Five Different Types of Glass

There are many sorts of glass, apart from window glass and safety glass, which can be used in the home, although some of them are designed more for industrial or commercial uses.

Patterned glass is produced by passing molten glass over a textured roller which imparts its pattern to one side of the glass; the other side is usually smooth. There is a wide range of patterns available, including a number which are available in tinted versions blue, green and amber, for example. Patterned glass serves two main purposes: to provide a degree of privacy and to provide decoration. The degree of privacy depends on the amount that the light passing through the glass is diffused, which varies with the pattern. The common sizes of patterned glass are 4mm and 6mm, and prices for ordinary white patterned glass are only a little more than similar sizes of flat glass; tinted glass is roughly twice as expensive. It is possible to get patterned glass toughened for use as room dividers, kitchen screens, shower screens or in all-glass doors.

Diffuse reflection glass

Glass reflects about 10 per cent of the light falling on it. Sometimes, this reflection can be a nuisance the reflection of a window or table lamp in the glass of a picture frame, for example. Diffuse reflection glass has a slightly textured surface and can be used to overcome this problem. It's readily available in 2mm thicknesses and costs about the same as 4mm float glass.

Solar control glass

A room that faces south can get very hot when the sun is shining into it, and furniture can be damaged by direct sunlight. Solar control glasses cut down the amount of solar heat radiation passing through the glass without reducing too much the amount of light passing through though they do cut down glare. These glasses are often tinted and some have a surface coating. Most are available in toughened or laminated versions and for use in both single and double glazing units. A common solar control glass is 'Antisun' float glass which is body tinted grey or bronze and comes in a range of thicknesses; 6mm 'Antisun' costs twice as much as ordinary 6mm float. As well as being used in windows and doors, this can be used effectively for glass shelves, table tops or for silvering as a tinted mirror. Another solar control glass you may find is 'Spectrafloat' which has a metallic layer just below the surface. The 6mm size is a little cheaper than 6mm 'Antisun'. Another way of cutting down solar radiation is to apply a self-adhesive plastic film to an existing window pane. As well as cutting down solar radiation (and reducing heal loss) this film has a safety advantage in that the film will hold the pane together if it breaks.

Mirrors

At its simplest, a mirror is a piece of 6mm glass with silvering on the back. The silvering is usually covered with layers of copper and backing paint to protect it. It is possible to get any piece of glass silvered, but it is probably simplest to buy a mirror ready-made. The choice includes plain, tinted and bronzed mirrors for fixing with special clips, framed mirrors, drilled mirrors (fixed with mirror screws), mirror tiles (usually fixed with self-adhesive pads) and mirror mosaics fixed with adhesive. Mirrored doors are also available for fitted wardrobes.

Decorative glass

Glass can be stained, engraved or treated in other ways to provide unusual decorative effects. It is worth investigating glass merchants to see what they offer. You can even have glass with your own coat of arms. One effect, often used in pseudo-Georgian windows, is bullion glass which comes in a range of sizes to fit different size windows and costs about five times as much as ordinary 4mm glass. Bullions - or 'bull's-eyes' - may have bubbles or streaks in the glass.

Now, you know about different types of glass. You can use glass in a variety of ways. For this, you should know how to install a sliding glass door on a tub or shower and how to install tub and shower glass doors.

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Types of Wine Glasses

The type of wine glass that you serve your wine in can have a dramatic impact on the flavor and quality of the wine. There are many factors associated with wine glasses that may add or subtract from the wine's flavor, appearance and quality. There are also some glassware basics that should be considered when choosing glasses.

For a home wine-connoisseur, you may need to take your wine glass selection very seriously. For those individuals that enjoy a variety of different types of wine, you may opt for an all-purpose wine glass. These are tulip shaped and hold approximately 8 to 12 ounces and are appropriate for most types of wine. There are, however, specific types of glasses that you may be interested in purchasing if you enjoy a particular type of wine on a regular basis. You do not necessarily need a special glass for each type of wine, but if you routinely enjoy a particular wine and you have the storage and budget, then you may be interested.

