Glass floors, one might say, have appeared in the design of salesrooms and offices for a long time, however, they began to be used for the design of individual housing a little later due to the high cost that all new products have. When the manufacturing technology was perfected, they became available to almost all home owners.
In the interior, glass creates a sense of expanded space, becoming the centerpiece of the overall design. In this regard, the floors are no exception, adding a zest to the room, making its interior more original, since it makes possible the embodiment of numerous design ideas... As for the disadvantages of such a design solution, it should be noted that there are not many of them. These include, for example, a slippery surface, which increases the risk of injury, as well as the fact that during operation, scratches and microcracks may appear, although this happens if you use poor quality material.
The material used gives the room a refined and elegant look, especially when it comes about the flooring. A glass strip path, an opening or a floor surface made of glass with backlighting, assembled by your own hands, will become the most unusual detail residential or office space.
V Lately in the interior design of premises, transparent surfaces can be found very often. They are striking unusual accent room design. There are of various shapes, matte or transparent, have various patterns that give the interior uniqueness and individuality. Glass ribbons that are located along the walls and highlighted with the help of special lighting look unusually beautiful. They can find the most different application and in the house, and in shops, restaurants, bars and other establishments. Also fashionable modern elements stairs and decorative bridges making the room visually lighter and more spacious.
Currently the most popular variety flooring glass is considered to be a "window in the floor" type. The cost makes it possible to arrange them in the house with your own hands.
Peculiarities
If you want to make the interior of the house unusual and original, you should pay attention to the arrangement of the floor. Even a small change of a part of the usual coating can completely change its usual appearance, lightening the atmosphere of the room, especially if there is a lot of large furniture in it. Along with this, the volume of the room as a whole will also increase. Similar coverage possesses some hygienic properties, since practically no bacteria live on it.
Types of coatings
There are several types of glass glass flooring. The main ones are the following:
- Large floor throughout the premises. This design decision is quite bold and expensive. This option can be equipped in premises of almost any purpose - in the kitchen, in the living room, in the bathroom or in the hallway. The space inside can be filled with any decor that is in harmony with the design general interior rooms.
- The ribbons located along the perimeter of the walls have one of their advantages the ability to delimit space according to functional areas, for example, around the pool or in the living room. They are created, for example, in order to illuminate racks with clothes and mannequins in expensive clothing stores, and for residential premises they serve as part of a decorative lighting system. Decorating with backlit ribbons will visually expand the room, especially if its size is already small.
- Niches, which are a structure in the form of a recess of a certain shape, made on the floor surface, filled with decorative elements and then covered with glass plates. Floor windows add originality to any room, allowing you to create various floristic compositions of rose petals, dried plants, sparkles and rhinestones inside the structure, as well as an exhibition of souvenirs, minerals or coins received as a gift, a recreated dry aquarium or sea pebbles or sand.
- Aquarium. The cost of such an option with an equipped live aquarium and fish swimming in it, of course, goes off scale. The most popular solution is a combination of glass and wood flooring.
- Overlapping, namely decorative stairs and glass bridges. This direction is currently quite popular during registration multi-storey buildings.
- Floor podium. Both in residential buildings and in entertainment centers, it has long been customary to use elevations. Such a structure is located above the usual level by about 15 centimeters.
Material selection
The first step is to take care of the glass panels. The cover is equipped with a heavy-duty type of material that can withstand a load of about 400 kilograms per one square meter... The best for such purposes is a triplex, that is, a three-layer "cake", in which each layer has a thickness of at least 8 millimeters. The layers will be connected using polymer film either by pressing and heating.
You can also use laminated tempered glass covered with a polymer layer containing microspheres. Due to the spherical shape of these particles, the consumption of polymer is reduced. Since the laminate is not cut and therefore cannot be adjusted on site, it is imperative that you measure the area as accurately and carefully as possible.
