So this is communication in the 21st Century? I post my opinions, views and insights for the world to read... or not?
I am going to use this space, in all of its glory to communicate mostly fact or what I believe to be true whether there is scientific evidence to back it up or not. Basically, what I say in my blog, you may just have to take my word that it's true, or true enough.
What experience do I have with that qualifies me to talk about remodeling, construction and Glass Block? Glad you asked...
I've been chewing saw dust since I was knee high. Many a summer I spent with my dad on the sites of new homes. He was a framer and I was... most likely a burden or a baby sitting nightmare. What can I say... I was young and inquisitive.
I have held a few construction relate positions along the way; I built roof trusses and installed ceramic tile and natural stone among other things.
I have spent the last 10 years in the glass block industry starting as a lowly box-jockey in a warehouse and today I manage a company that completes more than 2,500 glass block contracts each year.
I expet I'm plenty qualified. I'm going to use this Blog to offer solutions to problems, close otherwise ongoing debates and hopefully, simplify our product to a level that makes it easier to sift through the advertisements to find what matters.
Hang with me. I expect to deliver some compelling arguments.
What is your opinion regarding 2-inch glass blocks vs 3 inch blocks? My application is an outdoor concrete wall and I want to use glass blocks in some sections to allow for some light passage. The wall is too thin to use 3" blocks, so I'm thinking about 2" blocks. These would be set into the concrete - no frame of any sort.
ReplyDeleteI must apolgize for the delay. I had expected to see some notification that there had been a response. Since I am typing this nearly 10 months late, I expect you may have already solved your problem. But here's my opinion none the less...
ReplyDelete2" thick blocks are manufactured for a specific application. They are meant to be assembled within an actual frame. Typically, these windows have nailing flanges and are intended to be installed during construction, prior to any siding or exterior veneer. The performance of these blocks are measured for that specific application. A brief clip of this testing can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfCvBpi7Iu4
The 2" thick glass block are manufactured, to the best of my knowledge, only in 8"x8". If the dimension of the opening where you intend to use these blocks is not divisible by 8, this block may not be an option for you. Additionally, the 2" thick blocks are available in a very limited range of styles. At the time of this post, without too much digging, I know of only one pattern available in the 2" thick block.
The 3" thick block are available in 6x6, 6x8, 8x8 and 4x8. You could use combinations of these sizes to fill just about any opening. Since the 3" blocks are intended for windows, there are several patterns to choose from. Accessories like fresh air ventilators and dryer vent blocks are normally manufactured to fit the 3" thick block and would not be useable with 2" blocks.
If these are going to be accents within your wall or if you have small 2 or 3 block openings, I would have no problem using 2" block for that sort of application, assuming your wall is too thin to use the 3" block.
Since the 2" thick blocks are intended for window manufactures, it may be difficult to get your hands on these though distribution. If all else fails, there's Ebay.
-Greg