The Many Uses For Glass Blocks

The glass block is a building material often overlooked by homeowners, but occupies many useful and decorative properties around the house. Whether you use them to build widows or to build a glass block wall, they can make a dramatic impact toward your home’s design.

Sometimes it is called a glass brick, but in fact it is very different from a brick. If nothing else it differs in that light can pass through glass. But it also differs in that the block glass, unlike brick, provides excellent insulation from both cold and sound. Because of the way these blocks are made, they trap a thick layer of air between the two layers of glass. The air trapped inside the block supplies the insulation, just as double pane windows isolate with a thin layer of trapped air.

Glass block offer substantial value when building basement windows. These windows will let light in, which is good in a basement, but no dirt or insects will be able to enter the house this way. If you want your basement windows to open, however, glass blocks are not the solution. Still, for a safe, sealed window they are the perfect choice. If you’re debating whether you need basement windows that open or not, you might consider that many burglaries are committed by entrance through basement windows.

From a decorative design point, glass blocks make great additions to a home. Functionality and decor, two major points of consideration in home design are present here. These blocks are useful in allowing filtered light into a room, and you can choose from an array of colored glass to add an imaginative, decorative appeal to a room.  As an example, striking effects can follow with a pattern of dark colored blocks and light colored ones alternating upon a wall. The possibilities are endless in drawing beautiful combination from colored glass, so allow yourself to get creative with the project. A final addition to their benefit is that when used within the house, glass blocks can form partition walls, offering privacy between two areas, yet still allowing natural light from one room to another to filter through.

This is professional home decor most of us never have a thought of adding to a room, but your friends will certainly notice.

We’ve only scratched the surface in getting the wheels turning upon the many useful benefits of glass blocks. For more ideas, take a look further into these glass block uses.