In addition to glass panels, preparation of other consumables is necessary for arranging a glass floor, such as a decorative profile designed to decorate the joints of adjacent floor coverings, as well as a metal profile designed for mounting the frame. In this case, you should try to choose a profile that can mask the attachment areas and attachment points of the LED strip.
It is also necessary in order to design the space inside the niche to select the appropriate finishing material... You can give preference to wood, laminate or ceramic tiles. It is important to immediately take care of the technique for attaching the trim inside the niche.
For example, if the choice settled on ceramic tiles, then you need to purchase a grout for joints along with the corresponding tile adhesive... This also requires sealing elements, silicone sealant, grinder, screwdriver, bolts and screws, notched and rubber spatulas and sander.
Base type definitions
The main part of the whole structure is the base, which is responsible for the reliability of the floor covering. You can make the base steel, reinforced concrete or wood. However, in any case, do not forget that you need to arrange a flat and solid base surface. It is advisable to carry out work to prepare the base even before final assembly cover.
The first step is to determine which floor will be performed. In the case of a glass podium, the base will need to be raised from the usual level by 20 centimeters, and in the case of a niche, you will have to make a depression by a distance of 15 centimeters. The base can be equipped in any geometric shape. However, if such work is performed for the first time, then it is recommended to make the hole rectangular or square shape to avoid any mistakes.
Arrangement of a metal frame
Having made a recess, a metal frame is located along the perimeter of the window. It is customary to make it from high-strength structural or of stainless steel... The anchor bolts used in the construction are made of steel and covered with an anti-corrosion special spraying on top, which has an alignment reinforcement. The fasteners must be made reliable, since the glass can be up to 2.5 centimeters thick, and the weight of one panel can be up to 150 kilograms. The shape and dimensions of the frame must fully match the dimensions of the base of the glass floor. The frame is located below the level by the amount that is equal to the thickness of the glass and the seal.
Segments metal profile connected with self-tapping screws and bolted to the base. An important condition is that it is necessary to install the metal frame on the base carefully and reliably in order to avoid all kinds of surface deformations.
If you plan to arrange a backlit floor, then it is important not to forget to make a groove in the base to ensure the exit of the wires going from the backlight to the nearest switches or distributor. Next, the backlight is fixed. If an LED strip is used, then it can be glued from below using double-sided tape on the protruding section of the metal frame.
Tiling the base
Having installed the frame, proceed to the cladding of the base using ceramic tiles... The color of the ceramic tiles should match the overall color scheme of the room interior. If you do not have to adhere to traditional style solutions, then you can experiment with the original colors. To make the tiling, an adhesive mixture is used, applied with a spatula to the base, and also in a thin layer on the reverse side of the product. To give the tiles the desired dimensions, they pass through it with a grinder.
After laying ceramic tiles, it is imperative to process all seams with a grout compound. In this case, the excess mixture is removed with a spatula. After finishing the work, the finished base is left until it is completely dry, which is about 2-3 days. The final stage tiling - this is its cleaning, for which a small piece of fabric is taken and with the help of it excess grout and glue are removed, and with them construction debris and dust.
Window decoration
After cladding, the base is decorated. Shells, sand, small pebbles, beads, coins, dried flowers, rhinestones, sparkles or flower petals can be used as decoration materials. The choice of elements for decoration depends on the completed result, the creativity of the performer. The chosen decor is beautifully laid out inside the window.
You can also apply a drawing or image to the glass surface using ceramic paint, or arrange a glass floor in an apartment, creating a frost effect. With the help of a special film placed between the sheets, you can give any desired color.
Lighting installation
It is impossible to imagine a glass floor that is not filled with light. It must be remembered that not all bulbs are suitable for this type of illumination. The use of halogen bulbs is strictly not allowed, as they heat up the glass very much. Can be used as a source for lighting neon tubes, fluorescent lamps, LED Spotlights, neon tubes and glowing cord. If a transparent surface is equipped for the whole room, then you can light up the floodlights under it.
