partitions were created. Today there are hundreds of times more forms and varieties of glass blocks. They differ from each other not only in shapes and sizes, but also in color, degree of transparency and other characteristics. To order, you can get any glass blocks - pistachio, blue, turquoise, purple, mustard and others - with different relief and degree of darkening. Thus, a glass block wall can look completely different and modern.
You can also find glass blocks with stained glass designs, with a mosaic surface or with various inserts. In this regard, the role of an insert can be played by a sea shell, a dried plant, a photograph, or any custom item. Such a block is often used in a single copy as a unique insert in a window or wall opening.
Such a vast field of possibilities awakens the work of fantasy. Here is a short overview of what the use of glass blocks in the interior can be like.
Gallery: glass blocks in the interior (25 photos)
Glass blocks in the interior (video)
Basic Ideas
Most often, due to the fact that the block transmits light, it is used to fill a window opening. In this case, a window made of glass blocks is often installed on those walls that overlook unsightly areas or someone else’s space. Thus, the room does not lose anything in terms of light, but an unsightly appearance is avoided. Especially if the window faces the blank wall of a neighboring house.
A glass block partition is also very popular. It allows you to divide the room into parts, but at the same time makes light available throughout the space. The peculiarity of glass blocks is that they transmit light without refraction, which makes the room well-lit and at the same time spectacular.
Very often blocks are used to create an opaque room or zone. For example, for glazing a bathroom better material can't imagine.
The use of glass blocks is not limited only to walls and windows, but can extend to furniture, floors, ventilation, doors, performing a decorative function.
Designers began to widely use this material, creating the most unusual elements. Use on walls
Modern trends are such that more often in apartments and houses, owners prefer to expand the space by removing walls that are not load-bearing. However, the need for separate functional areas continues to exist. After all, the corridor must be somehow separated from the living room. In this case, it is better to create the walls between rooms from light-transmitting glass blocks.
They will not only help enrich the space with light, but also add lightness to the interior. Glass is a material that is not very functional and soulless. Glass blocks win a lot in this comparison. They are like colored ice cubes and can add coziness, warmth and warmth to a room. At the same time, you can fantasize. For example, part of the wall should be made of brick or plasterboard, and the other part should be made of relief blocks with a pattern. In addition, if you use elements with a rounded, varied shape, they will deprive the interior of boring and typicality.
Glass block partitions
Glass blocks are also indispensable for partitions. They can be made in any size and shape. It can turn out to be stepped, rounded, pyramid-shaped, cylindrical, etc. Glass blocks in the bathroom interior are most often used for these purposes. Here, surrounded by water, they look most harmonious and natural. They go well with tiles and sanitary ware, are not afraid of moisture and perfectly protect your intimate space from prying eyes. IN Lately A glass block shower has become fashionable. It is much more practical and safer than using glass.
In order to receive unique design, you can create partitions from blocks different colors. This can create a mosaic effect. In this way, you can separate the working part of the kitchen from the dining room, the living room from the bedroom, etc.
In residential premises, partitions made of glass blocks will look best in urban, baroque, art deco, neo-baroque, art nouveau, loft and hi-tech styles. In classic, natural and rustic interiors, their use will be pretentious and ridiculous.
Laying glass blocks (video)
Application on windows
This material can be used not only on external windows, but also on internal ones. For example, you can make a hole in a blank wall and fill it with glass blocks. It will not only serve as additional lighting, but will also look like a luxurious panel. Such a window can be cut between the corridor and the living room, the bathroom and the shower room, the pantry and the bedroom.
Those window openings that face the street can also be covered with glass blocks. This is most relevant for the bathroom, but even living rooms and kitchens with this solution will look very appropriate. If you want to additionally admire the view from the window, you can use a mix option: plastic windows with the possibility of installing a glass block package.
Glass blocks are also indispensable for partitions
Decorating walls and furniture
In this sense, glass blocks in the interior are used as inserts. Here they may not be end-to-end, i.e. connecting two rooms, but recessed. They will not transmit light, but if they are illuminated with a lamp, they will begin to shine like a living picture.
