Joglosmart Furniture Design: How To Order A Glass Block Window

Friday, January 2, 2009

How To Order A Glass Block Window

To size the glass block, remove the trim from the existing window and measure the rough opening. Subtract 2 in. from the width and the height to allow for the frame, then determine the panel size by counting the number of rows and courses that easily fits into the opening. Glass block comes in 8-in. and 6-in. squares and 4 x 8-in. half-block rectangles. You’ll need to choose between real mortar grout joints and clear silicone– joined blocks. We chose the silicone system because we liked the clean, uninterrupted look. Whichever way you go, buy the panel preassembled and banded together as one unit, ready to set into the opening.

FIG. A GLASS BLOCK WINDOW

Remember that it’s easy to make the opening smaller by using furring, but it can be an ugly task to make it bigger. When going with mortar-grouted panels, figure each block is 8 in. wide, then add 1/4 in. to both the total height and width. If you’re ordering silicone-joined blocks, figure each block at 7-3/4 in. and don’t add the extra 1/4 in.

Is Your Bathroom A Candidate For This Remodel?
All the features we show here will fit in a bathroom as small as 5 x 7 ft., but you may have to frame things a bit differently to get everything to work out. The toilet requires a 6-in. deep false wall (Photo 11) to contain the tank. So, to accommodate the wall, you’ll have to install a 48-in. shower base instead of the 60-in. unit we used.

If your home is older, it may have steel pipe or cast iron drain lines. Both require special tools and adapters to tie in the new plastic drain lines. If you have either type, plan on getting a plumber involved or be prepared to rent special tools.

Plumbing Tear-Out
The New 2x6 Wall Simplifies The Plumbing
Tear out the existing piping (Photos 5 and 6 ). Then frame the 2x6 walls that will contain the new plumbing and the opposite end of the shower base (Photos 8, 9 and 14). It’s easiest to nail the bottom plate to the floor and the top plate to the ceiling, then fill in the studs one at a time by toenailing them in at the top and bottom. Stack the studs directly in front of the old ones wherever possible. Space the studs in the center of the shower about 12 in. apart to leave room for the shower valve and showerhead. The studs behind the toilet should be spaced exactly 19-3/4 in. apart for securing this toilet chair carrier (Photos 8 and 15).

The wall behind the toilet can be almost any height. For a standard toilet height of 15 in., make the wall a minimum height of 43 in. If you’d like a higher toilet, make the wall that much higher. Or, make the wall go all the way to the ceiling. We built a short wall to conserve space and to create a shelf and a mirror alcove. The wall at the opposite end of the shower can be any height as well. We made it the same height as the toilet/sink wall so we could line up the accent tile and make a convenient shower shelf.

Next page : >>Wall Framing

source : The Family Handyman