Welcome to my blog. When I was a teen, I started dabbling with coloured glass and stained glass art. Later, I helped work on a number of houses, and my partner and I often changed the windows in those houses. Through that experience, I learned a lot about maintaining, protecting and repairing glass. Currently, I am not working on any projects, so I decided to create a blog full of the information I have learned about glass over the years. Whether you are an artist, a glass installer, a homeowner thinking about new windows or anyone else with a question or concern about glass, this blog is designed for you.
Glass benchtops and splashbacks are becoming very popular for kitchens today, as homeowners are often looking for something that is unique and a change from the old standbys of granite or laminate. If you're thinking of getting glass benchtops or splashbacks for your kitchen, you might note a few questions that homeowners often ask about the material and the finished look, and then discuss these with a glazier in your area if you need more information.
Can glass be used with other materials?
If you've ever seen a glass benchtop with what appeared to be a marble or tile base, this is probably what it was; you can typically have a material embedded into the benchtop and then have the glass put over this. You'll get a unique look from the material under the glass while the glass keeps it shiny and also protected. Note that you can also have a paint color added to the wall or the benchtop surface and the glass put over that, so it looks like you've installed colored glass.
Can lights be added?
Typically a glazier can incorporate lights underneath or behind a benchtop or splashback; these might be connected to the very edge of the glass so that they splash light inward, toward your benchtops. This type of effect can keep your kitchen from looking dull and drab and is a good choice for when you want to use a certain paint color, as mentioned above. The light will call attention to the color and also help it to stand out from the rest of your kitchen surfaces.
Is glass safe to use in a kitchen?
Note that the glass used for benchtops and splashbacks will be tempered safety glass, not the glass used for soda bottles or drinking glasses. It is thick and durable and very rugged, and can typically withstand higher levels of heat than standard glass; it's also easy to clean, usually with just a wet cloth or a soft cleanser.
However, note that this glass is not indestructible. You want to avoid putting very hot pans on it and using abrasive cleansers which can scratch the surface. Even though the surface is durable, it shouldn't be used as a workbench; hammering anything on the glass surface might cause it to break from the vibrations, as would dropping something very heavy on it. Your glazier can also give you personalized recommendations for how to keep your benchtops and splashbacks in good repair.
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