Stained glass makes a comeback

Stained glass makes a comeback

Stained glass makes a comeback

Stained glass makes a comeback

Stained glass has been in the news recently, and not always in a positive way. Recently, stained glass manufacturers have come under increasing federal and state scrutiny, largely because of their furnace emissions. Stained glass colorants are typically derived from heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium. Recent testing of air, soil and water around even small glass furnaces shows an elevated level of these toxic heavy metals. The test results have caused the US EPA and state agencies to reconsider emissions waivers they’d previously granted to smaller scale glass furnaces.

Stained glass artists have bemoaned the potential demise of “true” stained glass. To meet regulatory compliance, stained glass furnaces must install expensive particle filtration units that recapture the toxic emissions. Even when the filtration systems have been installed, rainwater runoff from the factory roofs have deposited high levels of toxic heavy metals into the soils surrounding the plants. One Portland, OR glass furnace has chosen to relocate its facilities to Mexico to avoid having to comply with US air quality standards.

Another concern regarding stained glass is its lead content. Leaded glass windows were common in upscale homes in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Lead particles from the glazing are constantly being shed, and pose an ongoing lead hazard. Athough the windows may have historical significance, many homeowners have chosen to remove the windows as part of a lead abatement plan for their living spaces.

Does this mean the end of stained glass? Not entirely. Although stained glass windows are rightly classified as artworks and offer some very intricate details, some of the “stained glass” windows we prize so highly are actually painted glass. Glass painting can produce some exceptional results, which compare favorably with traditional stained glass.

Glass painting has been around for centuries, and with modern glass paint compounds, a skilled artist can create a “stained glass” appearance with glass paint. Today’s glass paint contains none of the hazardous materials that traditional stained glass windows contain. A compound like Glassprimer™ glass paint bonds permanently to the glass surface without the need for heat curing, and will not chip, fade or peel, even when exposed to direct sunlight.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be used in both interior and exterior applications and can help reduce solar heat gain in some applications. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Just1Snap, via Flickr.com

Glass and its role in feng shui

Glass and its role in feng shui

Glass and its role in feng shui

Glass and its role in feng shui

If you’re looking to make a positive change in your home in 2017, you may consider adding some Feng Shui touches to each room in your home. If you’re not familiar with feng shui, here’s a brief primer. Feng shui is a Chinese philosophy that promotes harmony among inhabitants in an environment.

Feng shui is closely associated with Taoism. Although scientists don’t believe that feng shui actually controls the mystical energies it purports to, it can make for an interesting decorating strategy. In addition to decorating the interior of a space, feng shui principles are finding some traction in landscaping and landscape design around a home’s exterior.

Feng shui seeks to create a harmonious balance among the “elements” in feng shui: earth, metal, water, fire and wood. While using the actual material is desirable, certain materials can “stand in” for these elements.

Glass, for example, stands in for water. That’s helpful in rooms that don’t have water, or where water itself can’t be used. Fountains, mirrors, aquariums, dark colors and asymmetrical shapes can also substitute for water. The water element in feng shui is meant to create clarity, good communication and wealth, but be careful how you add it in a space. Too much water can create confusion and indecision.

There’s no strong agreement among feng shui practitioners regarding what constitutes a good balance of the elements in a room, or in a home. Glass lends an air of elegance, simplicity and balance to a room. Including glass to a room may be as simple as adding a glass table top to an existing coffee table or end table. If you intend to lay a sheet of glass on a furniture surface, consider adding small felt buttons to the bottom side of the glass to discourage movement, especially if the glass is not heavy enough to hold itself in place.

You can add color to glass by using Glassprimer™ glass paint. Dark colors, especially black, dark blue and gray, complement the feng shui water aesthetic. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be tinted to match the paint palette of virtually any major paint manufacturer. Backpainting a glass cover for a table top may help bring your room in harmony with the other feng shui elements.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be used in both interior and exterior applications and can help reduce solar heat gain in some applications. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Kevin Maher , via Flickr.com

Glass doors – inside and out

Glass doors – inside and out

Glass doors – inside and out

Glass doors – inside and out

If you think that glass doors are reserved for commercial spaces, you may be overlooking a design trend that can transform your home. Framed and frameless glass doors are emerging as a hot design trend.

Frameless glass doors in a residential setting are most frequently found in bathrooms and showers. Frameless shower doors come in a variety of styles and can either slide open or pivot. If frameless glass appeals to you, but the transparency of the glass puts you off a bit, you can paint or frost the glass. Traditional frosted glass is made by chemical etching or sandblasting the surface of the glass. As an inexpensive alternative, you can paint the glass using Glassprimer™ glass paint. Using a frosted finish, you can approximate frosted glass for about $1 per square foot.

