Stacked Glass

Welcome to Palace of Glass, the world leader in stacked glass production for interior design. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the art and science behind stacked glass, its applications, and how you can incorporate it into your next design project.

What is Glass Stacking?

Stacked glass, also known as layered glass tiles or stacked glass murals, is a popular choice for interior design and decoration. It is a type of art sculpture where strips of transparent medium are cut in particular shapes and then attached over each other by gluing. These installations are made of glass and stacked vertically or horizontally, becoming stand-alone sculptures or art glass murals.

Benefits and Advantages

Connected together by pressure of weight layers are usually pretty stable, but need to be connected with adhesive or sometimes metal rods for structural integrity. Usually specialty glue is used for this process and is spread evenly between the layers. That approach allows strips to be adjusted for some short time, letting craftsmen to situate the layer exactly as needed. The glue is then hardened by applying special UV light. Layers are then set and bonded with care. It is the perfect time to eliminate any visible adhesive that came out from in between the layers. Once hardened it cannot be moved again and becomes part of the stacked glass. Edges of the individual pieces then can be treated to create additional customized shapes and textures and to eliminate sharp edges on the glass paneling. Used as wall decor or fountain feature, stacked glass creates unforgettable impression!

Why Choose Stacked Glass?

• Aesthetic Appeal: Stacked glass adds a modern, sleek, and clean look to any space.
• Versatility: They come in various sizes, colors, and designs, allowing for a custom look that suits your style and preferences.

Stacked Glass for Interior Design

One of the main advantages of stacked glass installations is their versatility. They come in various sizes, colors, and designs, which means you can create a custom look that suits your style and preferences.

Conceptualizing Your Project

You would want to start the conceptualization of your stacked glass project by determining the area or areas where you would want to build the stacked glass feature. Will it be incorporated into an existing wall structure or be a stand-alone sculpture? If you are placing it next to the wall or building an opening, consider the overall dimensions and if the glass wall will be exposed on one or both sides.

Production Considerations

Another production question often discussed is the thickness of each layer. It typically ranges between 10-15MM for each layer but can be adjusted and use thicker glass of up to 24MM / 1″. Stacked glass is typically not tempered for practical reasons. Should one of the middle layers crack, which sometimes happens due to the pressure of stacked weight or the setting of the glue, the entire layer of the tempered glass would crack into many segments causing the layered glass structure to collapse.

Varieties of surfaces on the edges of glass sculpture can be created. Some artisan choose to stack the layers in waved pattern by tapping the surface with a tool and creating waves on the finishing. By overlaying them in different ways styles of patterns and designs of stacked glass walls can be created. Other craftsman achieve amazing results by inserting light into the transparent walls and using textured walls for water features or reception desk design features

Another production question that often discussed is the thickness of each layer. It typically ranges between 10-15MM for each layer, but can be adjusted and use thicker glass of up to 24MM / 1″. Stacked glass is typically not tempered for practical reasons. Should one of the middle layers crack, which sometimes happen due to pressure of stacked weight or the setting of the glue, the entire layer of the tempered glass would crack into many segments causing the layered glass structure to collapse.

Stacked Glass Sculptures

With the ability to cut glass strips into shapes by machine with fine precision came the possibility to create different objects and shapes of glass. Many interior designers enjoy incorporating elements out of decorative glass into unique and memorable design accents. Palace of Glass production team have mastered the craft and created very complex objects including abstract glass sculptures, animals and elements of nature. Many of them became center pieces at art salons and received awards at the architectural exhibits around the world.

For seamless stacking craftsman would use more precise water jet cutting machines with minimal glass cutting tolerance, resulting in creation of amazing 3-dimensional sculptures and stunning architectural elements. Modern machinery allows much more refined polishing of the sides, even allowing creation of a perfect sphere made out of layers of glass. Polished to shinning perfection it has absolutely smooth transitions on the sides between the layers.

