In the long list of building materials, I’d like to say that glass blocks rank as one of the most versatile! They can be used for exterior as well as interior walls or for partition walls that do not got entirely to the ceiling.

Glass blocks provide light plus privacy. They come in many sizes and shapes and there are special blocks made to control the sun. Futhermore, glass blocks are easy to maintain and special units are available to provide ventilation through glass block walls. Cost for a typical glass block found in hardware stores are around 140 pesos ($3) a piece, although they would cost much more for specially colored blocks like the ones shown below.

Both Toughened and Laminated glasses are forms of safety glass. People often assume that “toughened” glass is some form of EXTRA STRONG glass - perhaps like a “bullet proof glass”. Another term for Toughened glass is Tempered glass. Tempered glass is quite difficult to break - but not impossible. When it does break it will break into very small sections (or cube-like pieces). These small sections may, if you are unlucky, give you some scratches or minor cuts but will not pose the danger created by large glass shards when “normal” float glass breaks.

In comparison, Laminated glass will, when hit with force “crack”. However it is unlikely to smash. Being very difficult to break means that it can be dangerous in any situation where it is likely you may need to break the glass in order to escape (such as a fire). This is of course an advantage if security is a major consideration. Laminated glass is also “thicker” - usually 6.4 mm as standard - and as such will offer better insulation. However this thicker glass is also “heavier” which will in turn mean greater “wear and tear” on opening windows and doors.

Another form of “safety” glass is Wired glass. As the name implies, it has a wire mesh inserted or sandwiched between two layers of glass during its production. It has an impact resistance similar to that of normal glass, but in case of breakage, the mesh retains the pieces of glass. This product is traditionally accepted as low-cost fire glass.