Glass doors used around the house can help transmit natural light throughout the space. Some rooms require privacy. In these cases, you can add curtains or use Glassprimer™ glass paint to obscure the view through the glass without interfering with the transmission of natural light.

Glass is extremely versatile in commercial spaces. It can be used effectively to divide an interior space without impacting the transmission of natural light. As an added benefit, glass is an excellent sound insulator. Using glass in the interior space can help control ambient noise in the workspace.

Adding color to glass is a snap with Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be tinted to match virtually any color in any major paint manufacturer’s paint palette. That means you can incorporate Glassprimer™ glass paint seamlessly into any decorating scheme.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is easy to work with, and is a certified low-VOC compound. In addition to its oil-based formulation, Glassprimer™ glass paint also comes in an environmentally friendly water-based formulation that’s safe to use and easy to clean up.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be used in both interior and exterior applications and can help reduce solar heat gain in some applications. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Sint Katelinjne-Waver, via Flickr.com

Using glass in interior decorating

Using glass in interior decorating

Using glass in interior decorating

Using glass in interior decorating

Few materials are more versatile in decorating than glass. It’s natural to think of glass in terms of windows. After all, that’s where we see glass most often – regardless of whether we’re looking at commercial or residential spaces.

Glass is much more versatile than that, though. Because it comes in so many thicknesses and colors, and can be cut or shaped into virtually any form, glass is a natural choice for many interior decorating plans. Whether you’re rehabbing a piece of furniture, laminating a wall or creating a room divider, the versatility of glass will soon make it your go-to material.

As a laminate, glass can be added to furniture and walls easily. Depending upon the application, a thin glass can be a great laminate for a piece of furniture that has been well used, or that just needs a visual update.

Glass can be cut to virtually any size, so laminating a table, cabinet or even your kitchen cupboards can be a quick-fix project. The result can be a great, classic chic Art Deco look. Glass is easy to cut and can be applied safely and securely with silicone adhesive.

You can also paint the glass virtually any color of the rainbow, thanks to Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially engineered to bond permanently with the surface of the glass. Backpainted glass is easy to create and will last indefinitely. In kitchen applications, glass is ideal because it is impervious and can be cleaned and sterilized easily.

If you want to be really adventurous, you can laminate an entire wall surface with thin glass. As in the kitchen, glass can lend the same sense of elegance to virtually any room. Backpainted glass as a laminate allows you to create a simple, yet sophisticated surface. Whether you’re adding a splash of color or covering imperfections in the wall surface, glass can help you transform a room quickly and easily. Glassprimer™ glass paint is also inexpensive. You can provide complete coverage on glass for about $1 per square foot.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be used in both interior and exterior applications and can help reduce solar heat gain in some applications. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: dakman, via Flickr.com

Considering a home improvement project? Think glass!

Considering a home improvement project? Think glass!

Considering a home improvement project? Think glass!

Considering a home improvement project? Think glass!

2017 offers a great opportunity to refresh your living space. If moving or building your own home isn’t in the cards, you can improve the space you’ve got. The number one reason people consider moving is “more space.” But how can you create more space using only the space you’ve got?

Glass is a great way to open up a space, if only virtually. By making a space look bigger, you can improve your enjoyment of the space and give it a crisp, clean look.

How can you open a space? Consider removing non-structural walls or using glass room dividers to “remodel” your interior space. Raising furniture off the ground will also allow you to “look through” objects, creating a more open feeling in a small room.

Another way to open a room is to reframe windows. Small windows are more energy efficient, but they don’t tend to admit a lot of natural light. By increasing the amount of natural light in a space, you can create the impression of a larger, brighter and more welcoming space.

You can also use glass in doors, or use frameless glass doors to create the visual impression of more space. In areas where privacy is desirable, you can use frosted glass. If frosted glass isn’t in the budget, consider using Glassprimer™ glass paint.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a cost effective alternative to frosted glass that provides privacy and durability. Glassprimer™ glass paint is highly UV resistant, so it won’t chip, fade or peel even in direct sunlight. Unlike frosted glass, Glassprimer™ glass paint comes in virtually any color. It can be tinted to match the paint palette of any major paint manufacturer, so you can integrate it seamlessly into your decorating plan.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint and how it can help you control light and heat in your space, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Acme, via Flickr.com

Design considerations when working with glass

Design considerations for glass

Design considerations for glass

Design considerations for glass

Glass has a huge upside in contemporary design, but glass isn’t a simple replacement for traditional architectural materials. Here are some things to consider for any architectural designs that make use of glass.

Safety. Without a doubt, any glass design must thoroughly examine safety from every angle. Generally, where safety is a concern, a wide range of safety glass options are available. Tempered glass and laminated glass are two common options that will prevent or minimize injury in the event of glass breakage.

