Glass block used in a Streamline Moderne home, circa 1930: As a residential style, it didn't catch on with Americans. |
During the Eighties, however, glass block made a huge comeback. Hardly a month went by that some architecture magazine didn’t have a house with acres of glass block on the cover, and the U.S. glass companies once again cranked up their glass block production lines.
Why did glass block disappear after the war? And why is it back?
Glass block varieties. Note that many are special-order items. |
Interesting glass block window breaks out of the usual grid design. |
What brought glass block back to popularity almost fifty years later was, more than anything else, the huge self-indulgent master baths that came into vogue during the Eighties. With their giant whirlpool spas and showers, these rooms simultaneously demanded privacy and plenty of light, and glass block filled the bill perfectly. Of course, bathrooms have only gotten more pompous since then, so glass block is still very much a part of the luxury bathroom scene.
Bullnose end blocks provide a sleek edge. |
Glass block’s ability to diffract light can be used to create spectacular effects. It's offered in 6x6, 4x8, 8x8, and 12x12-inch sizes and in a large range of face textures, from smooth to fluted to prismatic. Colored glass block is also available, although it usually must be special ordered. There's also a range of special blocks for creating square, chamfered, or bullnosed wall ends, as well as for forming curves of various radii.
Radius blocks are available for tight curves: larger radii can be accomplished with regular blocks. (Courtesy Cincinnati Glass Block Co.) |
Glass blocks are installed with mortar just like brick. and while they're very strong, they can’t be used to carry structural loads. Various accessories are available to provide uniform alignment, making installation a lot easer than in the past. However, like most masonry work, glass block is not a leading candidate for
DIY. I don't say this often, but this might be one job best left to a professional.
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