There may not be many such elements in an apartment; sometimes even one on the entire wall is enough to turn it from boring to original. For these purposes, it is best to choose glass bricks with an internal picture or insert.
Glass “bricks” are truly endless in their capabilities. So, they can be inlaid into various parts of furniture. For example, inserted inside a wall kitchen cabinet, bar counter, in a console above a washbasin, etc. You can create a custom one from these glass elements separate furniture: wardrobe, table, sofa, etc.
The use of glass blocks is not currently limited by anything, so even whole house made of glass blocks - this is a completely feasible project.
Attention, TODAY only!
HideIn Soviet times, glass blocks were not often used to decorate premises and facades of buildings. And the choice was small - often the glass block was a structure made of uneven and cloudy glass. But today on the market there are a lot of glass wall blocks and glass block windows of various shapes and all the colors of the rainbow.
In our article you will learn what decorative glass blocks are and why glass blocks in the interior are a good design solution.
Glass block design
Glass blocks in room design
Interior experts, not without reason, believe that modern transparent glass blocks and colored glass blocks often give visual lightness and airiness to the room where they are installed.
If you like experiments, you can purchase an LED glass block with internal inserts or with stained glass pictures. Since the glass block itself is hollow, you can place various decorative things in it, for example, stars, seashells, dried flowers, and just photographs. Although it is more appropriate to use such decorative glass blocks only as an insertion structure into a wall or ceiling.
Decorative glass blocks
By using glass blocks for design, you get a lot of advantages:
1. A window made of glass blocks transmits and refracts light, unlike plasterboard and brick partitions. Thus, glass blocks in the interior look like large lampshades, which makes the room spectacular.
Glass block window
2. There are transparent glass blocks that allow daylight, but “photo image” does not. This is logical, why should strangers see what they are not allowed to see? This advantage of glass blocks made it possible to use them to decorate windows in bathrooms. 3. Glass blocks in the interior are convenient because they can be built into absolutely any surface. For example, backlit glass blocks can be used as a great decoration for partitions, walls, windows, floors and even furniture.What can be made from glass blocks?
You can make walls, partitions from glass blocks, or use transparent glass blocks to create window designs. In addition, you can use colored glass blocks to decorate walls or create stationary furniture from glass blocks and much more. But first things first.
Backlit glass blocks for creating walls
Glass blocks are a decoration for the wall
A wall made of glass blocks will allow sufficient sunlight to pass through. Moreover, corrugated glass wall blocks will protect you from intrusive glances. And also, such wall blocks do not look heavy, which visually simplifies the entire space.
It is no secret that glass is cold and looks “soulless”, which is why glass blocks resemble ice cubes. Designers advise: if you decide to build a huge wall, then it is better to combine glass blocks with some other material. For example, let one third of the wall be made of clear or colored glass blocks, and two thirds of plasterboard sheets.
A wall made of glass blocks with lighting can separate zones in an apartment, for example, a bedroom from a living room or in a kitchen a dining room from a work area.
Glass wall blocks for creating partitions
Glass block partition in the bathroom
Glass blocks are good because thanks to them you can quickly and beautifully erect a partition of any width and height. In this case, the top of the partition can be figured, for example, stepped, pyramidal, or uniform.
Typically, glass blocks are used to create partitions in the bathroom, where they are most harmonious. After all, glass is not afraid of humidity, and the blocks are not completely translucent, which allows you to create the so-called. " intimate area».
Designers advise, just like walls, to build partitions only in certain styles, for example, urban, loft, hi-tech, but they will look ridiculous in a classic decor.
Decorative glass blocks to create a window
Bathroom with glass block wall
An internal window is made of glass blocks, i.e. it is a window structure between rooms that brings additional light and also decorates empty wall surfaces.
To create windows, LED glass blocks are used, which will fit perfectly into rooms that separate each other, such as a bathroom and a toilet or a shower in a large bathroom, a living room and a corridor, or a kitchen, a bedroom and a storage room.
Of course, glass blocks are also used for glazing window structures facing outside. However, from such a window you will not be able to admire the beautiful view and you will not be able to ventilate the room with its help, since such structures are usually made blind.
Decorated wall made of glass blocks - photos attached!