So what are the differences in white and red wine glasses? There are several differences and each affect the bouquet of the wine as well as help to maintain the appropriate temperature of the wine. And of course, white wines are best served out of glasses designed for white wines and red wines are best served out of glasses designed for red wines.

The white wine glass has a narrow mouth, which allows the wine to maintain its chilled temperature. The reduced surface area of the glass does not allow air to permeate the wine as much as it does in a wide mouthed red wine glass. The reduced amount of air means that the air will not warm the wine. The smaller bowl of the glass also means that there is less contact by the heat of the hand, which can also warm the wine.

Chardonnay glasses feature a narrow rim of glass that helps to direct the wine to the middle of the palate. This applies the fruit flavors and acidity. The longer bowl of the glass keeps the wine chilled and captures the aromas of the wine. This type of glass works well for Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, White Bordeaux and Burgundies, White Pinots and Viognier.

Sangiovese and Riesling glass feature a smaller bowl and even narrower rim. The smaller bowl is due to the fact that these wines are usually consumed in smaller quantities as dessert wines. The smaller and elongated bowl also allows the wine to stay chilled while you are enjoying your dessert. These glasses are also great for wines that are sweet and may be drunk in smaller amounts. This type of glass is also appropriate for Bardolino, Chianti, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano and Zinfandel. If you frequently enjoy white wines, you may enjoy an all-purpose glass that is designed for different white wines.

Red wine glasses are usually noted as having a large bowl and wide mouth. These glasses are similar to the Bordeaux and Burgundy wine glass. The Bordeaux wine glass is designed specifically for these red wines. They have a large and round bowl, which allows the wine to breathe, which brings out the different aromas that the wine has to offer. Allowing the red wine to sit in the glass will have a similar effect that decanting has on a wine. These glasses are tall and shoot the wine straight to the back of your mouth where most red wines will react with the back of the palate.

The Burgundy glass is also a good wine glass that is appropriate for reds and full-bodied wines. They have an even larger bowl than the Bordeaux glass and focuses the wine to be absorbed at the tip of your tongue. This allows the drinker to enjoy the sweetness of this wine. This glass is also appropriate for your Pinot Noir wines and is best for gathering the delicate bouquet of your red wine.

Red wine glasses also allow you to drink your red wines at room temperature. The larger bowl is designed to allow the wine to cool after it is exposed to the heat of your hand. If you enjoy red wine on a regular basis, you may be interested in buying a set of these glasses.

When purchasing wine glasses, you will want to look for clean and clear glasses. This will allow you to examine the wine and check its clarity and color. A clean glass is absolutely necessary for enjoying wines and after washing you will want to remove any soap residue that is left on the glass. Thin glasses are also the best, as a rolled rim will cause the wine to dribble into your mouth while a thin glass presents less obstruction between you and the wine. Stems are also necessary, as you do not want to hold the bowl of the glass. The glass should also have a tapered rim, which will keep the wine from spilling when you swirl. It will also help to capture the aroma of the wine.

David Beart is the owner of [http://www.professorshouse.com] This site covers a wide selection of topics including relationships, family, wine [http://www.professorshouse.com/food-beverage/food-beverage.aspx] and other household issues.

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What Are The Different Types And Qualities Of Stained Glass?

Many times we meet people who are interested in stained glass, but they haven't learned enough about it to really be able to tell whether a piece of glass is a true work of art or just a good piece. I once overheard a woman gushing over a piece of glass that had been painted with fake glass paints, the kind that craft stores sell. "Oh, Look at that, I love stained glass, that is just exquisite!" Her comments were nice since she had an appreciation for art glass, but they were also ridiculous because painted fake glass just isn't in the same class as other techniques and certainly should never be described as "exquisite".

So that incident prompted me to write this brief description of what the different types and qualities of stained glass are. After reading the following paragraphs, you will be more qualified and more able to distinguish between good glass and great glass than the majority of people you meet. You will be well on your way towards becoming a "Stained Glass Expert."