To add lights, you need to determine the order in which they are placed. The choice of colors is not limited and depends on the preferences of the owner of the house or establishment. You can arrange the lamps arbitrarily, thereby highlighting individual elements decor, or along the perimeter of the room. The most preferred among all types of lighting is the backlight consisting of neon lamps, since neon light is even, always soft, even and does not form visible shadows. Also, using of this type illumination makes it possible to give the surface various geometric shapes due to the fact that neon tubes can be easily mounted even in places that are difficult to reach for the work performer.
Thanks to modern technologies it is possible to turn on the backlight in automatic mode when darkness falls, as well as change its intensity and color. This is done using an electronic unit. It is possible to implement such a solution as "light music", recreating an unusual atmosphere of romance or disco in the interior with the help of a certain color of the blinking speed of the backlight.
Fixing panels
After completing the decorative part of the work, they begin the installation itself. The panels are installed on a sealing element fixed to the metal frame.
We must not forget that in no case should the glass come into contact with the fasteners and metal elements... In order to metal frame the panels were held as tightly as possible, you need to apply a thin layer of sealant to their back side.
The structure is fixed with steel bolts. Seams between the panels are sealed with a sealant. Then the decorative profile is fixed, also laying it on the seal, which excludes the contact of the surface with the finishing frame.
When equipping a glass floor with your own hands, you need to understand that it also has some disadvantages. Even if you handle it carefully, after a certain time, various abrasions and scratches may form on it. To avoid this, the use of panels is recommended. High Quality, in which the top layer is made of hardened material. In addition, such a surface is quite slippery. To reduce the smoothness for the sake of safety, you can add linear ornaments and sandblast stripes.
This is everything that concerns glass floors, as well as their arrangement with your own hands. As you can see from the above technique, independent device is not difficult. The main thing is to adhere to all the necessary requirements, thoroughly observing the specified sequence of work.
I remember the first time I saw the glass floor in one of the restaurants in the Czech Republic a few years ago. The design made an indelible impression on me not only with its beauty and uniqueness, but also with the fact that such a fragile-looking material like glass is capable of withstanding enormous loads. This article will tell you all about design features and glass floor installation technology. Perhaps you also want to pleasantly impress the guests of your home by decorating your home with this unusual interior element?
Today, glass floors can be seen as a spectacular element in office and office buildings, shopping and entertainment centers and concert halls, restaurants and boutiques. The newfangled trend and interiors of apartments and country houses... Glass is used to decorate flooring as follows:
- separate elements (imagine a glass "window" covering a niche in the floor)
- in the form of a tape (glazed "walkway" focusing on any part of the room)
- in the form of a large glass field (glass platform covering almost the entire floor surface)
In addition, some decide on such an architectural delight as a glass ceiling - floor-ceiling.
The flight of imagination of designers is almost limitless. Glass floors matte and tint, make applications from colored film, apply drawings using silk-screen printing, decorate using sandblasting (you can learn about this from our article), equip various devices lighting, equip aquariums and terrariums in the floor.
Glass floors are still an exotic phenomenon for our apartments, and the attitude towards them is different people ambiguous. Of course, such an element of decor is interesting and attractive, and few will remain indifferent when they see a magnificent masterpiece made of seemingly familiar glass at their feet.
However, like any flooring, glass flooring has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at them in order to determine the need for this interior element in your apartment.
Glass floor characteristics
One of the main requirements for floor coverings is their reliability and durability. The glass floor is metal constructions into which the glass panels are fixed. The panels are made of laminated triplex, which can withstand very heavy loads (up to 400 kg / m2). Triplex consists of two or more layers of glass, between which a layer of laminating film or laminating liquid is interposed. By the way, recently new technologies for the manufacture of triplex glass have appeared, in which mirrors are used or the inner layer of the panel consists of broken glass.
Glass surface is not conducive to reproduction various bacteria and microbes, therefore, such a floor is hygienic.
Triplex glass is a wear-resistant and waterproof material that is resistant to chemical attack.
If you install neon tubes or fluorescent lamps when installing a glass floor, you can get an additional source of lighting.