Glass blocks as inserts in the wall in the shower
Glass blocks are also used as wall inserts. Often these blocks are “recessed” into the wall structure, rather than through. In another way, they are also called dot glass blocks, which are used in fragments. But there should be few such glass blocks: one “brick” per square meter. m. walls.
Colored glass blocks are used as an insert into wall structures and with internal photographic images, which give the premises brightness and originality.
Glass blocks for creating stationary furniture
Glass block kitchen island
Glass blocks in the interior (photo) are very convenient thing. From them you can build the most various designs. For example, a fixed island in the kitchen, a bar counter, or in the bathroom - a beam under the washbasin.
Any furniture made of glass blocks looks impressive and solemn. There is only one drawback here - you cannot rearrange furniture made of glass blocks; but is it necessary?
Other options for using glass blocks - photo
Glass block bath screen
From glass blocks you can create a screen (space) for the bath. This can be done in two ways: lay it out of glass blocks or just decorate it with them.
The following styles of using glass blocks are appropriate: modern and minimalism.
In addition, glass blocks are placed under the steps of podiums and stairs, and they are also used to decorate empty space near doorways. And sometimes in the kitchen the work apron is covered with glass blocks, or in the living room they make a false fireplace out of them. In short, there is room for the designer’s soul to expand!
Glass blocks in the interior: their prices vary, but are affordable even for people with modest incomes. Read more about this in the article on our website “Glass blocks in an apartment - sizes and prices.”
Gallery of photos of interiors with walls and partitions made of glass blocks
Glass blocks make a stunning wall decoration Glass block wall in the bathroom Glass blocks create an "intimate zone" in the bathroom
Glass is durable and environmentally friendly material. Its unique ability is to transmit light, and if it is painted, then to give color to the light. Thanks to the use of glass blocks, walls and other house structures can have these qualities.
Glass blocks are transparent bricks filled with air inside. They are designed for laying walls, partitions and other structures that divide space.
The use of glass blocks allows you to illuminate an isolated space or a separate area in the room directly through the wall, without using light openings for this. Moreover, by treating the surface of the bricks in such a way that the rays are refracted or scattered, the visibility of the separated room is eliminated.
By providing good insolation, glass blocks help save energy. Glass is not afraid of moisture and frost, and this allows it to be used in damp rooms and outdoor structures. The ability to use materials with different textures and colors makes glass blocks one of the original design tools.
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Features of the material
The material has high mechanical strength and stability in various environments. Thick glass can withstand accidental impacts just as well as an M150 brick, but it will crack if hit by a heavy object, such as a stone. But there are especially durable bulletproof products.
In case of fire, glass blocks do not burn and prevent the spread of fire and thermal radiation for 1-2 hours. They do not react to temperatures from -40 to +50 °C, are inert to the effects of acid rain and other aggressive substances, are not afraid of moisture, and do not absorb odors. For tens of years, glass blocks do not change their properties and appearance. At the same time, they do not require finishing and are easy to clean.
There are, however, a number of limitations when using glass blocks:
- it is impossible to lay inside the erected structure network engineering(electrical, water and sewer pipes), as well as ventilation ducts;
— products cannot be cut, whole blocks are always used;
— it is strictly forbidden to hang cabinets, shelves, etc. on a wall made of glass blocks;
- a wall made of glass blocks cannot be load-bearing; it is impossible to build a structure from them on which rafters or ceilings rest;
— colored products painted on the inside are not recommended for external use due to paint fading.
Glass block is a heavy material. Its weight is from 2.5 to 4.3 kg, depending on the thickness of the glass and the product. A wall made of glass blocks will weigh from 180 kg/m2, that is, it is heavier than a half-brick partition (130-150 kg/m2).
The heat transfer resistance of a glass block structure is about 0.40 m2 x C/W (which corresponds to a wall with one brick or a single-chamber double-glazed window), the sound insulation index is -40-45 dB (the norm for interior partitions- 46 dB). They also produce materials filled with argon and equipped with an additional internal partition.
They are distinguished by higher heat and sound insulation properties, such as those filled with inert gas or double-glazed windows. But these characteristics are still lower than those of traditional wall materials, and if high thermal and sound insulation is important for the room, it is better not to use glass blocks.