1. Brass And Glass - made of Brass pre-shaped metal (or brass encased lead), called "came". The stained glass is encased in the pre-formed metal and the joints where the metal meets are then soldered. After the panel is completed and soldered, the joints are colored with a brass colored paint so that they look brass.

Advantages: Brass windows match the brass plated hardware on many homes. Brass windows are almost always mass produced, so cost is usually lower than other styles of stained glass.

Disadvantages: Brass windows usually don't get the glass and metal cemented to each other, so they are not as strong and have a tendency to rattle more often than any other stained glass window. If the panel is sandwiched between tempered glass sheets, the lack of strength is not a big deal.

Quality: This is the lowest quality of stained glass available and is usually found in cheap furniture and mass produced door frames. It hasn't been around for a long time and is often associated with the cheap waterbeds of the 1960's.

2. Leaded Glass - refers to both beveled glass and colored glass surrounded by pre-shaped lead, called "came". The stained glass is encased in lead and the joints where the metal meets are then soldered. The solder and the lead look very similar, so no special treatments are needed in the joints as with brass came. After the panel is completed and soldered, the windows are cemented by forcing cement in under the metal and the glass. Then the exposed glass is cleaned thoroughly.

Advantages: Lead construction is the most common type of stained glass to be found. If cemented well the window is fairly strong. The leaded method is fast to construct, so is quite popular in commercial installations.

Disadvantages: If the window isn't cemented, the lead will easily stretch over time and the glass shapes will deform quite easily. Windows that are placed in insulated units can't be cemented because the cement reacts with the desiccant in the foam tape used to create insulated units.

Quality: This is the mid-range of stained glass quality. It's not bad, just not the best. There is pretty good detail available in this type of panel and it is quite good for many styles of glass design. If it wasn't fairly good it wouldn't be found in so many highly respected installations.

3. Copper Foiled or "Tiffany Style" Glass - refers to stained glass construction where each piece of glass is individually wrapped in a copper foil tape and the gaps between the glass are soldered with lead and tin based solder, usually 50/50 mix or 60/40 mix. After the panel is completed it is very strong and pretty often water tight. Chemicals are then added to color the lead lines, either copper, bronze or black. The lines can also be left pewter-like gray or they can be polished to bright shiny silver. It's often called "Tiffany Style" because the studios of Louis Comfort Tiffany are credited with coming up with the method in the late 1800's.

Advantages: Copper foiled windows are very strong and allow the artist the most detail of any of the construction methods. It also allows for the most ranges of patinas of the methods discussed. The copper foil method allows an artist to follow contours and so lamp shades and other 3d construction is almost always built using this method.

Disadvantages: It takes a lot of work and is more labor intensive to hand solder each and every solder line in a stained glass window, so these panels usually cost more than the leaded type. Also, because the resulting windows are so very strong, they can develop very slight hairline cracks as the glass expands and contracts in the heat of the day and the cool of the night. These cracks usually develop in the first year after a panel is installed and are minor.

Quality: This is the highest quality of stained glass, but there are different ranges of quality in this style. Imports will often have very thin lead lines not as a design element, but as a way to save money on the amount of lead used to construct the panel. The highest quality of copper foil constructed lamps will feature a built up lead line which will often stand up the same height as an extruded lead line. Best quality soldering will feature very consistent lead lines and few if any areas where the lead has shrunk after cooling.

4. Epoxy Glued Faceted Glass - refers to a technique where thick slabs of glass are broken in rough pieces and glued together using epoxy glue to form the joint between the various pieces of glass. It's very uncommon and not available in any but the most unusual commercial construction.

David Gomm started building stained glass windows professionally back in 1983 and has become an expert at many aspects of stained glass building, design and repair. He writes a monthly newsletter at http://www.betterstainedglass.com

He also has a website with many other articles at http://www.gommstudios.com

These articles may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as the entire article, copyright notice, links and this resource box are unchanged, or if using a portion of the article, it points back to one of our pages where the entire article resides. Copyright c David Gomm All Rights Reserved.

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