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In the last few years, the benefits of natural light in a living or working space have grown significantly. As more studies are performed, evidence reveals the importance of daylight exposure in individuals’ physical and mental well-being. While choosing the glass panels for your home, there are many options for industrial glass available. Matte, frosted, opaque, translucent, and acid-etched glass are just a few of the terms you might encounter! The acid etching technique ensures glass produced is of supreme quality and has high-performance standards. Transitioned acid-etched glass is the latest feature in the lineup. The Future of Etched Glass is now!

This article explores what Acid-Etched Glass is and how it is different from the other industrial glasses available in the market.

What is Acid-Etched Glass?

Acid-etched glass refers to a float glass sheet, which has been treated with hydrofluoric acid. The glass permanently changes into a smooth matte translucent surface upon the application of acid. Acid-etching has a distinctive satin-like appearance that allows light through while providing control of vision. It has a surface that is smoother to touch and easier to maintain. It does not degrade or wear. It also does not discolor or pickle and remains smudge-free for an extended period of time. It also resists common cleaners and humidity. Acid etching makes glass capable of withstanding stress. This durability allows you to cut it to any shape or size easily.

It has both indoor and outdoor applications. The etched glass is commonly found in commercial settings in bathrooms, kitchens, doors, partitions, and balustrades. It is used as a glass material for:

• Walls
• Shower and bath enclosures
• Interior and exterior doors
• Windows
• Railings
• Indoor partitions
• Shelves

Benefits of Incorporating Acid-Etched Glass

Etched glass brings with it a host of additional benefits, such as:

• Blocking of heat, glare, and harmful UV rays: Many think that acid-etched glass diminishes visible light transmittance – this is not the case! It has been seen that the visible light transmittance for 6mm clear glass can vary from 88% to 91%, depending on the acid-etched finish. 
• Maintains privacy: Haze is created when light passes through this glass. The light is diffused uniformly into the entire area permitting the occupant to benefit from the natural light.
• Provides a helping hand in healthcare: The use of etched glass products in healthcare makes a significant difference in healing. Patient benefits include shorter hospital stay, reduction in pain, and faster recovery. 
• Boosts student performance: Excellent daylighting in a classroom setting reduces eye strain, alleviates the visual stress associated with reading, and improves the ability to process information and learn.
• Not just for humans but also helps animals: It provides the highest chance for birds to identify the glazed surface and avoid a collision.

Tips for Acid Etched Glass Buying

A significant benefit of etched glass is its versatility. This glass comes in both transparent as well as opaque form. This characteristic is essential in choosing the type of glass when privacy is the pivotal factor. The level of transparency or opacity of etched glass depends on where the finished product is being installed. 

Do you require glass panels for partitions in the rooms? Glass shower cabinets? Cubicles for the Office? Public accommodations? Here are some quick tips on purchasing the right glass for your project:

• Industrial glass businesses generally offer two options – opacity and gradient. Gradients of etched glass can begin at 20 percent and end at 80 percent. With light dusting, one can achieve an opacity level of 10 to 20 percent. 
• You can also find a clear glass panel with zero opacity, fading into a 100 percent full-frost. Heavy frosting of glass can give zero clearness for complete privacy while still allowing light to penetrate the glass. 
• It would help if you defined the level of opacity you want when ordering the frosted etched glass. The range is 0 percent (completely clear) to 100 percent (completely opaque). It would be best to inform the glassmaker where the opacity starts explicitly and ends in between a range.

The acid-etched glass allows natural light to enter a highly dispersed space while blocking harmful elements of sunlight that other industrial glasses without any coating, etching, or other treatment tend to lose out on. Etched glass is proving itself to be a powerful tool for optimizing daylight passing through it compared to other types of glasses and is bound to be a popular material in the future. 

 

Design continues to move into new frontiers because of the performance levels and complexity achieved in glass fabrication by technological advances. With an increase in demand for new forms of industrial glass in architecture, curved glass structures are on the rise. 

The architectural curved glass possesses limitless possibilities and is a highly versatile building material. It offers an exciting range of uses because of its safety, durability, and easy to maintain components. The technology today has allowed us to push limits. Manufacturers, glaziers, fabricators, and people in the design are researching the best possible design solutions. Read on to find out what is curved glass, and how it is reshaping architecture.  

