When it comes to iridescent interior design materials, glass undoubtedly tops the list. It is one of the most widely used material in the architectural industry. The numerous types of glass available in the market caters to the requirement of the versatile customers, thus rendering itself as one of the most flexible materials. There are about seven types of glass we are going to talk about today which are used in interior spaces.
1. Patterned glass or Textured Glass As the name suggests, patterned glass has a decorative design embossed on its surface. It could be a colorful geometric pattern, or just a plain texture. It is most useful in spaces which require privacy but also need sufficient light transmission. The texture on the glass surface prevents a clear view of the object when seen through the glass. It has its applications in conference rooms, foyers, restaurants, shower cubes, and windows.
2. Spandrel Glass Spandrel glass is used to disguise the less aesthetically pleasing structural elements like columns, walls, shear walls, beams and so on. It comes in plenty of colors and hence can be used in versatile locations to compliment the interiors. It is opaque and reflective in nature. The uniform appearance of the Spandrel glass gives a neat look to the space. It is called spandrel mainly due to its great malleability. It can be moulded and shaped to cover even the curvature joining two spandrel columns. It is also 5 times stronger than the traditional and annealed glass. Spandrel glass also finds its applications in kitchen interiors. It can be used to cover the kitchen cabinets and walls instead of tiling.
3. Tinted Glass Tinted glass is manufactured by adding metal oxides to float glass. While the typical colors used are bronze, gray, dark gray, green, blue, blue-green, many other colors like red, pink, purple can also be manufactured. Different metal oxides when mixed with float glass, render different colors to it. There is not much change in the elementary properties of the glass, except the the solar transmission. Due to its tint it prevents heat transmission and absorbs solar energy. This is not ideal glass if you desire to transmit light since it hinders with light transmission.
4. Reflective glass. Reflective glass is a clear glass with a metallic coating which reflects heat. It is used in Eco-friendly constructions to reduce the energy consumption of the buildings. It prevents heat loss from the interior of the building and heat gain from outside the building. While the finish is usually metallic it can also be given a tinted appearance. Another advantage of using reflective glass is that it reduces the glare which is provides comfortable working environments in the office or home. The metallic finish blocks the view of the people standing in front of the installed glass. Its main application is in facade, but it does fancy some audacious architects to use it in the interiors as well.
5. Satin Glass (Privacy glass) Satin glass has satin finish as the name suggests. It is chemically treated to give the desired finish on the surface. It is a good material for decorative purposes. It can also be used as a partition wall in retail spaces or hotels where one requires privacy as it blurs the view. Due to this property it can be utilized in fabricating a door in association with another material such as wood. Satin glass is a low maintenance product as it prevents the dust from sticking on to its surface. The finger marks don’t get printed on the skin of stained glass unlike another glasses.
6. Security glass Security glass can either be laminated or toughened. Laminated glass is an engineered glass which holds its pieces together in an event of disaster. It is ideal for a coffee table top. If your counter top breaks the shattered pieces of glass will stick together. It can also be used in sensitive areas such as jewelry shops. It is so strong that it is even capable of withstanding a bullet attack. Owning to its strength architects have used this kind of glass for designing a staircase. Toughened glass is also a popular choice for table tops since it prevents cuts and injuries due to broken glass.
7. Clear glass Clear glass is the most common type of glass seen in interior spaces. It is colorless and has blue or green colored edge due to the presence of iron oxides. It is not as strong as laminated glass. Clear glass allows almost 80-90% of the visible light to pass through. It can be used in multiple locations in the house and for other decorative purposes. You can craft anything from a door knob to a facade to a chandelier using this type of glass. Its transmittance quality makes it an ideal material for making lamps and chandelier. It can also be molded into a clear glass vessel type wash basin or a over the counter type wash basin.
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