By Butch Teague

Now that you’ve decided to add that vibrant glass block wall to your home décor, the time has come for you to start investigating current glass block prices.

No matter what type of design you choose, you want to save money on your project. And you’re able to save money, if you’re willing to do some price comparisons, and put some helpful techniques into place so that you can come out of this project with money left over.

Isn’t that what everyone wants?

One of the things that you don’t want to do is hire a friend of a friend. Yes, we all want to save money but do we really want to sacrifice quality in the process? While hiring a friend may seem like an affordable alternative, if that guy doesn’t know what he’s doing, you could end spending more money to fix it. And that’s not want home improvement is all about!

It’s is about getting your project done on time and within budget.

Here are some of the things that you want to do in order to have a cost efficient outcome:

#1 – Shop around. See who has the best prices for the materials you need. This is one way to ensure that you’re getting the best deal in glass block prices. Also, not all home improvement stores carry glass block and supplies. Take out your phone book and let your fingers do the walking (or Google it, whichever works fastest for you!)

#2 – Consider whether you want to have a more sophisticated look by using colored glass. You don’t want to find yourself in the predicament of using one color glass only to realize later that you’re locked into that one color. Making adjustments later on in the process is going to cause a delay in getting the glass wall done, and also cause additional expenses to be allocated to the project.

Get everything in order right from the beginning.

#3 – Opt to go for a straight pattern. While curves may look intriguing, they can cost up to 40% more than a straight design. If you still want the curvy design but don’t want to shell out some additional money, consider using angles in your design or maybe even corner blocks, these will help you get the look you want without the additional cost.

#4 – Go with the prefabricated option. This option saves a person a lot of time and money. By going with prefabricated walls, you get a wall that’s already been put together at the factory and comes directly to you. You can choose the thickness, shape, and what color glass. Once the wall has arrived at your site, the only thing that you need to do is put in.

Finding the best when it comes to glass block prices is not hard at all. If you’re willing to put a little time and research into your project, you’ll save lots of money and time in the long run!

By Butch Teague

When you think of improving your home, you may want to consider using a glass block wall as a way to add a little flair to your new home decorating plan.

You can add these walls to just about anywhere in the house, whether you choose to put a vibrant colorful glass wall in the bathroom, or just add something simple to a porch entry. Glass walls may be just the thing you’re looking for.

The first step is deciding where you want to place your new wall. This helps you in determining the design of the wall, and how it will look in your chosen area. In addition, by knowing up front where to place your glass wall, you’ll also be able to ensure that the measurements are right, so you don’t come up short later, after you’ve ordered your materials. (It’s real drag when you come up 6 blocks short, or don’t have enough spacers!)

The second step – designing your wall.

These walls can be any shape – you can make them straight, curve them, and even build them with a 90 degree angle. The design and style is something that you need to make sure that you’re happy and comfortable with. Many people will have a contractor come in if they’re doing any type of major home improvement.

However, if you’re thinking about doing it yourself, then make sure you understand the basics to ensure your new wall is secure. It doesn’t look so good if your wall falls over!

Third step in designing your glass block wall is choosing the right materials. Glass can come in a variety of sizes and colors, anywhere from 3 inches thick to 4 inches thick or even larger, but also with striped designs, abstract designs, even some newer more modernistic patterns. As you begin the design process you want to make sure you know what it is that you’re trying to achieve. You may want to use the wall to give a dreary room a little bit of light or you may just want to use the wall to just add a little pizazz to the room.

Fourth step is to start your materials shopping. Locating a dealer that you will provide you with the best prices in getting your design project complete within your budget is essential, especially if you’re looking for completing your home improvement on time without spending a lot of money!

Finally, step number five is you want to decide who is going to install your glass block wall. Do you want to try the project yourself or do you want to look into someone to do it for you? Remember that glass walls add flair, ambiance, and a sense of vibrancy to any room. Make sure that the work is done right, and you could be enjoying your glass wall for decades to come.

1) A remodeling bathroom window challenge – Your existing window is sitting right in the middle of a bathtub or shower area and the window frame is rotted, or rusted out. You want privacy, you want the window to look good, and you don’t want the constant maintenance of having to re-caulk the window or rework the wood framing around the window.

2) A new construction bathroom window challenge – You’re building a new home with a soak tub or Jacuzzi in the corner of the master bathroom that has windows above the tub at eye level which are clearly visible from your neighbors property. You want a high privacy and good looking contemporary style window, but don’t really want to invest in expensive blinds.

How can you solve these two problems with style while maintaining your budget? One answer – bathroom glass block or acrylic block windows. This guide explores benefits of glass block windows for your home.

Glass Block Window Benefits for your new home or a bathroom remodeling project:

Here are the benefits you’ll realize by replacing your existing bathroom windows, or installing glass blocks in your new home bathroom window:

Reduce your heating and cooling costs – Most existing bathroom windows have old aluminum frames or deteriorated wood frames with a single pane window glass inside. They are inefficient windows which frequently fog up, required a lot of effort to maintain, and cause your heating and air conditioning costs to be higher. Block glass windows are 10 times more energy efficient than a single pane glass and provide a combination of obscurity and style many vinyl replacement windows do not.

Increased privacy – With homes being built closer together as land costs continue to escalate finding a cost effective window that provides privacy in your hall bath or master bathroom window can be difficult. With block you can pick a high privacy pattern like Ices-capes or Delphi from Pittsburgh Corning or Ice or Pristal from Mulia to let light in, yet maintain the privacy you need.

