You make it look easy probably because you've done it a thousand times. I would like to do it myself that way I can stand back and feel proud that I did it but I think I'll hire a contractor instead. Thanks for the video!
We have bought the spacers and mix from Home Depot. I picked up 40 glass blocks at a yard sale. Good deal so I decided to do another wall. They have everything you need to put your glass block wall together at Home Depot or a hardware store can order for you. Frame out your area first ... I will be watching more videos to refresh before we put the wall up.
The block by block installation method using these L and T spacers does work but is not the easiest way to do a wall or window project. I would recommend using prefabricated panels made with vinyl stacking material. This system allows the sections to be anchored but it eliminates the need to check to see if the blocks are level or to have to mix up all mortar.
I own a condo that has a glass block opening in the bathroom. Don't think it is the building settling, but it looks like the galvanized steel plates are rusting and have caused 8 (and counting) blocks to crack and shatter. The block wall is rounded outward in a concrete opening and the opening supports 42 blocks (6 tall by 7 wide). Might be good to water seal the mortar if installing to the outside of the structure, and re-seal periodically to prevent water intrusion.
Hi, your video was very informative and I followed it to build my bar with glass blocks/tiles. But I am not sure how to securely place a glass countertop on top of the glass bar I built. I see lots of photos in various sites of glass or granite countertops on glass block structures. If you have any solutions on this issue please send me a note, thanks.
this isn't really my area of expertise. but, if I were going to do this I would apply a generous layer of silicone calk to secure the countertop to the glass blocks. I can't really think of a good way to mechanically fasten to the blocks, after the mortar has cured. placing brackets in the mortar ahead of time would have been a good plan, but I assume you're past that
All good, seriously miffed me with some of the comments who don’t understand the effort to make these.. they don’t do anything themselves however happy to sit back a criticise others who do..
Some folks are pretty rude, huh? I was a brick layer for several years prior to becoming disabled. I never had the opportunity to lay glass blocks... I layed every other kind of block though. I would have liked to see the spacers up close. and is there enough room in the bed joints to adjust finish height gradually as in regular blocks?
does it matter if the top and bottom & sides are gonna need extra space to allow for the size of the opening. I mean of course having 1/2 of mortar on each side and 1 inch on top & bottom as opposed to 1/4 inch between all blocks including the sides.
I won't hurt to use more, rather than less, but the standard is every other row. If anchoring on both ends (meaning it's boxed-in), you could do rows 1, 3 and 5 on one end and 2, 4 and 6 on the other. The materials are dead-cheap for the anchors, so it's really up to you. Make sure to overlap the reinforcing "ladder" bar sections with the "L" brackets in the mortar to tie everything together.
I have 2 Tonne of glass bricks... i was thinking or making window features with them? im glad i watched this video first, wasnt aware you had to use so much steel and wire?? wont that rust?? ummmm... thanks for the education ;o}
All of the metal is galvanized and in most installations, it won't get wet ever again. The mortar is pretty water resistant (but not waterproof, meaning it won't hold water like a fish tank).
Shotgun Matt thanks for the comment. My understanding is with an interior installation with little thermal expansion, and a correctly supported base, with little movement, the ladders (basically rebar) would be sufficient to prevent cracking in this type of installation. Not to mention, an exposed steel plate in a bathroom installation would likely rust and leave rust stains. Thanks for the input, however
Doesn't really matter, does it? You end up using your hands a lot in these installs, as the mortar is pretty thick, you want 100% joint fill and it's easy to clean the surface of the glass, so the trowel just is a tool to get a lot of it in position to begin with.
The video quality is too low to easily see what's happening - the camera (phone?) needs to be closer, focussing more on the hands and how exactly they're using the spacers and the sound quality is very poor, particulalrly while talking over the mixing cement. I see this is a very old video and I'm sure you'd make much it better these days.
Hmm you do understand tradies doing these are not media professionals with tons of equipment don’t you? Yeah sure the audio could be better however was well presented and informative.
