Decorative Glass - MayJuneJuly 2009

May/June/July 2009

Visual Effects

FLOORING AND STAIRS
Step by Step
The next step in glass for flooring and stair treads is now available from SEVASA. CriSamar® STEP is available in eight non-skid glass designs that come with either a transparent surface, a satin surface or a non-slip surface. Color options include opticlear, clear, bronze, gray, blue, green and mirror and thicknesses range from 1⁄8- to ½-inch. The product can also be laminated.

In addition, the material is non-slip certificated according to UL Standards, DIN 51130, and UNE ENV 12633 (Rd> 45, Class 3) for use in floors, runways, stairs, footbridges, slopes, platforms and other interior and exterior applications. u www.sevasa.com

COATINGS AND COLORS
Make a Mark on Glass
New developments and technologies in decorative glass have created nearly limitless options, including marker boards from Goldray Industries Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta. The boards are made using an opaque coating or interlayer applied to an unexposed surface of glass, resulting in an easy to clean, writable surface. The marker boards are available in standard or magnetic, with either polished or framed edges; they are available in virtually any color or custom artwork. www.goldrayindustries.com

Living Color
Whatever your favorite color—be it Starlight Black, Pearl White or Jungle Green—you can most likely find it as part of the Lacobel painted glass line from AGC Flat Glass. The line includes 25 handpicked colors, including four metallics.

The layer of color is protected by glass, making it both scratch- and stain-resistant. It is also available with a polypropylene film that provides added protection in the event of breakage; it also protects the paint layer from humidity. www.yourglass.com

The new gold dye anodizing process joins the company’s existing line of clear and bronze architectural anodized finishes. Custom fabricated brake metal also can be ordered with the new gold finish. www.saf.com

PRINTED GLASS
Digital Images Decorate Your Lifespace
LifespaceART Inc. in La Habra, Calif., puts art to glass with is digital images printing process. The company uses its LifespaceART technology to add vibrant colors and opaque or translucent images on any type of flat glass, whether it be clear, low-iron, textured, tempered, laminated, sand-blasted, frosted, insulating or even odd-shaped glass. Images can be printed on lites as large as 60 by 120 inches, as thin as 3⁄16-inch or as thick as 1-inch. www.lifespaceart.com

Jet Set
Glass can virtually come to life with the GlassJet from DipTech. The printer is designed to provide both designers and glass processors endless creative possibilities when it comes to working with glass. GlassJet, an industrial, direct-on-glass printer, prints several colors at once onto the glass in any image or pattern. The printed glass can be used in both interior and exterior applications, and GlassJet can accommodate sizes up to 2.8 meters by 3.7 meters and 2 to 19 millimeter thicknesses. www.dip-tech.com

WROUGHT IRON WINDOWS
Old World Charm
Wrought iron windows and doors may be a fashionable find, but getting the look has traditionally been costly and challenging due primarily to the material’s weight. Now, Luna Piena Inc. of Austin, Texas, has developed its TableauxIG™, which features its patent-pending faux iron product between glass for use in entry doors and windows. The company describes its new development as a lightweight alternative to real wrought iron that can be insulated into glass while not being susceptible to fogging. www.piena.com

PATTERNED GLASS
Distinctive Details
There may not be a step-by-step guide for designing with glass, but there is a pattern to follow … patterned glass, that is. A new brochure detailing six patterned glass products is available from Guardian Industries based in Auburn Hills, Mich.

The patterns allow light and space to be used in ways that can create attractive, useful environments. Suitable applications include tub and shower enclosures, partitions, privacy windows, entry/exit doors and many others. www.guardian.com

COUNTERTOPS
Silastial’s Glass Masquerades as Granite or Marble
After two years of development, Silastial Glass Works in Sidney, British Columbia, is now able to produce an all-glass countertop that it says has similar fabrication and handling characteristics to granite and marble. The light transfer glass consists of a 4-milimeter shattered outer layer on top and bottom, laminated to a float core ranging from 10- to 19-milimeters in thickness. Both tempered glass outer surfaces, when shattered, remain completely smooth and impermeable to liquids. This product can be produced from 100 percent recycled glass, mis-cuts from glass suppliers or new glass. www.silastialglassworks.com

Cast glass
New Horizons
Meltdown Glass has added a new texture called Horizons to its kiln-glass product line. The company says the available sizes and lengths for the new texture is nearly limitless. Any of the company’s standard 100 -200 series textures can also be used as the base texture, which provides even more choices and variations. www.meltdownglass.com

Something to “Think” About
Located in Quebec, ThinkGlass employs a unique molding process that it says allows it to create new or repetitive textures at a very low molding cost. Products can be used in a variety of applications, including glass countertops. In addition, a wide variety of textures, colors and thickness are available. www.thinkglass.com

Frosty Glass
Zero-C, named for the Celsius freezing point for water, is the latest addition to kiln-cast glass offerings from by UroGlass. Created as an alternative to 100-percent recycled thick glass, Zero-C is produced with 50 percent new and 50 percent recycled material floated in the center, giving the illusion of suspended chunks of ice.

It is available in low-iron (white) and clear (water-tint) glass types in thickness of 1 1⁄5 to 2 inches, with a variety of polished edges including flat, bullnose and ogee. www.uroglass.com

No Need for Superstition
The number 13 isn’t always bad luck. In fact, for Tampa, Fla.-based WorldGlass it’s actually a good number. The company has recently added 13 new patterns to its StudioCast™ line of cast sheet glass that’s available in custom sizes and thicknesses. The product can be used in walls, windows, shower enclosures and a number of other applications. Standard sheet size is 58 x 96 inches; larger sizes are available upon request.

In addition to stock patterns, the StudioCast line is available for custom signage. www.worldglassnet.com

ACID-ETCHED GLASS
Subtle Nuances
Montreal-based Walker Glass Co. Ltd. is expanding its Walker Textures™ Nuance Stock line of patterned acid-etched glass and mirror with the introduction of the 300 series. The stock line of acid-etched patterns is available in five distinctive designs with the 100 and the new 300 series.

The 100 series is an acid-etched finish that combines Velour and Satin for a true sense of privacy while maintaining a design element to the glass. The 300 series is a satin finish on clear glass for increased visibility to the decor through the glass. Both of these series feature a relief effect that adds character to the glass surface. www.walkerglass.com

Vitro Finishes Pavia in Satin
The newest addition to Memphis, Tenn.-based Vitro America’s Classic Line™ of architectural products is Pavia satin-finished glass. Pavia is produced using a special acid treatment process, which may be applied to either one or both sides of the glass. The versatile and aesthetic architectural glass allows light, color and texture to blend for privacy and functional design.

Pavia is available in a variety of thicknesses from 2 to 12 millimeters in clear, tinted and designs. It may be used for interior or exterior applications, and may be tempered or laminated to meet safety requirements. www.vitroamerica.com