Replies

1. 
   ponytl | Jan 04, 2004 10:12pm | #1

   if it's in a wet area... fiber optics...  can lay it beween courses... have remote light source... change colors... light level ect... look on the net or ebay...  shouldn't be hard to find what you need...

   pony

2. 
   FastEddie1 | Jan 05, 2004 02:09am | #2

   Just putting a light at the top or end of a row of glass blocks won't do what you want, because of the mortar joints.  Even if you use silicone joints, there's too much opaque material.  I have seen some apartment signs made of glass blocks that are lit, but they used two rows (walls?) of blocks with fluorescent lamps in the middle gap.

   Do it right, or do it twice.

1. 
   Sphere | Jan 05, 2004 05:10am | #3

   I'm thinkin that MAYBE you could cable light between the horizontal rows..We put some under a stair nosing on a deck (outside) and it woked well. THey were from Lowes and were LED not bulbs, maybe the block installer could use a conduit(PEX PIPE) to create a space in the mortar that you could feed the rope light into after the conduit is removed (while it still CAN be) or just lay it as he goes centered, and as far as power goes maybe wire them in tiers 2 at the bottom 1 switch setting, 2 more in mid, another setting, last tiers and all together 3rd setting..maybe a cieling fan control switch with the levels notched up would work. Have the ele. run the power anyway, you can always dead end it or go to an alternate plan if nothing seems doable . 

   Just me thinkin outloud (typeing)..

   And then there is NEON? Ya got me thinkin..

   Edited 1/4/2004 9:17:08 PM ET by SPHERE

3. 
   Dinosaur | Jan 05, 2004 06:57am | #4

   I just built a glass block shower a bit over a month ago. You're going to have problems doing any kind of lighting from inside the block wall itself. You can't use the silicone caulk system for curved block; you must use Mortar I or Mortar II systems which involve anchor plates and mini-rebar ladders every two horizontal rows. Contact Pittsburgh Corning for details; their customer service people are very good.

   You could theoretically install lighting in the end framing for each course of block, but you would have to leave out the foam expansion strips which is not a good idea for several reasons.

   However, the block is so beautiful and reflects ambient room light in so many directions that I think you won't need to worry too much about it. The photos below shows the installation I did in November; inside the shower are two simple 50-watt halogen pot lights recessed into the ceiling. When the lights in the shower are turned on and the room lights are turned off, the shower itself glows like some kind of blue-white cathedral. (If you want warmer colours, use incandescents instead of halogens....)

   Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

1. 
   RalphWicklund | Jan 05, 2004 08:54am | #5

   Reflected light is good. Better still if the light can be directed from the inside of the shower while the main room remains dark.

   For a different look, try glass face configurations other than the off the shelf standard wavy. I've used a diamond face that really breaks up incoming light into hundreds of individual points.

   If you want to do some fancy lighting you can flush mount one or more 12volt lamps in the shower wall directly opposite the glass block. There are waterproof fixtures available. I've lighted a koi pond with a submersible variant.

1. 
   Luv4home | Jan 06, 2004 04:38am | #6

   Thank you all for your repsonses. I think the 2 can lights inside of the shower is the way to go.... maybe on a reostat so I can controll the brightness if I want to... I forgot about the mortor joints.... and yes with a curved wall i have to use thier cable supports. The diamond face block does sound fantastic....is there a big price difference in that style of block?   

1. 
   caseyr | Jan 06, 2004 05:03am | #7

   It might be even more effective if you can put the lights behind some kind of long, narrow apperature(s) that allows the light to "wash the wall" of the glass blocks with minimal light spilling into other areas.  Might even think about doing that in the house I am in the process of designing...

2. 
   FastEddie1 | Jan 06, 2004 05:17am | #8

   Cost...look in the phone book under glass blocks...my local distributer is The Glass Block Shop...they have offices in a couple of cities.  I think all the blocks cost the same, within the same size, and they are considerable cheaper than off the shelf at Lowes & HD...and my place stocks all the patterns, as well as the "hardware".

   Do it right, or do it twice.

4. 
   fredsmart48 | Jan 06, 2004 05:40am | #9

   how about a fiber optic lighting.  I have heard some people will mount the light in down stair closet and run the fiber optics  16' ceiling so they don't need to buy man lift to change light bulbs.