Building with Glass Bricks

Build a wall using glass bricks to bring extra light into your bathroom without losing any privacy. It will also create a contemporary and very stylish feature in the room.

You will need:
- Screwdriver
- Panel anchors and drill/masonry bits
- Hammer and masonry nails
- Expansion strips
- Adhesive mortar (25kg = 20 bricks)
- Bucket and mixing paddle
- Trowel
- Spacers (10mm)
- Spirit level and plumb line
- Reinforcing rods (1.5m length)
- Sponge
- Panel grout and caulk (caulking gun)
- Cloths
- Silicone sealant

Here's how:
1. Ensure the working area is clean and clear of obstructions. Always cover surrounding surfaces to avoid impact damage during construction.

2. Screw panel anchors to the jambs (vertical edges) and heads (top of the wall), but not to the sill (base of the wall), at 400 mm intervals. The panel anchors will secure the glass brick panel to the frame.

3. Nail foam expansion strips along the jamb and head between the panel anchors to form a cushion between the glass brick panel and the wall.

4. Prepare the mortar mix according to manufacturer's instructions. Apply a foundation layer of mortar to the sill. There should be a 10 mm joint of mortar between the sill and the bricks when they are in place.

5. Three spacers make up one unit. Trimm off different elements to create 'L' and 'T' spacers. Using these spacers on the sill and jamb surfaces, insert the first brick at the lower corner. Push the brick snugly into place, ensuring that it is properly seated. Place an uncut spacer on the upper corner of the first brick.

6. Apply a layer or mortar to the vertical edge of the next brick and put it into place, checking that the brick is properly seated. Continue to lay bricks in the same way until you have finished the first course (row). Periodically check the wall with a spirit level and plumb line to ensure that it is straight, and adjust where necessary.

7. Make sure that the tops of the bricks, with spacers in place, slip under the panel anchors and apply a layer of mortar to the top of the course, embedding the anchors. Smooth the mortar out and make sure that the crosslegs of the spacers are free of mortar to ensure accurate spacing of the following course. Press a strip of reinforcing rod where necessary into the mortar.

8. Continue to lay courses, repeating the steps above, until you have completed the wall. When laying the top course, put the 'L' and 'T' spacers in place before inserting the blocks.

9. Use a sponge or damp cloth to remove excess mortar from the faces of the bricks. Rinse often and take care not to use any abrasive products. Do not wait until the mortar has dried. Twist the end tabs off all the spacers.

10. Leave the mortar to set for one hour. Then use a round jointing tool to smooth the joints. This will compact the mortar to create a moisture-resistant seal and make your wall look tidy. Once this is done, all the joints should be completely full of mortar.

11. Rake the joints to a depth of 10 mm. Allow the mortar to set for 24 hours, then fill the joints with panel grout. Wait two hours and wipe the brick faces clean with a soft cloth.

12. Using a caulk gun, apply silicone sealant continuously along the seams where the glass bricks panel joins the jambs and head on both sides of the panel.

  source: the bathroom makeover book