What is a curved glass?

Nowadays, modern buildings are designed around the needs of the owners. Some buildings require advanced industrial glass to meet the criteria; this is where curved glass steps in. A window of opportunity has opened up, facilitating the architectural intent of curved features and organic shapes because of new fabrication technologies. Curved glass is defined as a glass that has been reshaped to the desired bend by heating. It comes in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms. A two-dimensional glass runs in one direction to create a cylindrical form. Curved glass is called three dimensional if a multi-directional bend results in a complex curvature like a dome.  

A 2D curved glass is more accessible and cost-effective than the latter. A computer numerically controlled or CNC manufacturing equipment is used to form a one-directional curve from flat glass. This flat piece of glass is stretched and compressed in different directions to form the 3D glass. A specialized steel tool is required to define the glass piece’s shape for its production. Therefore, the 3D method of manufacturing curved glass requires a lot of time and labor. 

Such customizations allow the curved glass to be used in spiral staircases, facades, revolving doors, to name a few. 

Why curved glass?

Along with the visual appeal, designers worldwide use curved glass because of its efficiency in structural glazing applications. It makes the arching highly load resistant and minimizes deflections. Curved glass offers excellent solutions to architectural complexities and reduces the need for other building materials. Curved glass in architecture design carries many key benefits and is capable of enriching any building design.

• Transparency

Curved glass enriches a building with natural light due to its inherent transparent nature. The well placed curved glass allows light to travel through the building reducing the perceived external physical mass. One significant advantage of using curved glass over flat glass is its ability to play with light flow and maximize natural light penetration. A living or working environment can be made more pleasant with the presence of natural lighting. With the addition of a special thermal coating on the glass, It can also help reduce energy consumption. 

• Aesthetics

Curved glass is super aesthetic. Its flow and flexibility provide an unmatched level of creativity in designing. It is a highly versatile material and provides a limitless flair of opportunity and structural capability. It has even allowed architects to explore more fluid and organic concepts to further improve aesthetics.  

• Durability and strength

As mentioned above, a properly engineered curvature in the panel makes it load resistant and reduces deflections. This makes it a preferable option for structures that require high durability and mechanical strength. A design using curved glass also reduces the need for other materials that otherwise might be required for maintaining structural integrity. This can result in cost reduction in some cases. Along with overall durability, the tempering of this industrial glass can guard it against temperature variations also. 

Conclusion

The production cost of bent glass is comparatively less as compared to other specialized glasses in the market. With the right technology, designers can challenge the building norms and create cost-effective as well as out of the box designs. Curved glass has allowed architects to push the envelope and give manufacturers a tough challenge. Although it requires advanced technology and in-depth knowledge for its manufacturing yet, it is a fundamental component while achieving unique design features. To achieve results for a well-executed project, collaborative effort is needed at the design stage between a manufacturer, architect, and a glazing contractor. Curved glass provides excellent design and performance possibilities for projects which require both performance and aesthetics. Curved glass can reshape architecture in unimaginable ways.

You must think that by now we know everything about glass. It’s been around for years, and it’s almost everywhere, in the walls of high-rise commercial buildings, in the windows of homes, in the vehicle, and aircraft windshields. Over the last year, the Industrial glass companies shipped out more than $28 billion in products in the United States. Yet through trial and error, the researchers and glassmakers are mutating Industrial glass composition to fine-tune its properties for different applications. Glass formulations may be built into specific materials to meet stringent demands for applications to come.

Some ways of enhancing these properties are:

• By changing the thermal expansion effect for production of labware glass

The effects of thermal expansion can be reduced by adding zinc oxide to silicate glass, which makes it thermal shock resistant. Glasses that use both borate and silicate as a former network, known as borosilicate glasses, are also thermally resistant and chemically durable. This makes them an appealing material for reaction vessels, test tubes, and other laboratory equipment.

• By varying the silicate content for the production of bioactive glass

The biomedical community is interested in a unique form of modified glass called bioactive glass. Interestingly, it closely emulates the mineral portion of living bone’s properties. This is exceptionally biocompatible and forms solid bone chemical bonds.