Wildlife. Low-emissivity glass is highly reflective and energy-efficient, but highly reflective glasses can cause significant loss of life for birds. Birds can’t detect the subtle differences between reflective glass and its surroundings, and can fly into glass at full speed, and with deadly consequences.

Energy consumption. Without a doubt, energy consumption is a concern when designing with glass. The design stage is critical because decisions made at this stage will have lifetime-cost implications for a building. Poor energy conservation may make an otherwise beautiful building virtual unsalable in the future, if energy costs rise substantially.

Weather. Special consideration must be given to designs that will be impacted by weather conditions like high winds, tropical storms, snow, cold temperatures and other similar hazards. You may need to use special glass or glass of a specific minimum thickness to ensure that it’s strong enough to withstand inclement weather.

Appearance. Choosing the right glass can make a major difference in the appearance and attractiveness of a building or building project. Glass can be tinted to virtually any color, but over a large project space, you’ll need to pay special attention to the consistency Other additives and coatings can create different properties that affect the appearance of the finished project.

Glass can also be painted using a specialty paint product like Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint is cost-effective and can be used to create both artistic and practical effects.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint and how it can help you control light and heat in your space, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Nick Garrod , via Flickr.com

Self-cleaning glass: what is it?

Self cleaning glass: what is it?

Self-cleaning glass: what is it?

Self-cleaning glass: what is it?

Cleaning the windows is never high on anyone’s list of fun things to do, so the idea of self-cleaning glass may be very attractive. Will self-cleaning glass really take care of itself? What makes glass self-cleaning? Will it really improve your view?

Self-cleaning glass is created through the use of coatings that are either “hydrophobic” or “hydrophilic.” A hydrophobic coating makes water bead on the surface and roll off. The water beads will prevent dirt from taking up residence on the glass. Hydrophilic coatings make the water “sheet”, which sweeps away any dirt that has accumulated on the window.

Dirt sticks to a surface because it’s gotten wet (or damp) and then dries. Wax is a common hydrophobic coating. On a waxed surface, water – which either contains dirt or wets dry dust on the surface – cannot interact with the surface. It can only bead and roll off. Without water, dirt can’t dry on a surface, so the surface appears to be “self-cleaning.”

Hydrophilic coatings don’t reject water. They welcome water. Most hydrophilic coatings don’t rely simply on the action of the water to clean a surface. Hydrophilic coatings actually break down dirt in the presence of ultraviolet light. Then, the dirt is washed away when the surface comes in contact with water. Hydrophilic coatings don’t tend to streak, so the surface stays clean as the water drains away.

Most hydrophilic self-cleaning windows are coated with titanium dioxide, although there are other hydrophilic coatings. Titanium dioxide also provides some control over solar heat gain, so self-cleaning glass does have some energy-efficient side benefits.

The first self-cleaning glass was brought to market in 2001. Today, self-cleaning glass remains a specialty product that’s often used in commercial buildings. Keeping windows clean permits maximum light transmission, which can be very important in commercial spaces. It also cuts down on maintenance costs. Self-cleaning glass can also be found in automobiles, but that’s more likely to be a hydrophobic.

You’re not likely to encounter self-cleaning glass in standard replacement windows, but you can have custom-made self cleaning windows for hard-to-reach places like skylights.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint and how it can help you control light and heat in your space, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Jacinta Lluch Valero, via Flickr.com

Glass buildings are beautiful, but…

Glass buildings are beautiful, but…

Glass buildings are beautiful, but…

Glass buildings have dominated the modern skyline, and more individuals are incorporating glass into their residential designs. But what is the environmental impact of a building’s high glass content, and how does it affect the building’s occupants?

A study conducted by the Urban Green Council in 2013 has some of the answers to those questions, and the results are interesting to say the least.

According to the study, which involved residential 55 buildings in New York City, people invariably chose a residential space because of the amount of glass, but about 60% of any given window was covered with blinds, shades or some other form of window treatment. Three quarters of the buildings in the study had at least half of their windows covered, regardless of the time of day, or the direction the window faced.

Based on its finding, the Urban Green Council made some design recommendations for new construction. They included designs that eschewed the floor-to-ceiling glass, and substituted two to three feet of insulated wall space along the floor – the coldest area in an enclosed space.

In addition, the Urban Green Council recommends better communication about the overall impact of floor-to-ceiling glass in terms of energy consumption. Well insulated windows (triple-pane) have an R-value of about 3, which compares to the insulating ability of corrugated cardboard. Low-e glass is comparable or even superior to triple-pane, gas-filled glass, but it still offers an R-value of less than 5. The more glass you put in a room, the less energy-efficient the room will be.

