All About Glass Bath Screens

A hot water bath is a remarkable achievement of civilization. But besides the plumbing and communications itself, there should be additional elements that increase the comfort of hygiene procedures. One of these components is glass partitions, which deserve special attention.

The bathroom glass curtain doesn't just look attractive. It avoids splashing on the floor. Wet tiles are very slippery and are very likely to fall. Water splashes on the walls are not so dangerous, but hardly anyone will like stains, drips.

The glass partition looks very stylish and adds external grace to the room. The choice of such structures is very large, and you can always choose the modification that is optimal for yourself. Glass curtains can be applied regardless of the types of baths and their sizes. They also have other advantages:

• glass is much less prone to the formation of bacterial colonies than any tissue;
• proper care allows you to avoid the appearance of plaque on it;
• glass partitions will make the room more comfortable and do not visually reduce its area;
• this material practically does not break, and if it breaks, then there is almost no risk of being cut by such fragments.

However, glass bath screens also have negative sides:

• they are more expensive than fabric counterparts;
• it is impossible to mount such products without proper experience;
• you will need to take care of the septum systematically and very carefully (otherwise, hard-to-remove fungal foci will appear).

All-glass partitions are formed from large glass sheets. No auxiliary structures are provided. The only exceptions are fasteners that allow you to fix the curtain to the ceiling, floor or walls. Important: glass for all-glass structures is taken only with increased resistance to loads. All suitable materials look good and are very practical, but are quite expensive.

Often, in order to save money, frame glazing is used. It implies the retention of glass by profiles based on:

• wood;
• painted steel;
• aluminum alloys;
• plastics.

The use of special glass blocks allows you to achieve a radically different look. It is impossible to confuse this design and the option with sliding structures. Rather, a glass block partition resembles a full-fledged wall. A similar effect is achieved when using double-glazed windows. A typical block gives the impression of a brick (there are even structures that are similar in shape).

The characteristic features of such partitions are:

• quite thick;
• significant mass;
• reinforced sound insulation.

In the past, glass block bathroom fences were already in use and even in demand. But only at the modern technological level their renaissance became possible. Most often, the size of such structures is 0.19x0.19x0.08 and 0.24x0.24x0.08 m. Some manufacturers can offer glass blocks measuring 0.19x0.09x0.08 m. The smallest of the mass-produced formats are 0.115x0.115x0, 08 m and 0.06x0.146x0.08 m; the weight of the structures ranges from 2.5 to 4 kg.

There are glass blocks on the Russian market:

• rectangular;
• triangular;
• square;
• hex;
• L-shaped.

It is categorically unacceptable to remove such a film before the end of the work.... Otherwise, the glass blocks will be damaged during installation. As for the texture of the blocks, it can be represented by the following options - a smooth, matte, embossed surface and a specially cut pattern.

Glass "bricks" are often equipped with decorative inserts:

• backlight elements;
• shells;
• specially selected relief drawings;
• flowers;
• pebbles of various sizes.

This material is also called laminated glass. It is almost impossible to find a more durable transparent base for partitions. They are made from many layers of glass, the connecting link in this case is either a liquid with a laminating effect, or a film of increased strength. Whichever option the engineers choose, the triplex does not shatter into fragments, even with a strong impact.

The technology of forming a triplex from 6-7 layers has been worked out. However, in the bathroom, partitions of 2-3 layers are usually used. The thicker "pie" is able to withstand shots from hand weapons - and therefore its cost is high. Good triplex blocks UV rays and provides excellent sound insulation.

The name itself suggests that such glass has undergone complex high-temperature processing. Its strength and mechanical resistance are sufficient for use even in shopping malls and other public places.... For a bathroom, such characteristics are all the more sufficient. If you break such a sheet, it collapses and shatters into fragments. But all of them will be very small, and therefore there is no need to fear scratches or cuts.

The thermal resistance of tempered glass is very high. Even in saunas, where the air temperature rises to 120 degrees, it works stably for years. In terms of aesthetic characteristics, tempered partitions are not inferior to ordinary windows. However, it is practically impossible to process such a material after hardening. Therefore, you will have to immediately place an order with all the necessary parameters and conditions.

It is quite possible to make a partition for a bathroom and plexiglass. This material is also called acrylic glass. The thickness of the layer to be created is 0.5-25 mm. Plexiglas can be either transparent or painted in any color. It is made by block casting or by extrusion; it is easy to form structures of various geometric shapes from acrylic glass.

There are a number of other material types available for glass partitions. They are obtained by improving one of the above materials. So, tinted products are widespread. Tinting is done in several ways:

• by gluing the film;
• by adding metal oxides at the cooking stage;
• by coating the surface with titanium compounds.

There are also:

• glass frosted by various methods (sandblasting, etching, film coating);
• smart glasses (capable of changing transparency);
• fireproof partitions.

Such partitions are used in conjunction with the usual rectangular bathrooms. They are installed permanently. Some options are divided into several sections. They are held in place by metal profiles.

This form allows you to successfully implement the most original design ideas. It is compatible with oversized bowls found in large baths. A trapezoid-shaped partition is usually complemented by a swing or pendulum door. The entire structure, like the linear one, is fixed permanently. The fittings are also completely identical.

Barriers of this shape are commonly used on corner baths with showers and whirlpools. A corner divider is perfect for a small bathroom. This solution looks original and modern. The corner can be made in the shape of the letter "L" or "P". Sometimes there are also radial glass structures, although their manufacture is already more difficult and more expensive.

A semicircular partition allows you to radically transform the surrounding space. At the same time, the total area of ​​the room visually increases. Semicircular frames will have to be made for individual sizes. Sometimes this form is realized with the help of glass blocks. There is not much difference between these options.

Dimensions and weight of partitions in the bathroom are determined individually. With a glass thickness of 1 cm, the sashes are usually 50-125 cm wide. The height can reach 3 m. The mass of 1 sq. M. m of the product varies from 26 to 35 kg. If you use glass with a thickness of 1.2 cm, the width is about the same, and the height can reach 4 m; weight varies from 35 to 50 kg.

The standard sizes are as follows:

• 90x90 cm;
• 110x60 cm;
• 120x90 cm;
• 140x90 cm;
• 80x185 cm;
• 60x200 cm.

Quite often, people purchase glass partitions with a pattern applied by photo printing. The essence is very simple: a special substance is applied, which polymerizes under the influence of an ultraviolet ray. Photo printing is capable of creating an image of almost any format and color. Matte (or rather, matte) options, which are obtained by sandblasting, are also popular. Most often, Oracal stencils are used during processing.

Sandblasted matte designs look impressive and fully reveal the design intent. In addition, the maintenance of such images is quite simple. But in some cases, an alternative solution is also used - painting with paints.Stained glass or acrylic dyes are used for work.

No matter how important the images applied to the partitions, the design properties of the fittings cannot be ignored either. Sometimes it destroys the whole idea of ​​the designers. But you can also use it to highlight the general concept. This is achieved by varying shapes and colors. Hardware with anodizing looks very attractive.

Most often, the color scale reproduces various metals:

• chromium;
• gold;
• bronze.

In the vast majority of cases, bathroom partitions are bought to order. This is the only way to take into account both the nuances of the premises and the personal preferences of customers. You will definitely have to study the reviews of the company that will be entrusted with this order. The protective film on a good glass partition should not be damaged. Even the slightest air bubbles are unacceptable.

It is imperative to check how firmly the main metal elements are fixed. You cannot take partitions where they are at least a little rusty or damaged. The surface of a quality glass screen is always perfectly flat. Any chips, cracks and cloudiness are unacceptable.

In the next video, you will find the installation of a shower screen.