Calcium and sodium serve as the primary additives to produce a relatively soft glass of approximately 45% silicate. These glasses can be conveniently machined into implants for use in bone lesion repair.

• By altering zinc content for producing optical glass

Several glasses are highly prized for their unusual optical properties. Photochromic lenses mostly use zinc-modified glass while the photo-sensitive glass is made using silver, gold, and copper, and it can also change color in response to incident light.

• By varying chemical durability for manufacturing storage containers in the field of medicine

Glass’ chemical durability is usually lowered when elements, such as sodium and potassium, are used as additives. In contrast, glass’s chemical durability can be increased using alkaline earth metals, such as calcium.

• By varying resistivity of the glass

Glass finds application in resistors and condensers due to its high resistivity and permittivity. At low concentration, the resistivity of glasses can be significantly improved by adding oxides of tellurium, germanium, or titanium. It makes them appealing glass replacements for, for example, hearing aids and infrared detectors for ultra-high-resistance applications.

Glass Modifiers 

Modifiers are chemical substances that can be added in small amounts to the glass to further change its properties.

Types of Glass Modifiers   

• Lithia(Li2O)

Lithia is a highly effective flux, mainly when used in conjunction with potash and feldspar soda. For other glasses with low thermal expansion, it is a beneficial constituent as it allows the overall alkali content to be low. Lithia-containing glasses are much more flexible in the molten state than those with a proportionate volume of sodium or potassium. It is beneficial in increasing and decreasing the viscosity of the glass without affecting its chemical and physical properties.

• Lime(CaO)

Lime provides stability, hardness, viscosity, strength, and ease of smelting and refining. Lime reduces the viscosity at high temperature but increases the working range “setting” rate. When present in amounts of more than 12.9 percent, lime significantly decreases the crushing force. Lime has the highest tensile strength when properly combined with soda and silica. It is used for producing rigid glass that is high in strength. 

Effects of Glass Modifiers

Additive relationships loosely define properties of modified glass because glass typically behaves like a solution, implying that each component adds to the glass’s bulk properties by an amount approximately proportional to its concentration.

Glass modifiers interrupt the normal bonding between glass-forming elements and oxygen, as they bond loosely with oxygen atoms. Non-bridging oxygens are created, decreasing the relative amount of strong glass bonding. 

This results in a drop in melting point, surface tension, and viscosity resulting from weaker overall bonding within the material. Glass modifiers influence the coefficient of thermal expansion, chemical resilience, and refractive index, making it easier to work with industrial glass at lower temperatures without any effect on transparency.

Conclusion

Some people have the notion that glass is an old-fashioned element as it has been used for millennia. But still, there are areas like energy generation and storage, more efficient buildings, biomedical components, delivery and communication of nanomedicines and information display technology, where understanding the potential properties of glass is still under work.

 

It is critical to choose the right type of glass when designing spaces. The developments in glass processing technology render effective and specific solutions for a wide range of projects. When looking for the right option, it is necessary to evaluate glass’s characteristics and research its impact on your product. What are the parameters to be considered? What factor requires prioritization, and which type provides the highest efficiency? The understanding of why and how is fundamental for the best results.

While climate, surroundings, and elevation are the primary determining points, we look at some other factors which are equally important but are most often missed. These evaluation pointers can prove to be the making moments of your project.

Impact of Glass performance

The benefits of going through the tedious task of choosing the right glass might not be visible immediately, but overlooking it isn’t a great choice. By understanding the importance of a type of glass on the environment and occupants, cost-effective decisions can be made. The wide-reaching benefits of choosing the right glass can be summarized into three types:

• Health– Greater productivity and moods because of temperature control and less artificial atmosphere

• Financial– Reductions on the power bill because of adequate lighting and heating
• Environmental– Reduced greenhouse emissions

Guide for choosing efficient glass fittings

Here is a list of some approaches that can help in choosing the right glass for your project:

1. Understand objectives

First of all, knowing the project’s real need allows you to form a basis of evaluation and view the sample under the right conditions. It ensures that your work does not turn out to be costly and exaggerated. Instead, it shifts the focus on decreasing the complexity and addressing the prevailing conditions. So ask yourself questions about design goals like ‘What are you looking for? Ultimate clarity or consistent coloring or reflection of aesthetics?’. It would provide you an integrated approach ahead. 

