I am turning a front porch (1×4 t&g over 2×8 joists) into an atrium/greenhouse. Quite small at 8′ by 14′. The lady whose porch it is has decided rather than just big windows, she’d like the walls made of glass brick. I am seeking advice on installing and building with glass brick. I know zero about it. I am sure I can’t just build the wall out of brick and mount the vinyl sliders atop them. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.
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There are two ways to do glass block (ok, I know of two ways...). One is setting the block individually like block, the other is to buy a pre-made window unit. I have done that twice, and it worked real well. There is a vinyl frame with a nailing fin, just like a window, and the blocks are siliconed in place very neatly. Two down-sides: you have to work in increments of the block size, and the pre-made units can get heavy. But if you can install a double hung window unit, you can install a glass block unit.
My local shop is The Glass Block Shop, and thewy stock all the sizes and patterns. The pre-made units take about a week or 10 days to get.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Joe S.,
I have cut several exterior bath wall openings and installed glass block windows, three of them full tub length, from tub ledge height to the ceiling. CMR is right; the work requires a good deal of patience.
From an aesthetic standpoint, I far prefer and use only mortared construction.
Determine how you want to trim the interior wall perimeter, if at all, before you begin. If you leave the interior wall sides and top exposed and untrimmed (not uncommon in non-wet areas), fill the spaces with non-expansive foam, insert the appropriate diameter backer rod and caulk the joints. I use siliconized caulk, not silicone caulk, as you can work the bead and achieve a more pleasing joint. If you are tiling the wall surrounding the window, which is likely not your case, or use a wood trim, you can fairly well obscure the caulked, perimeter joints.
As to technique, measure quite carefully, just as you would when framing a conventional window opening, but even more so. And measure the height as you lay each course, to be certain that your mortar joints are equal and are the thickness you factored in when you determined the size of the opening. The character and consistency of glass block mortar is different from brick and rock mortar, so experiment with mixing before you begin. I lay only two courses at a time and let the mortar set before laying the next two. Also, I keep a couple of buckets of water and a grout sponge nearby, in order to keep the block faces clean as I lay each course. If the mortar sets on the glass, it is nearly impossible to remove, especially without scratching the glass. To achieve a finished look, use a tool that is so designed to strike the mortar joints and that provides a concave joint.
Have fun. When you get into the Zen of it, it'll go well.
zbalk
Joe S,
I forgot to add, don't let the glass block inventory at H.D. or Lowes dictate what style of glass you use; their inventories generally contain only a fraction of what is available. Tile stores that carry glass block can order your selection at competitive prices, even at retail cost. zbalk
Thank you. What do you charge to install glass block? I don't have a clue what I oughta put on the bill.
Joe S.,
I work almost exclusively solo, and my projects generally involve an extensive remodel of the room or rooms I have contracted. Rather than factoring a specific rate for specific types of work, I bid my jobs so as to yield a consistent hourly rate for an entire job, in toto. Since you haven't done this sort of work previously and have no idea how long it will require, either disclose the nature of your request totally up front or however you choose, and try to obtain estimates from two or three experienced glass block layers. Perform the work for the lowest bid you receive, carefully, slowly and well for your and the homeowner's benefit, and chalk it up to an invaluable learning experience. That is how I learned to lay glass block and how to perform a number of the other skills I use in my remodeling work. Since I have been fortunate enough to have others assist me in bidding and charging for types of work involving skills with which I was not entirely familiar, I don't object to assisting "newbies" with pricing their bids or even teaching them whatever skills I possess that they don't yet.
It is a personal rule of conduct, sort of like what goes around comes around. Good luck.
Zbalk
Thanks much. I was ready to bid $2800 on the glass brick portion of the job. I talked to a friend of mine about the job (who has extensive experience with the medium) and he said he'd charge $4700. Phew. Anyway, when I added that cost to the job the lady decided to go with regular framed walls and redwood siding inside.