Great designs don’t just happen, they are a collaboration of people, the sum of many heads and many hands. The difference between success and failure is all in the planning and communication. Glass bricks are such a fascinating and compelling medium that ignites the senses, drawing your attention completely. There is one significant issue that we see time and time again when it comes to installing on site.
THE OPENING SIZES ARE WRONG!!!!!
Getting the sizes wrong can lead to a world of pain financially and lead to all sorts of arguments and finger pointing as to who is at fault.
What size should the panel be?
The size of the window changes between mortar, silicone and fire rated systems and again with our opening window systems, most mortar systems have 10mm joints, silicone systems 3mm joints, some frames you can slide the glass brick into the frame to allow a little extra flexibility with opening sizes except for fire rated panels which have almost no size flexibility at all.
It just takes a phone call to check sizes
For further information, design assistance or quotes for Commercial, Industrial or Domestic projects please call Russell on 1300 GLASS BRICKS (1300 452 772) or send us an email
Check the specified size is right!
If there is one thing that we want to stress to anyone considering using glass blocks in their project, that is to please, plan ahead and research the correct size required.
Designers, please don’t specify sizes without being sure they are right because builders will most likely trust measurements that are written without question.
Builders, please check the sizes required with us BEFORE construction!!!
Why is this an issue?
Too often, people think of glass brick panels as windows, not bricks.
As such there is a certain amount of indifference to the size that the panel needs to be. You can’t just make the glass brick frame bigger or smaller to suit, the glass bricks can’t be cut like a pane of glass so if anything needs to be altered it will be the surrounding structure. This can be a very expensive exercise especially if you are dealing with precast concrete panels that can’t be cut, not to mention time delays.
Here’s an example of how the design needs to be millimeter perfect to achieve the best results, looking up you can see how just being slightly out will ruin the effect with joint lines not running straight.