2. Basics of dimension

The standard size of the glass panels is 2.5 meters x 3.6 meters. The glass panels can either be primary or have thermal, acoustic, and visual qualities. The glass is cut out to meet the specific needs. In case the panels surpass 2.5-meter height and 4.5-meter width, it is considered for monumental glass. At the beginning of the project, it is advisable to use 4″ x 6″ samples to have a comparative baseline. While designing and construction phases, larger samples can provide a more accurate representation. 

3. Solar, Thermal and Acoustic Protection

The cost of cooling a place is thrice of heating it. Glass selectivity is a vital research parameter to maintain a balance between the permission of light and avoiding overheating. Higher the selectivity, less heat will pass through. While selectivity is a factor in tropical areas, retaining heat is in the colder regions. In such areas, a double-paned glass is used instead of a monolithic one. Double-paned glass can save up to half of the energy costs. In noisy and crowded areas, either double-paned glass or acoustic Polyvinyl panes are useful. In extreme cases, the space between the panes is widened to reduce disturbance.

4. Location of glass (Interior/Exterior)

The right choice of glass heavily depends on the purpose of use. For external usage, insulated glass is used, which lowers UV transmission and increases wind load strength. Other glasses can be soft and hard coat reflective glasses. For interiors, lacquered and laminated glass are used. These glasses are manufactured with high-quality paints and find their niche in decoration.

5. Mechanical, fire and theft resistance

If mechanical resistance is the need, then tempered or heat-strengthened glass is the right option. Non-treated glasses can shatter due to excessive heat, but tempered glass is 500% stronger. In fire-prone areas, fire-resistant glass is a necessity. A fire-resistant glass has to be installed with a firewall glass to act as a barrier. This barrier absorbs heat and prevents the spread of toxic gases. The primary concern of modern houses is security against vandalism. Laminated glass is the perfect anti-theft solution. It has a plastic film between two glass panels. For the safety of buildings, layers of lamination are required.

Conclusion

The location, orientation, hours of use, and function, among other variables, are the characteristics a person in the design should understand. Even though the choice of glass seems a minor step, it can significantly affect the energy and efficiency of your project. 

 

Although many people have learned about safety glass, few people know its primary material is laminated glass. This industrial glass has been around for more than 100 years.  It is also commonly referred to as construction glass. It was first used in the gas mask eye-pieces used during World War I. Today, nearly all car windshields use this glass. While it has a considerable number of applications, cutting laminated glass can be a complicated process.

Let’s discuss more Laminated Glass, its features, and its applications. 

What is Laminated Glass?

This industrial glass consists of two pieces of PVB film sandwiched in between with one or more layers. It is one of the most vitally essential safety glasses. If required, the laminated glass could be made from multi-layers of glass and film instead of two pieces of glass.

Laminated glass is made using one of two methods:

• Poly Vinyl Butyral (PVB) laminated glass

PVB laminated glass is produced using a process of heat and pressure, which sandwiches a flexible interlayer between glass layers. The interlayer usually has a thickness of 0.38 mm.

• Cast in Place (CIP) laminate

CIP laminated glass is produced by pouring resin into the cavity between two adjacent glass panes. For CIP laminated glasses, interlayer thicknesses of 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm are standard.

Features of Laminated Glass

Laminated glass provides longevity, high-performance, and multifunctional advantages while maintaining the esthetic quality of glass at the same time. This provides a solution for many architectural design issues and better protection against the impact of disasters. It provides:

• Safety: Ordinary glass windows are brittle and break into long, sharp pieces that cause severe and sometimes fatal injuries. The output under pressure is a significant feature of laminated glass. In other words, the inner layers of this glass can absorb impact energy and resist penetration.
• Security: Burglars often smash windows to get to the door and window handles, but it can withstand the damage since cutting through the dense PVB layers is nearly impossible even though the glass is broken.
• Sound Control: Laminated glass serves as an outstanding noise shield. This has a higher index of sound reduction than a monolithic industrial glass of equal thickness between the 125Hz and 4,000Hz frequencies. The PVB ‘s shear damping efficiency makes it a useful asset for sound control.
• UV Control: Although natural light plays an essential role in the architectural design, Ultra Violet (UV) rays can cause curtains/furniture to itch and fade in the sunlight. These glasses can block more than 99 percent of the UV rays.
• Durability: It is highly durable and maintains its color and strength. They can be used for a wide variety of architectural and interior design applications, such as floor glazing, stairs, balconies, balustrades, internal paneling, and external cladding.
• Weather and Disaster Control: It helps protect against injuries and harm to property caused by glass breakage due to natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. This offers security against man-made accidents such as bomb explosions, as well. It does so by keeping the glass within the glass frame intact.

