Making a partition from glass blocks: Overview

How to make a partition from glass blocks with your own hands. A partition in a room made of glass blocks is a modern approach to decorating the interior of an apartment and a house. Such material, which is not very sophisticated, was often used earlier for the arrangement of public buildings. Modern glass blocks have a huge assortment, and their beautiful appearance makes it possible to use the material for different and very interesting design solutions. With your own hands you can create a very beautiful and unique interior.

Glass blocks for creating partitions

Glass blocks are a block that is made of thick glass plates fused into one structure. Inside such a block, an air-tight cavity can be formed, which is a way to improve the heat-insulating and sound-insulating parameters. In other words, the glass block is a kind of glass brick with different shapes, from which you can create the masonry of various interior and building elements.

Advantages

Due to the special structure, glass blocks have the following number of advantages:

1. The unit uses only natural materials to help ensure environmental friendliness.
2. Blocks have unique properties - high mechanical strength (including impact and compression), resistance to wear, resistance to high and low temperatures, as well as their drops.

3. Improved sound and heat insulation properties that are in no way inferior to hollow bricks.
4. Fire safety, which is ensured by the fact that the material itself is non-combustible.
5. Simplicity of installation and further maintenance. The blocks can be cleaned with any detergent.
6. Absolute water resistance and waterproofness, and this makes it possible to use the blocks as external finishing elements, as well as in rooms where there is a high level of humidity, even in a water environment.

7. Decorative. The surface of glass blocks does not require additional finishing, and modern blocks have different shapes and colors, which makes it possible to create the beautiful design you need.

An important and very different feature of glass blocks for partitions is the ability to transmit scattered solar rays, which can provide a kind of lighting inside the room. But more than that, the opacity of the elements can protect from prying eyes.

Disadvantages

But like any building material, glass blocks also have some disadvantages that should be taken into account when private construction:

1. Since the structure is heavy, it will heavily weight the entire building structure.

   Given this property, it is better not to erect partitions and walls, the area of ​​which will be more than 16 m ² .

2. The high cost of decorative glass blocks, which sometimes reaches up to 1,800 rubles per piece. At the same time, you can always buy ordinary glass blocks, but from class economy, which will cost 150 rubles apiece.
3. Problems that appear when attaching shelves and other items, since it is difficult to fix a nail or screw in glass blocks. They can be solved, if used in a slightly different way, using typical fasteners and suction cups.

In general, glass blocks continue to be unfairly considered some kind of exotic, unusual material. This is due to the fact that many people do not trust the strength of glass. But in fact, the glass block is quite difficult to break even with the help of hammer blows, and the use of the material in the apartment is most likely limited by its high cost.

What types of glass blocks are there?

Modern glass blocks do not have a specific classification, but still experts have tried to highlight the main the criteria by which you can distribute the material according to the following differences:

• Block size. The most common glass block is a square with a size of 19 * 19 cm and 24 * 24 cm, and the thickness is from 8 to 10 cm, and also rectangular elements, the size of which is 19 * 9 * 8 and 24 * 11.

  5 * 8 cm. The weight of bricks will largely depend on the size, and also range from 3 to 4.5 kg.

• Form. In addition to the fact that the most common shape is a rectangle and a square, glass blocks are also produced in the form of a triangle, circle, hexagon and the letter "G".

  Elements have straight, clear and even rounded corners.

• Internal filling and color palette. The color of glass blocks can be almost anything - from glass that is simply unpainted to the brightest shades like blue, red, black, etc. There is usually an air cavity inside the blocks, but sometimes decorative elements are used for certain models, which are fused inside the block and create certain patterns.
• Surface structure.

  Items can have ribbed, smooth, glossy and patterned surfaces. In addition, sometimes products with a matte finish are produced, and the level of light transmission of the material will depend on the structure.

• The thickness of the glass element. This indicator is responsible for the strength, specific gravity and several other characteristics of the material. Most often, blocks are made of glass, which has a thickness of 0.

  5 cm.

• Resistance to mechanical stress. Standard elements have fairly high strength indicators, but in addition, for your own peace of mind, you can buy high-strength glass blocks that can even withstand bullets from a gun.
• Optical parameter. Products with this characteristic have a large assortment - and almost transparent and even opaque options.

  Glass blocks help to provide directional, or vice versa, diffuse light flux.

Finally, the glass blocks can be assigned to their intended purpose. Let's highlight the main categories - decorative, building and interior glass blocks for partitions in the room. They differ among themselves in size, variety, color, strength and other parameters.

Features of glass blocks in the interior

With the help of glass sides, you can create original and beautiful interiors inside rooms or create a decorative surface outside the housing.

The following areas of application have gained particular popularity:

1. Wall surface. By laying glass blocks it is possible to erect even and very strong walls. The best option would be rooms with a high level of humidity, such as a bathroom, bathroom and sauna, where high resistance of the material to water is required. At the same time, the glass will not be susceptible to decay, the development of fungus and mold. You can lay out the entire wall from similar elements, or combine with other materials, for example, with brickwork.

2. Partitions. Creating partitions for zoning from glass blocks is one of the most common solutions. Most often, with their help, they try to separate places for swimming. These glass blocks work well with tiled walls and floors to help ensure that the style you like is maintained.
3. Windows.

   With the help of glass blocks, a panoramic wall can be laid out, and the transparency of the material will help ensure the creation of the role of a window. A room with a window-wall will be very light and insulated.

4. Floors. Also, a similar material can be used as an excellent substitute for ceramic floor tiles. The use of corrugated elements will help eliminate glass slipperiness, and the appearance will create a very beautiful and unique design.