The tape elements (paths) of the glass floor, located along the perimeter of the room, produce the effect of visual expansion of the boundaries of the room.
The disadvantages of glass floors include, first of all, their slippery surface. To solve this problem, apply sandblasting glass, after which the glass surface becomes rough.
Any glass surface that is subjected to intensive use will be scratched and abraded. To prevent this from happening, you need to use high-quality glass panels, the top layer of which is made of tempered glass.
Glass floors, depending on the materials used, the space required and the complexity installation works, can become quite an expensive interior decoration.
And do not forget that this kind of flooring looks most interesting in spacious rooms with high ceilings.
Making a glass window in the floor
If you decide to make a glass floor in your apartment, then the easiest option in execution is the "window". The base of the glass floor can be reinforced concrete, wood or steel. The main requirement is the evenness and strength of the surface.
Materials and tools:
- glass panel
- metallic profile
- ceramic tile
- dry mix for laying tiles and sealing joints
- sealant
- silicone sealant
- Bulgarian
- self-tapping screws
- screwdriver
- notched trowel
- rubber spatula or sponge.
Process:
1. To install a glass plate, you need to make a recess or, conversely, increase the floor to a height of about 10-15 cm.
2. We make a metal frame around the perimeter (it is possible to use timber frame covered with a septic tank).
3. Lay out the bottom and walls of the niche with ceramic tiles, using a notched trowel and masonry mixture prepared according to the instructions on the package. The solution is applied with a thickness of about 2-3 mm.
4. Fill the joints between the tiles with a rubber trowel.
5. We clean the surface of the tiles.
6. Use the most various material: sand, pebbles, seashells, dried flowers and more.
7. Place the glass on the metal through a seal.
8. Finally, we treat the seams with silicone sealant.
You can install a glass window in the floor of any room. It is often installed in the dining room, kitchen, bathroom or hallway.
The glass floor is a sophisticated design element today, and lately all more people decide to make their gender exactly that. Glass floors recreate games of unusual colors and shadows, and the overall impression is enhanced by lighting them up. Let's talk with you today how to make a glass floor at home.
Features of the glass floor
If you want to add originality to your interior, then you should pay attention to glass floors. Even replacing a small part of an ordinary floor with glass can radically change it. appearance and lighten the atmosphere in the room, especially if there is a lot of overall furniture in it. Along with this, the volume of the room also increases. In addition, the glass floor is also distinguished by its hygienic properties, because bacteria practically do not live on it.
There are several types of glass floors. The main ones are:
- Large glass floor throughout the room. This is a very bold and expensive floor design solution. This option can be arranged in almost any room - bathroom, hallway, hall or kitchen. Inside, the floor is filled with any decor that is in harmony with overall design the interior of the room.
- Glass tapes... Such tapes are located along the perimeter of the walls on the floor. One of the advantages of this floor is the ability to delimit space on functional areas, for example, in the living room or around the pool. They are created, for example, to illuminate mannequins and racks with clothes in expensive boutiques, and in residential premises they are part of the system. decorative lighting... The design of the floor with backlit glass strips visually expands the room, especially if it is small in size.
- Glass niches... Such a structure is a recess of a certain shape, which is made on the surface of the floor, filled with decorative elements and then covered with glass plates. Glass floor windows will add originality to any room, as they allow you to create a floral composition of dried plants, rose petals and sparkles inside the structure, a real exhibition of souvenirs, coins or minerals, recreate a dry aquarium or a piece of beach from sea pebbles or sand.
- Floor aquarium... However, the cost of a glass floor with a live aquarium and floating fish is off the charts! A popular solution is a combination of glass floor and wood flooring.
- Glass floors- decorative bridges and stairs. This direction is quite popular in the design of multi-storey buildings today.
- Glass floor podium... In entertainment centers and residential buildings, it has long been customary to equip a glass floor in the form of an elevation. Such a structure is located above the usual floor by about 150 millimeters.
DIY glass floor
It is safe to say that the most popular type of glass floor is the "window in the floor". In addition, the price of a glass floor allows you to equip it at home with your own hands.