Applications of Laminated Glass

Laminated glasses are very versatile and can be used in almost every possible industry. 

• Building Industry

Most building projects require a glass exterior but need to reduce sound propagation at the same time, such as a restaurant on a busy road. For this purpose, they are used, which have strong audio damping properties.

• Transport Industry

For windscreens, laminated glasses are used for all modes of transport from the car to the trains. These are usually laminated PVB glass with a thicker interlayer of approximately 0.76 mm. This gives the material an excellent resistance to the penetration from rocks or high winds, while providing excellent light transmission at the same time.

• Security Applications

It is commonly used in high-security buildings, including banks, embassies, and jewelry stores. Bulletproof glasses, shower panels, and burglar resistant glasses are few other places where it is preferred over other types of industrial glass.

Laminated glass has a multitude of uses. Compared to traditional Industrial glass, this type of glass boasts improved protection standards and has found applications in domestic and industrial buildings. Laminated glass has now become an essential part of our world, and it continues to expand its utility.

Back painted glass is a special type of glass that has been growing in popularity in recent years. It is a contemporary addition to the basic design scheme. From luxury living rooms to stylish bedrooms to kitchen designs, you can use this versatile glass style almost anywhere. For many residential and commercial applications, back-painted glass is in high demand. Its applications range from panels for the shower wall to glass backsplash designs to custom bar tops: this industrial glass guarantees clean lines, fresh look, and easy maintenance for residents and professionals. 

Since now we know that back painted glass is trending in the industrial glass industry, let’s understand what Back Painted Glass is and look at some of its uses.

What is Back Painted Glass?

The explanation is in the name – back painted glass is glass painted on the back. Because of the paint, the front side’s effect is that of glass, but with a solid color behind it. You can step up the glossy, glass-like appeal by adding your chosen color. Low iron glass is used, so the shade of the paint passes without distortion or discoloration. The thickness of this industrial glass can range between 1/8″ and 1/2.” It can be made from both annealed as well as tempered glass. For a chic, contemporary look coupled with high functionality and versatility, this glass can adhere to various horizontal and vertical surfaces within home and business settings.

What Can Back Painted Glass Be Used In?

This glass finds applications in the kitchen, bathroom, business, and much more. As more people become aware of its beauty and practical benefits, its demand will continue to grow for usage in office complexes, custom homes, and make-up of living space. This glass is long-lasting enough to be used in high-end family homes, making it equally suitable for corporate boardrooms. Let’s see some of the application areas:

• Kitchen: Cooks like back painted glass because it’s not stained by spills and splatters and is effortless to clean and sanitize. In kitchen environments, it is used to create:
  • Seamless or almost seamless backsplashes free of grout lines
  • Custom glass tabletops
  • Modern bar tops
  • Kitchen island tops
• Bathroom Installations: Back painted glass is also an excellent fit for bathroom installations because it withstands moisture, is easy to sanitize, and looks fantastic with the glass, metal, and porcelain often used in bathrooms. The bathroom uses include:
  • Shower wall panels
  • Glass backsplash
  • Bathroom glass wall panels
• Commercial Buildings: Glaziers make tabletops, glass wall panels, room dividers, and whiteboards from a back-painted glass in commercial settings. This glass is perfect for the business world because of its crisp edges, clean lines, and easy to wash the surface. Furthermore, since color matching is available, glass professionals can even render glass in a company’s logo colors for office décor that heightens branding.
• Marker Boards: One application of back painted glass that deserves special mention is a whiteboard. When a white piece of this glass adheres to a wall, it immediately becomes both a modern wall hanging and an easy to wipe whiteboard. This property makes it ideal for office space, meeting rooms, waiting areas, school rooms, and homes.

