Remember back in March or April when our minds were all aflutter with thoughts of the wonderful home projects we wanted to accomplish this summer? Maybe we were thinking of adding some lovely decorative vinyl shutters to give our façade a little pick me up. Or possibly we were going to finally rip out those old cracked basement windows and replace them with glass blocks. There may have been a little mention of once-and-for-all removing that decaying wood heap we try to pass off as a railing system, adding an adequate gable vent to allow proper airflow (thereby reducing cooling costs), or finally wrapping those less-than-attractive post with a pvc column wraps?

Did you get all of that stuff done? Did you get any of that stuff done? Yeah, I didn’t either. But it’s not too late! We still have 1 whole official month left for summer 2009. So what are you waiting for? There’s no time like right now to commit to getting at least one thing off of your “to-do” list. For me, it’s going to be shutters. What’s it going to be for you?

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When searching the term Glass Block window on Google or Yahoo you will typically see two options, a window and a panel. They may look the same but there are two very distinct differences. The simple definition of a Glass Block window is that it has a full vinyl frame with a nailing flange and is not offered with a vent. In contrast, a Glass Bock Panel has no frame. The block are simple siliconed together and the other perimeter is exposed block. Depending upon the size of the panel it can have a vent in it. Typically the vent is 1 block high by two blocks wide and needs to have glass block going all the way around it. The exception is a dryer vent which takes the space of one 8×8.

Glass Block Windows are usually offered with a white or tan frame and a clear silicone between the blocks. The silicone and it’s method of application are identical to that of a Glass Block Panels. This style of window usually works best in new construction or in the case where your opening happens to work with the limited sizes available in windows.

Glass Block panels are often referred to as basement windows as they can easily be mortared into to cinder block wall. This is why there is no vinyl frame necessary. They are also a great choice for small wall partitions such as a half privacy wall in the bathroom. Both panels and windows are offered in the 3 classis Pittsburgh Corning block designs, Decora, Delphi and Icescapes. Decora will let in the most light but offer the least amount of privacy. Delphi will allow the greatly increased privacy over Decora, but it will also block the more light. This block pattern is typically used for commercial or industrial application as its look is not ascetically pleasing for most homes. The most popular option is the Icescapes block, as it offers a fair amount of light transmission while providing maximum privacy, all while being the most decorative.

Regardless of your application needs there is a pre-made glass block product that will help you complete the job, saving time and effort all while achieving the look you desire.

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In recent years Glass Block has seen somewhat of a resurgence in popularity. Traditionally used for more industrial type settings glass block is now considered stylish enough for the home, offering a sleek and modern look. Along with looking great they are a multipurpose building material. They can be used to borrow light from another room, as a privacy partition in your bathroom, or even to create a dramatic entrance way to your home. No longer confined to just one style, glass block is now offered in a few different patterns. The Decora blocks have a slight wave to them, and are the design most typically thought of when one thinks of glass blocks. This block provides maximum light and subtle visual distortion. The Delphi pattern, otherwise known as the diamond design, offers maximum privacy but does not allow as much light to come through. Another popular style is called the Icescapes. This pattern allows the light to come in to the room but still offers privacy. All three patterns are available in 3″ thickness (the Thinline Series) and a 4″ thickness called (the Premiere Series).

The Premiere series has been around much longer and therefore offers more styles to choose from. In addition to the 3 standards this series carries a block called the Decora LX Filter. This block offers maximum privacy and adds significant thermal and light characteristics. The Argus pattern has rounded perpendicular flutes which offer a very unique look. Another block that has an interesting pattern to it is the Essex. This has a fine grid line design and offers some light transmission of a moderate degree with maximum privacy. For the applications where you would like to have no distortion to the block and to allow the most light to come through you would use the Vue pattern. This is a smooth undistorted block that looks like a regular glass window.Whatever pattern you choose you’ll find glass block to be a great product; easy to work with, and highly versatile.

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