1. Choosing a material
First you need to worry about the glass panels. The flooring is equipped with heavy-duty glass, which can withstand a load, which is close to 400 kilograms per square meter. For such purposes, triplex is best suited - the so-called three-layer "cake", the thickness of each layer in it is at least 8 millimeters. The layers are connected using a polymer film or by heat pressing.
In addition, you can use tempered laminated glass, which is covered with a polymer layer, which contains hollow glass microspheres. Due to the spherical shape of such particles, the consumption of polymer is reduced. Since the laminated glass is not cut and the material can be adjusted on site, it is very important to take measurements of the area as accurately as possible when creating a glass floor.
In addition to the glass panel, for the manufacture of the glass floor, it is necessary to prepare other Consumables- a metal profile for mounting the frame and a decorative profile for the design of joints between adjacent floor coverings. At the same time, try to choose a profile that is capable of covering the glass attachment points and the LED strip attachment areas.
To design a niche space, you also need to choose a finishing material. You can give preference to laminate, wood or ceramic tiles. Immediately you need to worry about the fastening method interior decoration... For example, if you have chosen a tile, then you should buy a grout for joints and ready-made glue. You will also need silicone sealant and sealing elements, a screwdriver and a grinder, screws and bolts, spatulas (rubber and notched) and a sander.
2. Determine the type of base
The main element of the entire structure of the glass floor is the base, which is responsible for the reliability of the coating. The base for the floor can be reinforced concrete, steel or wood. But in any case, do not forget that base surface must be flat and solid. It is advisable to carry out work on the preparation of the base before the final installation of the floor covering.
First of all, you should decide on what kind of floor you will make - a glass podium or a glass niche, as in the photo of glass floors. In the first case, the base will have to be raised 20 centimeters from the floor level, in the second - to make a depression in the floor at a distance of 15 centimeters. You can equip the base of any geometric shape. However, if this is your first time taking on such work, then it is recommended to make a square or rectangular hole in order to make fewer mistakes.
3. We equip the metal frame
After the recess is made, along the perimeter glass window it is necessary to arrange a metal frame, which is usually made of high-strength structural steel or stainless steel. Anchor bolts that are used in the construction are made of steel and covered with a special anti-corrosion coating on top, with the presence of pull-out reinforcement.
The fasteners must be very reliable, since the thickness of the glass can be up to 25 millimeters, and one glass panel can weigh close to 150 kilograms. The dimensions and shape of the frame must completely match the dimensions of the base for the glass floor. It should be located below floor level by an amount equal to the thickness of the seal and glass.
Pieces of the metal profile are connected using self-tapping screws, and bolted to the base. An important condition is that the metal frame must be installed reliably on the base in order to avoid possible deformations of the glass floor.
If you plan to equip a backlit floor, then do not forget to make a strobe at the base of the floor to output the wires that go from the backlight to the nearest distributor or switch. Then fix the backlight. If you are using led strip, then you can simply glue it from below onto double-sided tape on the protruding part of the metal frame.
4. Tile the base
After installing the frame, you can proceed to facing the base with ceramic tiles. It is recommended to select the color of the tiles in accordance with the general colors interior. If you are not an adherent of traditional style solutions, then you can experiment with unusual colors. For tiling, it is used glue mixture, which is applied with a spatula to the base and back of the product in a thin layer. To give the tiles the desired dimensions, you need to walk over it with a sander.
After laying the ceramic tiles, be sure to treat all the joints with a grout compound, and remove the excess mixture with a spatula. After finishing, leave the finished base to dry completely - for about 2-3 days. The final stage of work with facing tiles- cleaning it. To do this, take a small piece of cloth and use it to remove glue and grout residues, as well as dust and debris.
5. Decorating a glass window
After that, you can proceed to decorating the base. You can use as decorative material small pebbles, sand, shells, dried flowers, coins, beads, sparkles, flower petals, depending on the final result of your creativity. Lay out the beautifully chosen decor inside the glass window.