Now that we know where this glass can be used let us look at its pros and cons. 

Pros 

The back-painted glass material is non-porous, which means it will not trap germs or bacteria and keep your kitchen hygienic. Wiping of this industrial glass and its maintenance are also very easy, making back painted glass kitchen designs accessible. The mix of glass and color helps to bring magnetic layers into space regardless of their size. This means that this glass can reflect light and make a room appear larger without affecting the color.

Cons 

Firstly, glass is fragile, meaning you need to be careful when installing it in high-footfall areas. 

Secondly, you can’t go back on it once you’ve committed to a color that is hard to make for people who like to change things up a lot. It’s hard to fix or swap it out – you might have to bin all the glasses and install the fresh ones.

Conclusion

Glass customers typically choose back painted glass over several other industrial glasses available. With this glass, walls can be fully covered for a bright, futuristic ambiance. Alternatively, you can use different colored glass panels that can be tastefully arranged to create modern wall art. Whether its use is primarily practical or aesthetic, back-painted glass is a durable industrial glass that’s easy to maintain.

Glass walls have been in trend for the past two decades, but have you heard about Operable Glass Walls?

The operable glass wall systems are made of folding walls and offer unobstructed views and daylighting when closed. When open, operable glass walls create an ample space with fresh air ventilation. It is often believed that glass wall systems are only for vast spaces, but they are currently being used to decongest small places too. Some of these walls offer excellent natural light and sound insulation. The folding glass walls are available in different configurations-folding to the right, to the left, split to fold in two directions, inward or outward. Operable glass walls can either be frameless or stacked between fixed walls. These walls are being used in the interior as well as exterior spaces. Sounds interesting, right? Read on to find more about the applications of this particular industrial glass.

Features

The operable glass wall systems have more than 25 unique systems embedded for a multitude of applications. It can be customized to meet the requirements of nearly every project. Some of the features are:

• Meets high-velocity hurricane zone (HVHZ) requirements
• Weather-resistant 
• Made up of structurally glazed industrial glass
• The operable glass wall comes in aluminum-clad and solid wood frames
• Eye-catching due to a variety of finishes 
• Curved and linear spans
• Available in a variety of materials and sizes
• Can be clear, frosted, opaque or privacy glass
• ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant

Applications

Operable glass walls help change fixed walls into flexible openings. These walls eliminate the visual and physical barriers to the outside and create a flex space that merges exterior with the interior. Operable walls provide the comfort of a solid wall and are energy efficient. The walls allow smooth opening and closing. They are expected to have a lasting installation of over 30 years. Here is how architects are using it in different spaces:

• Residential Spaces

Kitchen spaces can be transformed into complete outdoor/indoor environment areas. Operable glass walls combine folding windows and folding door elements to create your dream kitchen. There are countertop walls too. An operable glass wall can seamlessly unify indoor/outdoor living areas without exposing an entire wall. This can be done with foldable panels parallel to the opening and pivot back to stack out of. The operable glass wall can also separate two spaces as glass walls aren’t limited to one wall but can be used adjacently. Interior designers use operable glass walls to give a resort-like feel to bedrooms and bathrooms, providing scenic views. The inswing glass walls allow fresh air into bedrooms to bathtub areas. Using glass wall systems on adjoining walls can create an expansive view of the outdoors. Operable glass walls allow elegant yet consistent look for multifamily units. Glass walls allow each unit access to the outdoors from the living space without limiting the building’s aesthetics. 

• Commercial Spaces

Operable glass walls are used in various commercial applications like retail establishments, restaurants, hotels, and offices. The glass walls offer professional-grade toughness to stand up to daily commercial use. Architects use these walls to navigate curves, multiple corners, or to bypass columns. The walls fit in both floors-supported as well as top-hung models. There are also outswing or inswing options. Retail establishments use operable glass walls to create attractive entrances. Security is the top concern of commercial establishments, and operable glass walls are an architect’s number one pick for this. Restaurants use the folding glass wall system to create additional seating options. Glass walls are used to open the top floor restaurant with the skyline. By incorporating outdoor space with indoor space, a unique ambiance for the consumers can be created. Hotels also use folding glass wall systems to create a welcoming environment and access to the pool. Operable glass walls are used in office spaces to separate employee eating spaces and change privacy from an open space to a closed room. This feeling benefits the office’s visual design and improves the workplace as a whole.