This might have been a good vid, who knows? Cuz I stopped watching when I could not hear. Mud mixer loud noise covering over narrator's voice. Then you literally had two guys talking at once. Better luck on the next one.
As in the reply below, I agree. The mortar method is also proven to stand up to a LOT of force. You can make a 36" wide wall at the end of a tub, sitting on a base made from lumber to equal the height of the end of the tub (which is tiled from there down to the floor), that is only tied into the wall along one edge, the other edge being rounded side blocks. Once cured, and as long as you tied into the one wall along one side with "l" brackets and have ladder re-bar in it, it will easily support the constant pressure of a shower curtain rod pushing against the upper-outside corner. You could, theoretically, run into the wall with a normal fall in the tub and it will not collapse. Try any of that with silicone installation and you will have glass blocks on the floor.
You make it look easy probably because you've done it a thousand times. I would like to do it myself that way I can stand back and feel proud that I did it but I think I'll hire a contractor instead. Thanks for the video!
I did a glass block wall in my shower years ago ... now it is time to do another one ... good refresher! I love these blocks. Thank You.
Gulf IslandRock
How exactly did you do it. I want to install blocks I have in my excising window space.
We have bought the spacers and mix from Home Depot. I picked up 40 glass blocks at a yard sale. Good deal so I decided to do another wall. They have everything you need to put your glass block wall together at Home Depot or a hardware store can order for you. Frame out your area first ... I will be watching more videos to refresh before we put the wall up.
The block by block installation method using these L and T spacers does work but is not the easiest way to do a wall or window project. I would recommend using prefabricated panels made with vinyl stacking material. This system allows the sections to be anchored but it eliminates the need to check to see if the blocks are level or to have to mix up all mortar.
I own a condo that has a glass block opening in the bathroom. Don't think it is the building settling, but it looks like the galvanized steel plates are rusting and have caused 8 (and counting) blocks to crack and shatter. The block wall is rounded outward in a concrete opening and the opening supports 42 blocks (6 tall by 7 wide). Might be good to water seal the mortar if installing to the outside of the structure, and re-seal periodically to prevent water intrusion.
Thank you for the cool Minecraft tutorial.
Yes, I like this look. Never know how to search for it though, or what to call it when googling.
But as room divider is good look
Hi, your video was very informative and I followed it to build my bar with glass blocks/tiles. But I am not sure how to securely place a glass countertop on top of the glass bar I built. I see lots of photos in various sites of glass or granite countertops on glass block structures. If you have any solutions on this issue please send me a note, thanks.
this isn't really my area of expertise. but, if I were going to do this I would apply a generous layer of silicone calk to secure the countertop to the glass blocks. I can't really think of a good way to mechanically fasten to the blocks, after the mortar has cured. placing brackets in the mortar ahead of time would have been a good plan, but I assume you're past that
great post! it made my mind up to do mine the updated easy way. Good lookin' out blakech.
Thanks for the effort, informative and helped me workout my job. Yep audio could have been better however minor.
sorry about the audio. this was VERY early youtube.
All good, seriously miffed me with some of the comments who don’t understand the effort to make these.. they don’t do anything themselves however happy to sit back a criticise others who do..
Some folks are pretty rude, huh? I was a brick layer for several years prior to becoming disabled. I never had the opportunity to lay glass blocks... I layed every other kind of block though. I would have liked to see the spacers up close. and is there enough room in the bed joints to adjust finish height gradually as in regular blocks?
Thank you for sharing this!! ✅✅✅
does it matter if the top and bottom & sides are gonna need extra space to allow for the size of the opening. I mean of course having 1/2 of mortar on each side and 1 inch on top & bottom as opposed to 1/4 inch between all blocks including the sides.
My brain starts melting at around 0:35
are these instructions same for a window replacement that is in the shower?
one other question. after the first course, could you have used a line?
Why would you record a voice over and not mute the other guy talking?
