There is nothing quite as vibrant as glass. With rich colors and hues and a translucency that catches and reflects the light back to the viewer, glass tiles can be used to brighten and add interest to kitchen and bathroom designs.
Types of Glass Tile
There are many kinds of glass tile available on the market today. One of the most prevalent and least expensive, is the color backed glass.
Color backed glass tile is a clear glass, with the color painted onto the back. This gives the glass extra depth and vibrancy of color, although it can make for a more difficult installation, as this color may chip away when cutting the glass. These tiles are available in mosaic up to 12x12” in size, as well as in frosted or glossy finishes.
Hand poured and recycled glass materials, typically have color going straight through the glass. These tiles may be extremely translucent and should be installed on a white, latex additive thinset, to truly bring out their colors. These tiles will usually be slightly irregular in shape, and may have variation in color from piece to piece and from lot to lot. Because of their translucency, mosaics are typically mounted onto brown craft paper, and are installed with the paper facing out and removed once the tiles are set, to avoid seeing mesh through the glass.
Iridescent glass tiles will also typically have the color going straight through, with an additional sheen to the finish. The larger the tile, the less this effect is seen, so they typically come in mosaic and up to 4x4” in size.
Large format glass tiles, in sizes 24x24” or larger, are relatively new materials. They also will have a through color body, but may have additives mixed into the glass to help them maintain their integrity at such large sizes.
Uses and Applications
Glass tiles can be used in multiple areas of the house. A glass tile shower can be installed for ease of cleaning and a modern appearance. Try putting the glass on the walls, ceiling and floor of the shower, in different sizes, or have accent wall of glass tile, with two walls of ceramic.
Recycled glass tiles and glass mosaic tile work wonderfully on kitchen backsplashes, adding interest and design to the space. Glass mosaics can be cut into sheets and run along the counter, or framed behind the cooktop. Modern glass tiles can be installed on the backsplash in a colorful patchwork, and then taken around the surround of an island to continue the look.
Glass tile floors can be utilized in low traffic bathrooms. Just be sure to stick to mosaics, to keep the floor from becoming overly slippery, and make sure that hand cut mosaics are not used, as they can have sharp edges. Try an iridescent glass floor in a kid’s bathroom for a fun splash of color. Take a strip of the same color as a border along the walls, with a subway tile to complete the look.
Installing Glass Tile
Installation of glass tiles should be done by an experienced professional. Glass tiles will need to be installed on a white, latex additive thinset, that has been soothed free of any trowel marks that may show through the glass. Mosaics may need to be “back buttered”, or have thinset smoothed over their surface, as well as on the wall, for a secure installation, and paper faced materials should be lined up properly to make sure that grout lines match, and each sheet of material isn’t separate from the others.
All glass tiles should be cut on a diamond edged tile saw blade, cut upside down to avoid chipping the surface, and run through the saw slowly.
Be sure to ask the installer if they have worked with whatever type of glass tile has been chosen, as they are not at all equal.
When deciding on glass tile colors, place the glass on a white sheet of paper when holding it up in the room, as this will show it’s true color and best approximate how it will look once installed. Try to capture the rest of the feeling of the home in the style of glass. Rustic homes can use hand poured and cut glass, while modern homes should use smooth edged, color backed styles.
Whatever the glass tile chosen, it will be sure to brighten the space, and the home.
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