Final Word

Operable glass wall systems can change the way buildings and people interact. Whether residential or commercial, an operable glass wall can combine the spaces creating a stunning visual effect and improve the residents’ mood. This industrial glass helps in creating a transformative experience.

Glass is a magical material with so many different uses and properties that it has presented many new possibilities and designs to Architects. Architects often employ reinforced, toughened, and laminated glasses in their quest for transparency and safety. Glass has been a fascinating material to humanity since it was first manufactured around 500 BC. Glass had come a long way at first thought of possessing magical properties. It is one of the oldest and most versatile materials in the construction industry. Its architecture has grown from its humble beginnings as a windowpane in Virgin Island’s luxury houses to cultured structural members in new age buildings.

History of blocks of Glass used in construction

In the early 1800s, individual glass blocks were used to illuminate the cellars and the bowels of ships – at first, cut squares of pure conventional glass, then prism-shaped pressed glass that allowed light to disperse. The prismatic glass was fixed by fitting them into steel frame structures in the form of intermediate skylights or ceilings, which allowed larger surfaces to become translucent.

In 1902, an American architect, Harrison Albright, built the United States’ first largest glass dome. Simultaneously, hollow glass blocks were developed for vertical structures, offering better noise and thermal insulation than solid blocks. The present commercial manufacturing method allows the production of glass blocks with a maximum surface area of 30 cm x 30 cm. They are used for the production of straight and curved inner and outer walls.  

Varieties of Glass used in the Architectural Field

Choosing the right type of glass can play a significant part in your property’s architectural design. The market offers numerous styles and various types of glasses. Let’s take a look.

• Sheet Glass: It is the most typical type of glazing glass available. It is used for door and window partitions and to draw a sheet from a liquefied glass ball.
• Plate Glass: It is used in windows, shop fronts, buildings, and workshops for general glazing purposes. 
• Wired Glass: Wired Glass is a product that is inserted into a wire mesh during production. This product is traditionally considered low-cost fire glass and used for windows, fire-resistant doors, skylights, and north light trusses.
• Laminated Vitre: Laminated Glass is a variety of safety glass that holds together when it is shattered. In breaking, it is held in place between its two or more layers of glass by an interlayer, typically of polyvinyl butyral. Laminated glass is typically used in skylight glazing and automotive windshields.
• Flint Glass: This is a particular glass type which has a high refractive index. It is used to make lenses, tableware, glassware, electrical tubes, radio valves, and optical glass cuttings. 
• Foam Glass: This particular cellular Glass has the properties of high heat and sound insulation. It is a lightweight, opaque material of glass that has a closed-cell structure. 
• Fiberglass: It is a material composed of fine glass fibers. It is used on many polymer products as a reinforcing agent. It is sturdy and durable and is used in glass-based roofing, pipe insulation, bends, valves, etc., container thermal insulation, and panel insulation.

Benefits of Incorporating Glass

Glass finds application as an insulation material, structural component, external glazing material, and cladding material in the construction industry. Here’s why incorporating glass into your construction will be beneficial.

• Beauty & Versatility

Glass block is exceptionally versatile and available in many aesthetically pleasing sizes and styles, offering virtually endless design possibilities. Glass block walls, partitions, and windows combine the delicate glass beauty and light transmission with glass block strength. When we combine single glass sheets is laminated or insulated units, the overall color and appearance typically change. Numerous environmental factors such as sunlight reflected sky, and clouds can also condition glass color.

• Visibility & Transmission of Light

Glass block gives outstanding visibility. It is also scratch-resistant, transmitting up to 80% of the light in both directions without yellowing, clouding, or weathering.

• Conserving Energy

Glass is a bad heat conductor. A good double-layered glass acts as a good insulator and can help conserve energy and reduce energy bills.

• Resistant to Noise

Sealed glass panels convey minimal sound. Laminated and insulating glass are the most common types of glass used. It is also possible to achieve better sound insulation with double-glazed glass, in which vacuum-sealed inner spaces and certain gasses affect sound insulation and provide acoustic stability.