Depending on the style and quality of initial product, when layered together, glass will change opacity. Since light will need to travel through many surfaces it will change the overall look of the wall to greenish. Normally due to containing the iron element, any window would have greenish hue in it, and now as we are adding them together that coloring gets multiplied resulting in possible exposure of greenish hue. Most people enjoy this natural quality of glass, but some request completely white glass for medium. If you are particular about having your paneling completely white and clear transparent in look, we would recommend using starfire or diamond glass that has less iron. Consult Palace of Glass agent for more details on that.

How to Order Stacked Glass from Palace of Glass

Visualizing Your Glass Order

The Importance of Architectural Renderings

Here at Palace of Glass, we understand the importance of creating architectural renderings of your upcoming stacked glass installation. To create visual integrity of the interior design and preview how your idea will look in reality, we strongly recommend virtual renderings of the art glass mural.

Working with Our Design Team

It can be created as a 3D model that will show you the exact dimensions and texturing of each surface or as a more detailed virtual recreation of the interior and exterior features of your design project. Palace of Glass’s on-site design team will work with you on understanding the scope of work and help you visualize the finished installation.

Structural Considerations

Reinforcing Tall Structures

When architectural specs call for tall structures, it becomes practical and advisable to reinforce the glass structure with metal pipes or rods inside the paneling. This adds structural support and can be incorporated as part of the overall design.

Drilling and Positioning

It is important to consider the diameter of the hole you will need to drill in all the pieces of glass and their positioning in regards to corners and edges of the glass. To maintain structural integrity, you need to stay away from the edges on all sides.

Tolerance and Hole Sizing

Also, remember that the hole will need to be larger than your metal pipe, as when you stack the layer of glass together you will miss some MM due to the tolerance of the glass cutting. The hole will become smaller after you layer several pieces of glass together, due to holes being at slightly different positions at each section. That is natural and to be expected, but an important consideration that can catch you by surprise at the installation.

Lighting and Aesthetics

Creating a Unique Look

When layered over, transparent pieces create a unique look and the flow of light.

Custom Lighting Features

You can add additional lighting to create a customized feature and make it the focal point of your design. Lights can be inserted into fixtures placed inside the stacked glass wall, or LED lights can be placed on the side of the glass. The transparent quality of the glass will do its work and spread the illumination through the stacked layers.

Logistics and Installation

Delivery and Assembly

Always a consideration for the installation of the stacked glass is delivering the product to the site for installation. Our products can be created in partially assembled segments to reduce overall weight and then assembled into complete units on site.

Team Collaboration

Palace of Glass staff will work with your production team to evaluate the needed weight and size of the segments that can be easily transported to your destination. You will need a team of experts on site that would know how to unload and unpack glass products and to proceed with glass assembly.

Preparing for Installation

As you will only get one chance to place all the units together before gluing them, it is important to practice and know all the steps to follow. The process is simple when one is well prepared.

Packaging and Transportation

Packing Procedures

Palace of Glass has a designated department that packs the glass and prepares it for the travel to your destination. We cover the glass surface in plastic, then pad the wooden crating on the inside and wrap the glass in another layer of insulation.

Crate Design

Wooden crates are normally designed as A-frames for the vertical positioning of the glass paneling while transportation. We design the crates in such a way that it is easy for the forklift operator to unload the goods from the truck and bring them to the installation site.

FAQs

How is stacked glass made?

Stacked glass is made by cutting strips of transparent medium into specific shapes and then gluing them over each other.

What are the applications of stacked glass?

Stacked glass can be used as wall decor, fountain features, partition walls, and reception desks.

How do you maintain stacked glass installations?

Stacked glass installations are relatively easy to maintain. Regular cleaning with a glass cleaner is usually sufficient.

Contact Us

For more information on how to incorporate stacked glass into your next project, contact us for a free 30-minute consultation. Our team of designers and craftsmen is here to guide you through the entire creative process.