Glass blocks can be used to create architectural structures such as partition walls or screen walls across part of a room, around a shower or bath, as part of stair constructions and so on. They are capable of dividing a room without blocking light transmission.
Glass block walls are not generally load-bearing, and may need to be strengthened by steel reinforcing rods positioned in the mortar, or by the framing into which they are set.
The reason they are not generally load-bearing is that, typically, glass blocks are manufactured hollow, i.e. they are two separate halves which are pressed together and annealed while still molten, leaving a partial vacuum at the centre.
Since glass blocks cannot be cut to bespoke sizes, it is important to calculate how the standard sizes fit best into the space required.
To roughly calculate the number of blocks required, the length of the wall can be multiplied by its height to find the overall area, before dividing this by the area of one glass block.
This calculation does not allow for the mortar joints, and it is recommended to over-purchase in case blocks break during installation.
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Credit: Pinterest