Forms and parameters
A glass block is produced by welding two half-blocks together at a temperature of about 1500 °C. Inside finished product a sealed cavity filled with rarefied air is formed. The wall thickness is 6-10 mm, the thickness of the glass block itself can be 75-160 mm (the most common are 80 and 100 mm). Its ends are slightly concave (based on filling with mortar during installation).
Traditional shape - square standard sizes 190 x 190 x 80, 190 x 190 x 160 and 240 x 240 x 80 mm. They also produce rectangular half-blocks measuring 190 x 90 x 80 or 240 x 115 x 80 mm and special products - triangular, corner, round and with rounded edges, intended for the construction of columns, arches, and the aesthetic completion of built structures and elements.
There are colorless and colored glass blocks. The glass in the product can be painted in the mass or from the inside.
What can be made from glass blocks?
Common uses for glass blocks are as follows:
1. As translucent partitions. They separate the living room, hallway, and kitchen from each other, and through them illuminate the corridor and staircase hall, located in the depths of the house, with a second light. In these cases, it is advisable to use glass blocks that are colorless or colored in dim tones, allowing a lot of light to pass through.
2. For fencing and at the same time lighting small utility rooms. For example, glass blocks can be used to separate a dressing room in the hall, a pantry in the kitchen or hall, a bathroom and a dressing room in the bedroom, etc. When entering such rooms, it will be possible not to turn on the light. Colorless glass blocks with a corrugated or matte surface are suitable.
3. To separate zones in the bathroom. This solution is effective due to the waterproof and hygienic nature of glass blocks, as well as the ability to provide visibility when exposed to light. Their main function in the bathroom is separating, not transmitting light, so you can use glass blocks bright colors, dark tones, grooved and matte.
4. In the external walls of houses. Glass walls are convenient for illuminating places where good insolation is needed, but for some reason visibility is undesirable, for example in the dressing room and laundry room. They are also used in rooms where there is not enough space for a large window, for example in narrow hallway, where the main light front is occupied by the door. It is better to use colorless blocks so as not to distort sunlight.
5. As enclosing structures winter garden. Here their use is effective due to their high moisture resistance. Taking into account the needs of plants, they should be colorless.
6. In the fencing of terraces, verandas, gazebos. By maintaining good lighting, you can protect the space from prying eyes, for example from neighbors or the street. It is possible to use any types of products (except those painted on the inside) depending on the situation. So, if the space is sufficiently illuminated from other sides or it is necessary to shade it from bright sun, it is better to use colored blocks.
7. As decorative elements, small inserts into the walls. Exclusive glass blocks of expressive colors and textures with various effects are suitable.
8. In the form of luminous elements (thanks to lamps installed inside the structure) - columns, fences landings. It is better to use products with low transparency but rich colors.
9. It is also possible to construct the floor or steps of the stairs from glass blocks. Such solutions look impressive, especially with the use of lighting. However, using them is risky due to the fragility of the glass and the risk of scratches. The material thickness of 60-80 mm also causes inconvenience, since the floor will be higher than in other rooms. For horizontal planes, it is better to use triplex (three-layer tempered glass), and if glass blocks are used, then use high-strength glass.
Due to their fragility, glass blocks are contraindicated for loading. In a supporting structure, they can only serve as a filler between columns, crossbars, beams and other parts of walls built from durable material. However, in unloaded (self-supporting) elements, these products are reliable for both indoor and outdoor use.
The glass block structure must be stable. Even its slight deformations, which for brick wall will cause only barely noticeable cracks and will not affect its integrity; for glass blocks they can be critical - they will crack and crumble, since glass does not have the slightest elasticity. For separately standing structures from glass blocks it is important to provide reliable foundation like under a brick wall.
When using this material, it is beneficial to combine functionality with aesthetics. Glass blocks look impressive when they refract bright Sun rays or when there is an artificial light source behind them.