I couldn't hear your voice over, when the demo was happening. Turn off his sound. Good info though! Thanks!
great tips, thanks!
how do you make an L spacer for the corners? can you show this in a video
thanks
the wall bracket @ 2:53, are those used with Each row of block? On Both sides?(Left & Right)
I won't hurt to use more, rather than less, but the standard is every other row. If anchoring on both ends (meaning it's boxed-in), you could do rows 1, 3 and 5 on one end and 2, 4 and 6 on the other. The materials are dead-cheap for the anchors, so it's really up to you. Make sure to overlap the reinforcing "ladder" bar sections with the "L" brackets in the mortar to tie everything together.
Hard to understand two people talking at once. Otherwise, pretty informative.
Seriously, How hard it is it to mute the background audio???
Marc Rasch thanks for the feed back. This is a really old video. I hope you were able to learn something from the free video
I have 2 Tonne of glass bricks... i was thinking or making window features with them? im glad i watched this video first, wasnt aware you had to use so much steel and wire?? wont that rust?? ummmm... thanks for the education ;o}
All of the metal is galvanized and in most installations, it won't get wet ever again. The mortar is pretty water resistant (but not waterproof, meaning it won't hold water like a fish tank).
Weird to have two people talking at once. I had to shut it off :(
Did you say steel plate? 🤔
Shotgun Matt thanks for the comment. My understanding is with an interior installation with little thermal expansion, and a correctly supported base, with little movement, the ladders (basically rebar) would be sufficient to prevent cracking in this type of installation. Not to mention, an exposed steel plate in a bathroom installation would likely rust and leave rust stains. Thanks for the input, however
Foundation crumble.
The real minecraft.
Thanks a lot dudes.
where did this guy learn how to use a trowel
Doesn't really matter, does it? You end up using your hands a lot in these installs, as the mortar is pretty thick, you want 100% joint fill and it's easy to clean the surface of the glass, so the trowel just is a tool to get a lot of it in position to begin with.
@@JohnnyBfromPeoria yep and it will eat your hands up too., no mason worth his salt uses his hands in mortar.
The video quality is too low to easily see what's happening - the camera (phone?) needs to be closer, focussing more on the hands and how exactly they're using the spacers and the sound quality is very poor, particulalrly while talking over the mixing cement. I see this is a very old video and I'm sure you'd make much it better these days.
this is one of the oldest videos on UA-cam. it was filmed on a camcorder there transfered to a computer in 2007!
thank you
are you seriously trying to bond masonry to a wood framed wall
+jarrett forsyth nope, that is just there for temp support.
Couldn't watch because 2 people talking.
Hmm you do understand tradies doing these are not media professionals with tons of equipment don’t you? Yeah sure the audio could be better however was well presented and informative.
Wow that’s annoying. Two people talking at the same time.
i am glass block layer in india
This might have been a good vid, who knows? Cuz I stopped watching when I could not hear. Mud mixer loud noise covering over narrator's voice. Then you literally had two guys talking at once. Better luck on the next one.
This video is over 13 years old...I hope my videos have improved since rhen
lol
LoL wtf
dont use the tools use your hands get a real craftsmen
Just wasted my time here
ya sorry. this is a VERY old video. but wasting time is what UA-cam is good for
From what I gather, this approach is outdated now. I see many other videos with vinyl spacer strips and they use silicone to glue things together.
Masonry and the rest of items shown on video are still being used today (2016). It's more cost effective too.
As in the reply below, I agree. The mortar method is also proven to stand up to a LOT of force. You can make a 36" wide wall at the end of a tub, sitting on a base made from lumber to equal the height of the end of the tub (which is tiled from there down to the floor), that is only tied into the wall along one edge, the other edge being rounded side blocks. Once cured, and as long as you tied into the one wall along one side with "l" brackets and have ladder re-bar in it, it will easily support the constant pressure of a shower curtain rod pushing against the upper-outside corner. You could, theoretically, run into the wall with a normal fall in the tub and it will not collapse. Try any of that with silicone installation and you will have glass blocks on the floor.