5. Furniture items. Glass blocks are even used to create stationary furniture. The facades of them on the bar will look great. You can also create coffee tables, wardrobes and cabinets. Also, blocks are sometimes used as a facade or frame, as well as to create beautiful countertops.

6. Decor elements. There are almost no boundaries for the use of glass blocks in the interior of the room. Their use as decoration helps to fulfill any fantasies of the owner of a house or apartment. Products with decorative inner inserts will make it possible to arrange paintings with a volume effect on the walls. Such a painting can be easily cleaned of dirt and retain the paint for a long period of time.

   
   

   With the help of glass blocks, you can decorate the interior in one of the modern styles, such as high-tech, loft and modern, as well as baroque or art. Stained-glass windows in the Art Nouveau style with an oriental and classic plot will look great. From bricks made of glass, it will turn out to lay out beautiful niches, arches and columns. Finishing elements built into the wall will help you play the role of spotlights.

Due to the presence of modern trends in terms of interior planning, it is possible to give walls different functions, the same applies to partitions made of glass blocks.

The most typical solution would be zoning the room. In this case, partitions sometimes occupy almost the entire space from ceiling to floor, or are installed with a height restriction, for example, when it comes to a bar counter.

Another, no less interesting function, is light transmission. In walls that are made of glass blocks, there is no need to insert windows, and a stream of light will penetrate the entire surface. In addition, depending on the type of product, it will turn out to provide excellent illumination or twilight.

The functionality of glass block walls helps to expand the sound and thermal insulation properties of the material. Such walls perfectly retain heat, do not require additional decoration and coating. Watertightness makes it possible to create a separate toilet, bathroom or shower.

Installation of partitions from glass blocks

Laying, more precisely, installation of glass blocks with your own hands can be done in different ways. It is important that the structural elements have a certain support in the form of a pillar or load-bearing wall.

The most characteristic editing methods are:

1. Classic (traditional) method. It will require the use of guide frames made of timber or metal profiles. Fastening of glass elements is provided by mortars based on cement or special glue.
2. Wireframe option. In this case, first you need to install a frame in which the blocks will be fixed with a sealant and a sealant.

Glass block installation should be done after you have done proper site preparation. It is required to conduct it strictly according to a previously developed laying scheme, and for this, good markings are required first. A detailed diagram will be indispensable when laying decorative elements, patterns and designs.

Traditional installation

The classic installation of blocks on an adhesive or mortar begins with the need to create a base, and namely the guide frame. Most often it is made from timber, but if desired, an aluminum / steel corner can be used.

This requires laying the first row of blocks with plastic dividers installed between them.You should also accurately measure the dimensions of the row and assemble the frame according to such dimensions, and then attach it to the floor. A frame with the same width must be installed exactly vertically on both walls and secured to it with dowels.

In order to make the structure stronger, use a reinforcing mesh. It is created from galvanized steel wire in vertical and horizontal directions.

Their location must necessarily coincide with the seams between the glass blocks. In order to exclude direct contact of the wire and glass, during installation work using a reinforcing stack, you will need to use plastic crosses. To fix the fittings in the wall and the bottom frame, it is necessary to drill holes. To fasten the glass blocks together, you need to use a special glue, ideally white. You can also independently prepare a sand-cement mortar in a ratio of 3 to 1.

The blocks are laid in the following order:

1. frames.
2. Installation of reinforcing vertical bars.
3. Next, a layer of adhesive or mortar with a thickness of up to 1 cm should be applied to the surface of the frame. The mixture should also be applied to the side faces of the blocks, and then you can start laying the first row. In order to fix the reinforcement and ensure the same width of the seam, crosses should be installed, which will remain in the masonry and they will simply need to be wiped with mortar.

4. The bottom row should be aligned horizontally with a mallet and checked using a level. Next, on top of the blocks, install a reinforcing horizontal bar with its fixing in the hole in the walls.
5. All other rows should be laid in the same way.

Taking into account the severity of the partitions in a room of glass blocks, it is recommended to erect the walls in parts, 5 rows each, with a break for the solution to freeze. This will help eliminate the danger of blocks sinking.

After the laying is completed, you should carefully grind the seams. Use silicone compounds to create a seal.

Frame installation technology

The second common technique "on the frame" will help to lay glass blocks without using mortar, but for this you will need to install a special frame structure. Basically, it is a wooden or metal structure in which cells will be formed in order to accommodate glass elements. The dimensions of the cells should not exceed the dimensions of the glass blocks by more than 0.

2 cm. For a metal system, an aluminum profile is usually used, and the wooden structure is assembled from sanded boards, the width of which will be the same as the width of the bricks.

The entire structure should be carefully aligned horizontally and vertically using a plumb line and a building level. After that, the frame should be painted in the required color, which will be in perfect harmony with the blocks.The finished frame system should be attached to the wall, floor and ceiling with dowels as securely as possible.

Glass blocks should be carefully installed in the cells, and then secured with seals made on the basis of silicone. The time for solidification of such a sealant is 10 hours.

Required Toolkit

For typical DIY glass installation work, you may need the following tools:

• Bulgarian.
• Paint brush.
• Punch.

• Hammer.
• Hacksaw for metal.
• Mallet.
• Spatulas (including notched, for adhesive solution).

To measure and control the build quality, use:

• Tape measure.

• Plumb.
• Metal ruler.
• Building level.
• Square.

If you need to make a wooden frame, then additionally arm yourself with a screwdriver, a chisel and a hacksaw for wood.

The use of glass blocks for interior decoration is becoming more and more popular, and this was facilitated by the performance, durability and strength of the material. Modern glass blocks are now produced in a large assortment, and this makes it possible to choose what you need in shape, color and other parameters. Self-installation will help to make the main drawback of the material a little less - cost.

( 1 grade, average 5 of 5 )