You can also apply any image or drawing with ceramic paint to the glass using a stencil. It is possible to tint the glass under a mirror or equip the glass floor in the apartment with a frost effect. And a special film, which is usually placed between the sheets of glass, will help to give the floor any color.
6. We mount the glass floor lighting
It is impossible to imagine a glass floor without filling it with light. Remember that not all lamps are suitable for backlighting; halogen bulbs are absolutely not worth using, because they can heat the glass very much. As a source of illumination, you can use fluorescent lamps and neon tubes, point LED lights and a glowing cord. If you have equipped a glass floor for the entire room, then you can light the spotlights under it.
To add light sources, decide in what order you will place them. The choice of colors is unlimited, at your discretion. Lamps can be arbitrarily positioned to highlight individual decorative elements, and around the perimeter.
Among all types of lighting, neon lighting is considered the most preferred. Neon light is always soft, even, without visible shadows. In addition, the use of this type of lighting will allow you to give a glass floor a variety of geometric shapes, since neon tubes can be mounted even in hard-to-reach places.
Modern technologies make it possible to turn on the backlight automatically with the onset of darkness using a special electronic unit, change its color and intensity. The solution of "light music" is also available - you can recreate the appropriate atmosphere in the interior with the help of the blinking speed and a certain color of the backlight - from romance to disco.
7. We fix the glass panels
Upon completion of the decorative part of the work, you can proceed directly to the installation of the glass floor. The glass panels are mounted on a sealing element that is attached to the metal frame. Remember that the glass must never come into contact with metal elements and fasteners. To keep the panels on the metal frame as secure as possible, apply to their reverse side thin layer sealant.
Do not forget to fix the structure with steel bolts, and seal the seams between the panels with sealant. After that, a decorative profile is attached, it is also laid on a seal, which excludes contact of the finishing frame with the glass surface.
When arranging a glass floor with your own hands, you should remember that such a floor has its drawbacks. On the surface, even with careful handling, may appear over time different kinds scratches and scuffs. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to use high quality glass panels, the top layer of which is made of tempered glass. In addition, the glass floor is quite slippery. In this case, sandblasting stripes and linear ornaments will help to reduce the smoothness of the floor.
Good afternoon, dear friends!
Using the most unusual solutions to create a special interior for any room, typical of modern design art. One of the solutions that allows you to give the room creativity, originality and a certain mystery is the use of glass floors.
Their versatility, various sizes and shapes, colors and the possibility of complementing with patterns, will give the room not only an excellent look, but also visually increase its space. So, let's talk today about the glass floor in the house and about the main advantages of this unusual finishing material.
You should not be afraid of such a well-known property of glass as fragility, since the device of glass floors is very reliable. It is the use of several separate layers of glass, which belong to a special type of impact-resistant - triplex. Preliminarily and separately, the glass rolled into a film is glued together with a special polymer resin, thereby forming a multilayer structure, which is then still subjected to hardening firing in a furnace. At the end of this rather complicated production procedure, an ultra-shock-resistant glass base is obtained, which, together with the use of special design, which evenly distributes the load, forms a glass floor.
The design features of the glass floor provide for several possibilities for its use: this is the covering of the entire area of the room, the tape addition (allowing the space to be zoned) and the creation of various niches, podiums, steps. All this, in addition to lighting, allows you to decorate the room in different ways.
Having dealt with the device and the use of glass floors, then you should move on to assessing their qualities, which will surely inspire many of those reading this article to create such a floor covering in their home or apartment.
Benefits of glass floors
1. High strength properties - a square meter of glass cover is capable of withstanding a load of up to 500 kg. Oddly enough, for glass, but it really is!
2. Absolutely not susceptible to abrasion. Comparing this quality to other types of flooring, glass is the pinnacle of excellence among them.
3. Hygiene is another advantage of glass floors. Any contamination on the glass can be removed easily and without the use of any special cleaning agents. For the reproduction of bacteria, as well as fungi, a dense and absolutely smooth glass surface is unsuitable and unremarkable.