Design Possibilities
An ordinary partition only zones the space, but one made of glass blocks gives it expressiveness. Therefore, their use is often determined by design needs. Glass blocks are distinguished by:
— big choice colors and shades - 8-16 from each manufacturer, and each of them has its own characteristic range. Colored glass blocks are used in cases where it is necessary to create a certain mood and color in a room;
— a wide range of textures and the ability to choose light transmittance. Completely transparent glass blocks with smooth front walls transmit 80% of light. Matte products scatter light; the corrugated surface can not only diffuse, but also direct light rays. Textured and matte blocks transmit 50% of light;
— the presence of products with unusual effects. For example, they produce glass blocks that imitate the texture of natural stones, and sets with patterns that allow you to create panels. There are exclusive glass blocks, inside of which are sealed various items made of glass or not afraid high temperatures materials (shells, animal figurines, etc.) Such products are used as a highlight of home design and are often equipped with lighting.
General installation rules
Glass blocks should always be installed strictly according to the rules, otherwise structural damage may occur. There are three installation methods - traditional, using modular systems and BlocLock system. The first is universal, suitable for interior and exterior work, allows the construction of structures of any size and shape, but the use cement mortar, glue for ceramic tiles and glass requires skill.
The other two methods are based on the use of special modular systems for installing blocks or guides to which they are glued. These technologies make it possible to assemble elements from glass blocks without any experience or knowledge in construction.
Glass blocks are laid indoors at the stage finishing, after screeding the floor and plastering the walls, but before performing finishing coatings. When used outside, for example in a wall, glass blocks are placed when the supporting structure is completed, and if it is created separate element- then after the foundation has hardened (after 28 days).
With the first method of laying, it will be necessary to accurately calculate the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the glass block structure so that each row can fit a whole number of products and leave 10 mm for seams between them. With other methods, the accuracy of the masonry is ensured by the structural elements on which the blocks are installed.
The surface prepared for installation must always be absolutely flat and horizontal. Every third or fourth horizontal and vertical rows are reinforced with steel rods with a diameter of 4-8 mm (from of stainless steel or with anti-corrosion coating). The reinforcement must be located in the thickness of the solution and not come into contact with the glass.
A wall made of glass blocks must be completely independent of the supporting structures adjacent to it. In the first installation method, the connection of the transparent section with the load-bearing main wall is made only through sliding spacers, the anchors are secured freely. The connection of the partition made of glass blocks to the ceiling and floor must be done using elastic gaskets.
Modular systems are rigidly fixed. The seams between glass blocks are made no more than 10 mm. When laying on the mortar, special mounting crosses made of plastic are used, which help to correctly align each element. Without crosses, if the mortar dries unevenly, the wall may become distorted.
Materials and tools (per 1 m2 of construction)
MATERIALS (seam -10 mm)
Glass blocks 190 x 190 x 80 mm - 25 pcs.
Glass blocks 190 x 90 x 80 - 50 pcs. Glass blocks 240 x 240 x 80 mm - 16 pcs.
Glue (for glass blocks or ceramic tiles) - 25 kg.
Mounting crosses - 36 pcs.
Stainless steel fittings with a diameter of 6-8 mm - 6-8 m.
Joint expansion joints (cork, felt, bitumen or PVC tape) - 1-4 m, depending on the presence of abutment to structures.
TOOLS
Trowel (for applying the solution).
Level and plumb line (to check the horizontality and verticality of the structures being built and adjacent to it).
Wooden slats (for setting the boundaries of the partition on the base). Rubber hammer (for leveling blocks).
Knife, grout, sponge (for cutting off protruding parts of crosses, making seams, cleaning the surface).
Laying blocks on mortar
1. Check the horizontality of the wall
2. Since the blocks cannot be cut, the size of the opening is adjusted using a metal insert
3. Mix the masonry mortar
4. Place a cross in the corner and lay the first block, applying the solution to its two sides and to the wall
5. Place the following crosses as evenly as possible
6. Mount the second block on the solution
7. Check the evenness of the first row
8. Place the reinforcement on the layer of glue and attach it to the wall
9. Clean the blocks from residual solution
Installation methods
1. TRADITIONAL MASONRY
The surface of the base is cleaned of dust and grease and two wooden slats to fix the direction of laying blocks. An elastic compensation material is placed between the slats on the base. On the support (to which the glass blocks are attached) holes are made for the reinforcement. A layer of mortar or glue about 30 mm thick is applied along the entire length of the base.