Conclusion

Glass’s versatility continues to increase, with scientists finding new applications for this material of wonder. It is used to make delicate-looking fenestrations on facades and conventional windows. Glass is continually transforming, with the arrival of green technology in construction. A few of the newer uses are solar power glass, switchable glass projection screens. This is one material that you should look for!

Glass is a unique material that can transform a space both aesthetically and practically. The recent technological advances have broadened the possibilities of using glass for design in almost every industry. Historically, industrial glass was considered a facet of architecture. With the recent advancements, it has started playing a significant role in interior design too. The best interior designers in the business are working with glass installations to ensure a perfect balance between visual appeal and concept of minimalism. Glass can transform a gloomy and dark interior into a bright space with panoramic views. Besides that, it allows the sound and sight of nature inside.

There are various types of glass being used in interior design. The industrial glass can be transparent, translucent, tinted, engraved, acid-etched, sintered, etc. Glass can be used in a myriad of different ways due to the interplay of reflections, colors, and textures. It also offers an alternative to metal, wood, and stone. It is essential to use the right type of glass depending upon the project, such as designing for office or home space.

Benefits of Glass in Interior Design

Here are some ways in which glass can benefit design and designers:

• The features of glass invite the exteriors inside

 

Contrary to the term ‘interior design’, glass offers a chance to invite the outside word in. The designers aren’t restricted to the modern, human-made, and architectural aesthetics only. In design and architecture, glass features use the outside world as a visual stimulus, letting designers provide a sense of flow and creating a seamless link between exterior and interior spaces. For the designers who wish to increase the spatial aspect of the interior- glass is an invaluable feature. Glass can help with reduction, minimalism, decluttering, and refining of visual elements. In this regard, glazing is helping designers in reinventing spaces. Designers don’t need to create the illusion of a room when working with features that offer an aesthetic bond between outdoor and indoor spaces. A sizable glazed installation becomes a unifying visual anchor and enhances the designs drawn from nature. It helps the designers shift the focus from the interiors to the exteriors.

• Brings natural light into the design

Conditions like Seasonal Affective Disorder are becoming widely recognizable. This reinstates the fact that natural light is vital for our psychological and physical well-being. Glazing can transform a brilliant looking space into a brilliant felling space. In areas such as the dining area, kitchen, and bathroom, where light is required, glass allows ample sunlight to enter. Apart from the practical benefits of light, glass features offer extensive aesthetic benefits. Natural light affects color perception and is often preferred when the design aims at capturing ‘true color.’ Natural light brings out lighter colors and can also be used in washing out a palette. Thus, glass features can offer an aesthetical and practical way of making colors look visually appealing.

• Eliminates practical restrictions

Designers always have to work within some practical frameworks depending on the project. Glass can help remove all kinds of practical barriers along with its aesthetic benefits. Modern glass features such as roof panels and sliding doors are used as access or entry points. Industrial glass can also help significantly in insulation, ventilation as well as preventing heat loss. For example, modern glass technology, such as solar gain coating, increases the insulative quality of glass. Cutting edge glass options such as operable glass walls are increasingly becoming popular in interior design as it adds to privacy. 

 

• Timeless quality

Interior designers often want to balance timelessness and aesthetics. Anachronistic designs are appealing, but they are expected to go out of trend in a few years. Glass features might not precisely be trendy. However, minimal glazing offers a timeless quality. Glass links are combined with historical buildings because of the unobtrusive impact. Apart from this, industrial glass is the most reliable material to work with. Modern installations offer new life to interiors and are delicate and subtle options that aren’t going to degrade with time. While glass is associated with windows and doors, it can be effectively used in any fitting. Glass features enhance the contemporary feel of minimal and modern designs.

While there is much that can be said about glass in interior design, here are some different ways of using it today:

• Glass walls
• Glass floors
• Glass roofs
• Glass Canopy and tent
• Shower Partition
• Glass Pools
• Stained Windows and Doors
• Elevators
• Kitchen cabinets
• Glass Partitions
• Parapets
• Stairs
• Furniture
• Lamps and artifacts

The list is non-exhaustive. All in all, glass is the greatest asset for designers because it has infinite potential as a designing material for all kinds of spaces.