Glass blocks have been used since the 1800’s as a way of allowing light into area’s and these days that functionality is combined with design to create striking results.They are available in a variety of colours and patterns….something for everybody.
The primary function of a glass block is to allow light into an area,common occurrences of this would be glass block walls and windows in domestic and commercial buildings.

In the home,glass blocks are used for shower screens,wet rooms,creating partitions in rooms,creating internal windows for light(such as at the top of a dark stairway) and for blocking up or filling existing doorways where the door and frame have been replaced or removed for a redesign.
Examples of glass blocks in commercial uses are glass block flooring,pre cast pavement lens (the little squares of glass you walk over on the street!),complete building facades or external walls for buildings.A glass block can also be fire rated and used to restrict the spread of fire and/or for their acoustic and thermal properties to name but a few.

Glass blocks can typically found in the following patterns:
• Flemish
• Frosted
• Transparant
• Bubble
• Java
• Reeded
• Cross Reeded
• Morse
• Quadra
• Alpha

Range of colours:
• Light Blue
• Green
• Grey
• Cobalt Blue
• Clear
• Rose
• Turquoise
• Bronze
190mm As you can see from the above,there is something for everybody where glass blocks are concerned.

Some points to remember about glass blocks:
• The standard size of a glass block is x 190mm square x 80mm or 100mm in thickness.They can also be sourced in sizes of 145mm x 145mm x 80mm,and 300mm x 300mm x 100mm.
• They are completely recyclable and therefore eco friendly.

• They are made completely of glass.
• Glass blocks can be used in internal and external applications alike.
• Cleaning them is simple!
Light transmission is very often a major consideration when using glass blocks as you can see from the following table,the amount of light that can penetrate the block faces is very important.
• Clear 190×190x80 = 80%
• Coloured 190×190x80 = 60%
• Clear 190×190x100 = 80%
• Clear 300×300x100 = 84%
Fitting glass blocks:

Traditionally glass blocks are fitted using the tried and tested rods and mortar system.
This system involves the use of the following components:
• Glass block mortar to adhere the blocks together.
• Plastic spacers to hold the blocks a specified distance (normally 10mm) apart and in place while the mortar sets.
• Stainless steel rods to reinforce the blocks once the mortar has dried.
• A bitumen barrier (for the base) to prevent moisture rising up into the panel.

• Expansion foam strips for around the perimeter of the panel (excluding the base) to allow for expansion and contraction of the blocks during temperature/climactic fluctuations.

• White silicone to caulk the perimeter of the panel , it’s important not to mortar this area as cracks can occur through expansion/contraction.
It sounds like a lot of bits and pieces but once you start,it all makes sense and building with this method required a limited amount of technical know how.There are alternatives to the above system but for this article I thought it was best to keep it simple.The rods and mortar method can be used both inside and outside and in curved installations,a versatility that differing systems do not offer.

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