Installation of blocks begins from the wall (or other adjacent element), moving horizontally. On the first block in the bottom row, the mortar is applied to the side facing the wall and laid, leaving a 10 mm thick seam. When installing the second block, the mixture is applied to the side facing the previous one.
A mounting cross is inserted between the blocks at the top. Laying continues until the end of the row, the second row is mounted in the same way. If the solution gets on front side, it is immediately removed (when chipping dried cement, you can scratch the block). The third row of masonry is reinforced with reinforcement. Two rods are placed directly on the mounting crosses, inserted into the holes in the adjacent wall, and secured with mortar (if there is no wall, the reinforcement will end flush with the outer blocks).
After every third row, check the verticality of the masonry with a plumb line and stop the installation for 1 hour when working with glue and for 1 day - with cement-sand mortar. This is necessary for the composition to set (on glass it dries slowly).
After complete completion of the masonry and drying of the mortar, remove the outer plates of the mounting crosses and remove protective film from glass blocks. Then the grout mixture is applied to the seams, after it has set, the surface is leveled and the blocks are cleaned. Cement and glue stains are removed using hydrochloric or acetic acid (alkalis, solvents, and hydrofluoric acid cannot be used). To give waterproof qualities to the seams, they are treated with a water repellent.
2. USE OF MODULAR SYSTEMS.
This assembly method is only for interior works. The module is a lattice made of wood, plastic or MDF with cells calculated according to the size of the glass block. Typically, a module contains no more than 10 cells vertically and 2-4 horizontally.
For a longer wall, several modules are purchased. Maximum permissible design dimensions based on modular system-4 x 4 m; for larger sizes, metal profiles are mounted between its parts.
The system is attached to the floor, walls and ceiling using screws. Then the cells are filled with glass blocks, fixing them with rubber inserts (which make it easy to remove and replace the blocks) or sealant (it is used if it is necessary to improve the soundproofing qualities of the structure).
The frame frame takes on all the loads, protecting the glass block from them, allows you to increase the speed of construction, and make the structure level and vertical.
3. USING THE BLOCLOCK SYSTEM.
This installation method is also intended for interior work. It is based on the use of plastic guides, the width of which is equal to the thickness of the side wall of the block. The guides have different sizes: long ones correspond to the length of the structure, short ones - to the side of the block. The system uses special glass blocks - with a profile that matches the profile of the guides and is designed for a joining seam 2-5 mm wide.
When starting installation, the first, long guide is glued to a horizontal base. Then glass blocks are glued onto it, joining them together in a row through short guides and fixing them with glue.
Having laid out the entire row, glue the next long guide on top of it and assemble it further in the same way. This method allows you to create a smooth, strictly vertical, neat wall. Reinforcement is not provided, and the height of the structure should not exceed 2 m.
The kit, including glue for connecting the system elements, is purchased in the store, choosing the number of blocks and guides required for the intended design.
Special cases
You can lay out a curved structure from glass blocks. When laying from whole blocks, the minimum radius of curvature is 5 m; with a smaller radius, it is better to use half glass blocks. WITH inside The seam width is left 10 mm; on the outside it will be larger.
A template (for example, made of foam plastic or thick cardboard) is fixed to the base, fixing the direction in which the wall is laid out. The reinforcement is bent, also using a template. It is permissible to use rods with minimum diameter(this will not affect the strength of the masonry, since curved structures are more stable than straight ones).
Sometimes it is necessary to make a door in a glass block wall. Its box is attached to a U-shaped metal frame with U-shaped profile, firmly attached to load-bearing structures. Glass blocks are laid around the frame, using a shock-absorbing pad with a thickness of at least 10 mm at the junction points. In a similar way, a window is built into such a wall.
Glass block construction can be used door frame width multiple of 20 cm - 60,80,100,120 cm. Do not hang too much heavy door(for example, metal), it is necessary to avoid sharp impacts when slamming by installing a braking device for door leaf. However, given the complexity of installing and operating a door surrounded by glass, if possible, it is better to make it in a regular wall.