4. Glass floors are resistant to fire, moisture and impact chemical substances, which makes them practically invulnerable, and this is also an indicator of durability.
5. The ability to fantasize and embody the most non-standard and very daring ideas in them. The creation of enchanting paintings, a light and music platform, an aquarium and much more from the floor is clearly not superfluous, but an excitingly fabulous advantage in the interior.
6. Visual deception of glass, which gives even the most confined space the grandeur of a palace.
On the pluses of the glass floor, perhaps, you can finish. As you can see, there are quite a few of them, and they are all essential. Of course, there were also some drawbacks, but they pale before the advantages, both in quantity and in importance. There are only two drawbacks - the high cost of glass and its slippery surface. In our opinion, all of them are not essential and do not deserve to be special attention... With the high cost, everything is clear, the elegance of the glass floor is worth it, or, as they say, beauty requires sacrifice. Well, you can fight a slippery surface and manufacturers are already working on this, creating options for glass floors with a rough or corrugated surface.
In general glass floor in the house certainly deserves an excellent mark and can become the best design solution and decoration of your home. So, be bolder in your fantasies and move on to the extravagant embodiment of your design ideas. See you, friends!
The article describes the technology of glass flooring. You will learn about laminated glass- how it is produced and used in modern interiors... The article provides step-by-step instruction with a video on the installation of a glass niche with your own hands.
For hundreds of years, glass has not lost its popularity due to unique properties- hardness, chemical resistance and transparency. At first, only window rails, decorations and mirrors were made from it. With the development of industry, high-strength, ultra-transparent, tinted and many other types of glass began to appear.
What is glass made of
All translucent products are created from two materials that are fundamentally different in composition and origin.
Silicate. This is exactly what we used to think of as glass. The raw material for it is remelted quartz sand... Products are hard, brittle, but gain strength at considerable thickness.
Organic. Made from acrylic polymer since 1928. Products are much stronger and lighter than silicate ones, but they are not resistant to chemicals.
Both types are relevant, have an impressive track record of advantages and are constantly competing with each other. With regard to the glass floor, they are almost equal, occupying, different niches... Next, we'll look at exactly which positions are optimal for these varieties.
How can floor glass be used?
There are several options for a glass floor - the glass itself can be used different ways and the final result fundamentally depends on this.
Glass tiles
This is the easiest way to add glass to your floor. Such a tile is manufactured in a factory way - a ceramic plate with a backing pattern and a contact surface is fused onto the outer layer of glass with a thickness of 3-5 mm. That is, two tiles are connected, as it were, an outer and an inner one.
Plexiglas is also used for typical tiles, but more often for walls than for floors.
Laying such a tile is no different from cladding with ordinary tiles, it can be glued to the floor and walls. Actually, the result is the same - the outlines of the tiles are immediately guessed.
Advantages:
- Standard elements and familiar technology.
- The tiles are available commercially and to order.
- You can create a photopanel with a single pattern.
Flaws:
- Lack of uniqueness - the exclusive design of the tile itself does not get rid of the typical recognizable seams and joints.
- Poignancy.
Factory glass tiles, on the one hand, are exclusive, and on the other, a mass-type product.
Glass plate
This term refers to a full-fledged transparent plate. It is made from triplex, a multilayer material that was discovered by French chemist Eduard Benedictus about 100 years ago. All the uniqueness of triplex is in a special transparent film that glues layers of glass under vacuum. It works like a reinforcement, holding stress against shock and stress. Usually silicate glass does not tolerate deflection and breaks. Glass connected in layers through a film acquires high resistance to vibration, deflection, shock and other loads.
The strength of the triplex is high - with a three-layer gluing and a thickness of each sheet of 10 mm, it can withstand a load of up to 0.1 kg / cm 2. One square meter holds up to 1000 kg. Next steps with a slab are limited only by the imagination of the customer - the material is as strong as plywood, which means it can be used as part of supporting structure... The cost of 1 m 2 of 20 mm triplex without a pattern is about 50 USD. e.