There are things you can do to control the way heat is gained and lost by glass. Glassprimer™ glass paint could be one potential solution when you’re looking for both privacy and style. Glassprimer™ glass paint offers superior UV protection, which means that it won’t chip, fade or peel, even when exposed to direct sunlight.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint and how it can help you control light and heat in your space, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Ricard Liberato, via Flickr.com

Is the glass shortage a reality?

Is the glass shortage a reality?

Is the glass shortage a reality?

Is the glass shortage a reality?

If you’re thinking about a home remodeling project that involves glass, you may have read about a “glass shortage.” Is there really a glass shortage, and if so, what will be its impact on your project?

The short answer is “yes and no.” Some construction projects are being slowed by a shortage of a specific kind of glass known as curtain wall glass. This type of glass is used to cover the exterior of commercial buildings. Unless you’re building a skyscraper, your project isn’t likely to be derailed by a lack of glass.

Some industry experts even question whether “shortage” is the right term to despcribe what’s going on. A shortage exists when a material is in demand, but simply isn’t available. A better description of what’s happening for curtain wall glass is that glass factories are having difficulty coming up with enough glass to meet industry demand today. They have enough raw materials to produce the glass, but not enough production capacity to fill everyone’s order “on-demand.”

In particular demand is low-e glass, which we recently blogged about. Low-e glass is so attractive to commercial builders because it’s a key part of their buildings’ energy consumption plan. Additionally, building operators that are seeking LEED certification must use energy-efficient materials in construction. New buildings would be exceptionally inefficient, and would be unable to meet the requirements for LEED certification if they did not use low-e glass.

Adding to the concern about glass availability is the reduced number of float glass plants that operate in North America. Currently, North America is experiencing a construction boom, in part because many building projects were delayed in response to the recession. Another consequence of the recession is that nearly one-quarter of the float glass plants in North America closed between 2007 and 2014. Their closure put additional pressure on the remaining float glass plants to meet pent-up demand.

Even if you intend to replace all of the windows in your home, you should have ample access to all the glass you need to complete your project. There is some disagreement about whether and how much the cost of replacement windows will rise, but most glass industry experts believe that any “shortage” will be short-lived. Glass producers will likely invest in production upgrades and automation that will help increase their production capacity without significantly increasing their costs.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Karen P., via Flickr.com

Low-e glass: what is it?

Low-e glass: what is it?

Low-e glass: what is it?

Low-e glass: what is it?

If you’ve considered a construction project that involves glass, you may have heard about “low-e” glass, but what is it and what can it do for your home or commercial space?

Low-emissivity (or low-e) glass is a specially coated glass that is designed to reduce energy losses. Normally glass isn’t a good insulator. Ordinary glass has an “R-value” of about 3. It’s slightly better than a dead air space, but not by much!

When we think about light, we naturally think about visible light. It’s easy to forget that the “full” light spectrum contains wavelengths that our eyes can’t see. Two types of light frequencies that aren’t visible are ultraviolet (UV) light and infrared (IR) light.

We can’t see ultraviolet light with our eyes, but we can certainly see what it does. UV light is responsible for fading colors on fabrics and paints, and changing the color of plastics.

We also can’t see infrared light, but we can feel its effects. IR light is responsible for heating things up. Different materials retain different amounts of heat. The heated objects then radiate heat out to the rest of the room. This kind of heat radiation is called emissivity. Glass, like any other physical object, can also radiate this energy.

That’s not very helpful, because glass can cause a space to gain or lose heat. In the middle of winter, it’s hard to turn down “free heat” but the angle of the winter sun doesn’t provide nearly as much “free heat” as the summer sun does. That means that windows tend to lose heat in the winter (and at night), and gain heat in the summer. This pattern means that we spend a lot more on heat in the winter, and air conditioning (or other ventilation) in the summer.

Highly reflective (light colored) surfaces have a low emissivity, while dark-colored surfaces have a high emissivity. That means that reflective glass loses less energy than non-reflective glass does.

Low-e glass has a microscopically thin, reflective transparent coating that’s designed to reject changes in heat energy. It prevents extra heat from coming in the building, but it also prevents heat from leaving the building. It is designed to save energy. Low emissivity glass is as much as 40 times better at retaining heat than ordinary glass is. One disadvantage of low-e glass is that it reduces the amount of visible light that reaches the interior. If the low-e glass is also designed to reduce solar heat gain, the amount of visible light can be reduced even more.

Glassprimer™ glass paint provides good UV light resistance, and can reduce solar heat gain. It is a cost-effective alternative to more expensive coated glass solutions.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Jesus Rodriguez, via Flickr.com