Increased Security/Ease of Gaining Entry into the Home – Existing window are flimsy, usually held in with caulk and are an easy target for break ins. New glass brick windows are mortared in for most remodeling projects, making them difficult and time consuming to attempt to break through. New construction glass block windows come with a vinyl frame and nailing fin providing excellent security.

Cut Maintenance takes time, money and energy – Single pane metal and wood windows need to be repainted and caulked to keep the elements out and to prevent rust and deterioration. With block bathroom windows there is no maintenance needed since the windows are either mortared in or nailed into the framed walls in the property.

Easy to clean – These windows can be cleaned with soap and water or window cleaning solution.

Windows will become easy to operate – Existing bathroom windows are sometimes rusted shut, or cannot easily be opened making a bathroom retain excessive amounts of moisture, allowing mold spores to grow. New block windows can be combined with fresh air vents or power exhaust fans to make your bathroom healthier for your family and friends.

Old Windows don’t fit your new design style – Glass block bathroom replacement windows now are available in colors, different tints, satin finishes, decorative patterns, beveled edges, and many custom architectural designs to match a contemporary, traditional, or transitional design style.

Your master bathroom or hall bathroom window no longer needs to be an eyesore. With a new glass block bathroom window you can get an easy to clean, easy to maintain, cost-effective/ energy saving window, and add to the style and value of your home at the same time.

When my husband and I went to Europe, we were bowled over by the beauty of European glass block showers.

We wanted to get that same modern feel in our home.

No shower curtain to get old and smelly. The glass blocks made the bathroom seem larger, lighter. The distorted glass made the shower experience feel private, but still allowed the sunshine in. And since the glass blocks don’t require any unusual cleaning products or techniques, it was easy to make the decision to install a new glass block shower.

We learned, too, that glass block can increase the “saleability” of your home – many prospective buyers love the idea of a glass block shower. It’s beautiful, but better yet, it provides years of maintenance-free use.

With the advent of the building and supply store, all the supplies you’ll need can be found. Pick up your glass block, as well as the starter panels and plastic spacing pieces there. The store will also have detailed directions, easy to follow for even the most timid do-it-yourself person.

If you can handle a trowel and put frosting on a cake, you can install glass block!

What do you want your new shower to look like? Surf around on the internet, there are lots of pictures available. The building store will have some books with creative ideas. The manufacturers, too, want you to be able to envision the possibilities, so they have also provided pictures and artists’ renditions of the simple – and the eloquent – designs.

You can begin with a simple shower bottom, or you can create a masterpiece that dominates the entire bath. Curved blocks are available as well, which can accentuate exciting designs. Some designs will actually prevent water from hitting the floor, and others can be entire walls reaching the ceiling.

My husband surprised me with a jacuzzi bath, and we decided to enclose the tub on two sides with . I love the look, the bathroom seems so light an airy, and I don’t have to fuss with a shower curtain. This was our way of making the bath our own, there is not another glass block shower like it!

To complete your glass block project, don’t forget that you want to cover the mortar with a clear silicone sealant on both sides. This is a mold precaution. The mortar has to cure well, so make sure you do the sealant step after about a week. You can also use an acrylic sealant.

Last is the best step, asking your friends over to show them your new glass block shower masterpiece! Remember to keep the simple steps to yourself. Why tell them how easy it was? You never know, you may be going into the business of glass block design and installation!

By Butch Teague

I love the look of glass block.

I love the windows, and I especially love the more recent innovations – glass block showers, room dividers, and even furniture.

It used to be that you had to hire a brick mason to lay glass block. He would lay it just like a course of bricks, one row at a time with mortar between the courses.

Now even the most inept do-it-yourself wannabe can handle glass block installation!

Thanks to recent revisions in the “how to do this” frame of mind, glass block manufacturers have made installation quite manageable for most people. If you can read instructions, follow directions and do a little math, you can create the glass block project of your dreams. And it will look like a pro did it!

You’ll need a small trowel, something to mix your mortar in, a sponge, tin snips, tape measure and a level. Manufacturers now provide starter panels to begin, and you lay the block right inside these panels. You don’t put any mortar between the panel and the blocks, all you do is place the blocks firmly up against the edge of the panels.

Manufacturers also provide plastic “spacer” pieces, these you place on top of the course of blocks where they meet. These spacer pieces allow you to complete your courses with identical spacing (that’s how you can make it look like a pro did this!)

Make sure to place enough mortar between your blocks to fill in nicely. Don’t worry if you slop a little too much mortar, you can fix that later. Continue your glass block installation row-by-row, remembering to add mortar on the top of each course. Fill it in well, because if you’re creating a window, this is what stands between you and the outside weather.

Once your blocks are laid and the mortar begins to set up, take your damp sponge and wipe the blocks in a circular motion, taking care to run over the mortar in between the glass blocks. This wipes off the excess mortar, but also smooths the mortar in between the blocks. You’ll want to rinse off your sponge often.

Let your project cure for about an hour, and then you can remove the plastic spacer pieces that remain showing outside the blocks and mortar. Just twist them off. A few hours later you can again wipe the blocks with a soft, dry cloth to remove any remaining film. It’s also a good idea to complete the outside edges of your glass block window with some sealant.

One of the best parts about your new glass block window or project is that it is pretty much maintenance free. You can wash with a damp, soft cloth as needed.

And you thought that glass block installation was hard. What do you think now?