Floor - showcase or niche with your own hands
The triplex board can be laid on logs, like plywood or OSB. This does not require additional gaskets. A reliable base allows you to make a support spacing of 600-800 mm for a three-layer slab and 1 m for a four-layer one.
Training. The niche support frame is best made of shaped pipe 60x40 or stained oak bar. Cell sizes:
- with a triplex thickness of 20 mm (2 layers) - 600x600 mm (maximum);
- with a thickness of 30 mm or more (3 layers) - 1x1 m.
The design of the frame, like the shape of the glass plates, can be different - from an ordinary rectangle to a curly stained-glass window.
Progress
1. A niche should be created at the stage overhaul floor - it needs to be cleaned to the slab and screeds made - rough, fine and level.
2. In order to create a real three-dimensional floor, you first need to determine the location of the niche ("showcase"). Usually the central area is chosen - at the intersection of the diagonals of the free space of the room.
3. Since it is impossible to drive a niche into the floor slab, raise the frame. To do this, mark the perimeter of the niche and attach the UD-28 profile, or a corner or profile of the required height to the floor. We fill the resulting space with a screed - this will create a niche step.
Attention! The level of the step screed must be equal to: frame edge height plus glass thickness minus flooring thickness minus adhesive layer (2-3 mm) minus plywood thickness (15 mm). In this case, the height of the niche space will be equal to the height of the frame rib, and the entire floor will be flush along the plane.
4. Fill the framing space with a screed mixture. It is advisable to use a laser level.
Attention! Remember to lay a damping layer under the wall.
5. On the step screed (after hardening) with a dowel " quick installation»60 mm plywood is fastened with a 10 mm gap. Cover the contact plane of the plywood and screed construction adhesive(Homakoll, Kiilto, "Hercules", KS) for a comb of 2-3 mm. Fill the gap with a non-shrinking rubber sealant. How to properly attach plywood,.
6. Before installing the frame, cover the contact plane with a sealant - this will neutralize the slightest distortions of the screed and frame. The space between the frame and the step is also filled with a sealant (colorless, non-shrinking).
7. Design interior space niches. Here you need to follow the original design project - paint, structure and refine the visible parts of the niche bottom. If backlighting is provided, the LED strips are glued on and tested at this stage. The wires can be routed in the gaps of the plywood sheets.
8. Then on the frame you need to stick 3-4 layers of double-sided tape and lay the fragments of the triplex. Fill the gap between the boards and the step with transparent sealant.
9. The framing of the niche can be finished with any material that must be selected in advance - the level of the screed height depends on its thickness.
Glass Floor Showcase - Video Step by Step
Triplex slabs on the floor can be used for more in simple ways... For example, lay it on a pre-prepared flat surface without a niche, and arrange around the perimeter of the joints LED backlight... Considering the variety of glass décor today, the result can be stunningly beautiful.
Glass decor options:
- Completely transparent without decoration. This option does not include a drawing, but allows you to view the decorations on a substrate, which can even be 3D.
- Relief. Such glass is more often used for walls; on the floor it can be found in saunas, baths or on serial glass tiles.
- Drawing sandblasting machine... Allows you to select a computer-specified drawing - a pattern, monogram, specific shapes, letters, logos. Only the outlines are visible on the glass.
- Mirror with a picture. The transparent parts are mirrored.
- Photo printing. This is a complex and expensive technology that makes it possible to create brightly colored patterns on glass.
Those who like to surprise their guests will love the idea of laying triplex slabs directly on the logs. At the same time, the lower floor is visible and a fantastic floating effect is created.
From triplex, you can make any piece of interior and decoration - stairs, cabinet doors, ceiling, walls, furniture. It all depends on the design of the room. Unfortunately, for its processing - cutting, cutting, grinding - special expensive tools and machines are required. Therefore, to create triplex slabs the right size you will have to contact the company, but everything else can be done independently.