#Scratch Proof Splashbacks

[lumigdesigns]

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[premierrange52-blog]

How Do Glass Splashbacks Assess To Different Components?

In early in the day days, whenever persons applied to talk about home splashbacks, only 1 picture used to come calmly to their minds i.e. tiles. They were commonly found in offering a straightforward and clean look to kitchens. Nevertheless now, the items have absolutely changed! Persons want a well-designed contemporary kitchen. Here, glass flashbacks arrived to the picture. Today, glass flashbacks are among the fastest rising areas in the kitchen industry. Being fashionable, they are being fitted by several houses worldwide to make their home seem like a masterpiece.

If you're one particular who needs to really have a home with the modern however elegant look, then glass splashbacks are an ideal choice. Times are gone when the glass was only used for showroom kitchens. One of the major causes of likeability of glass splashbacks is the capability to hold home walls safe from temperature, fat splashes and different things that may possibly influence walls and produce then gross. The kitchen could be the hub of your property where you make food and support relationships grow healthier. Which is why you need to do every possible issue to keep it clear and desirable because it should be.

Yet another basis for installing glass splashbacks is they are delicate and seamless. When you mount standard tiles in your charming home, you face a lot of difficulties while washing along with the wall seems filthy most of the times. Being seamed, between every 2 tiles there is a line named the grout range which will be usually suffering from materials used in a home like gas, heat, fat, herbs and what not. Washing these grout lines is whole still another task to execute since it is very difficult to keep them clean. Glass splashbacks are broadloom and don't have any lines. They provide a continuous finish to your kitchen anthracite glass splashback .

Over place also shows people that glass splashbacks are quite simple to clean as there are no grout lines. You will not have to invest your valuable time in keeping your kitchen's splashbacks clean. Following getting hired washed, you're clear of stress. Just, you have to take a clean, wet fabric to wipe out most of the stains or soil from the surface. For improved hygiene, a lint free material with a great quality glass cleaner may be used to remove any kind of stains and dirt. You can even choose dishwasher soap or soap to be completely satisfied.

There has been a great deal of interest lately in glass splashbacks for kitchens, especially with particular common daytime tv shows featuring their excellent fashion and visible appeal. Certainly through the usage of a tv camera it's obvious to start to see the advantages, and several people have stated interest in having glass splashbacks in their particular kitchen. But even though visible appeal is undeniable, among the actual considerations many people have relates to their durability. In the end, glass splashbacks are made of glass - aren't they?

Lots of people tend to assume that glass is fine and delicate, and just suited to windows, and actually then, should be handled cautiously, as though they may break or implode at a moment's notice. The truth that they're the same those who really cheerfully sit with their faces just inches from a really thin sheet of glass whilst travelling across the motorway at 70 miles an hour or so only shows how simply people may fervently think one thing while declining entirely to place their beliefs into regular practice.

Further evidence for this is the fact that on very nearly some of the popular daytime television shows which feature well-known cooks, the foodstuff is almost always prepared on glass boards. With the quick fury of chopping and crushing, as well as the undeniable blade sharp edge on the skilled blades being used, to state nothing of the acids, water, boiling pans, heavy pots and other'problems'occurring in the vicinity of the glass chopping boards, it's distinct that glass is unquestionably definitely not fragile.

The truth is that toughened glass is, whilst the title actually must suggest, tough. It's virtually scratch tolerant, crack proof and cut proof, and provides a clear, clean surface which can be easily washed and offers fantastic fashion and illumination in any kitchen. Glass reflects and refracts light, rather than traditional kitchen worktop or splashback surfaces which digest most of the light. Having glass splashbacks is a superb means of creating probably the most of any gentle, making a beautiful search helping to make the entire space seem lighter, richer and more spacious.

But glass does not have to be colourless as well as transparent. Having shaded glass , as well as clear glass with a colored backing, generates an unbelievable fiesta of gentle that immediately turns the ordinary in to a fantastic sight. One of the quickest and most effective methods in which anyone can just change the design of the home is by installing glass splashbacks. But then if you have observed pictures or you have observed home development and decor applications on tv function glass splashbacks for kitchens you'll know all this. The true problem is simply how deep beneath your skin is the beauty of glass splashbacks?

The solution is - completely through, because glass offers several benefits beyond simply being stunning to look at and extremely durable. Since unlike with any other material utilized in kitchens, glass splashbacks offer nowhere for bacteria to hide. Whether you're looking at ripping timber veneer, chipped stone or the normal cracks in porous materials such as for instance stone, germs have no end of areas to breed. Also tiles used for splashbacks provides a success of surfaces for bacteria to type, from ends, edges and across the entire of the grouted areas.

Glass splashbacks for kitchens present nowhere for microorganisms to full cover up, and because of this shown one of the most clean and sensible alternatives for kitchens. It is not usually that a hygienic and useful answer can be very elegant and supremely attention getting, nor vice versa, but when it comes to glass splashbacks for kitchens you probably may have the very best of both worlds.

[artificialqueens]

Extra Credit: Part 7 (Shalaska) – Rosie

A/N: TWO Extra Credit updates in ONE month?? It’s more likely than you think.

I need to give the biggest thank you to Lyd @pianowired for being my beta for this chapter! I really needed a second pair of eyes and she picked up a million typos and flagged my clunky af sentences so I can’t thank her enough!

Summary: University Professor Sharon Needles hooks up with a slamming hot blonde at a bar who may or may not be one of her students.  

Chapter Summary: It’s the fall semester break! Juicy things happen! This chapter is 7.8k words! Come talk to me at my sideblog @aqrosie! Enjoy!

Previous Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six

“So I just stir it like this?” Alaska asked, looking to Sharon for guidance as she mixed their pasta through the boiling water. She was taking her job of making sure the pasta didn’t stick together very seriously.

“Yeah, that’s perfect,” Sharon confirmed, kissing Alaska’s hair before she moved to open the pantry door.

Alaska smiled, a little bit in love with the scene around her. Maybe a little was a huge understatement. They were half way through their fall break together, an entire week of just the two of them. While the thought of a seven-day date in theory should have freaked Alaska out, she had never felt so safe around someone until she met Sharon, or more at home than in her apartment.

The only down side was the week was running away from her at lightning speed.  

Between sleeping together and actually literally sleeping together, they had spent the last few days cuddled up on the couch, showing each their favourite movies while Cerrone purred under their comforting pets. Then there were all the Polaroids.

As Alaska had packed her bag for the break, she had thrown her little baby pink instant camera in at the last minute on a whim. But one night when she wanted to take a selfie with Sharon to capture the moment, her professor had coiled away in fear.

“No,” Sharon said boldly. “Nothing electronic. No proof. No footprint. We can’t afford for this to get out.”

Alaska had agreed immediately, ignoring her heart crushing slightly at the shitty reality of having to be responsible. But hilariously, the situation was salvaged when Sharon scoffed and said “I mean if we had a Polaroid camera or something not digital we could try but—“

She stopped talking when Alaska really did pull out a Polaroid camera, looking like a smug Mary Poppins as she did so.

“Bullshit!” Sharon exclaimed in astonishment, completely missing the youthful resurrection of the retro gadget in recent years due to her age.

They had spent the rest of the night taking cute photos together, first a nice smiley one, then one of Sharon kissing Alaska’s cheek, then a candid laughing one which has become Alaska’s favourite. In it Sharon’s throwing her head back and Alaska’s face is tilting out of the frame as she cackled. Then they took photos of each other, a couple silly ones and a couple caught off guard, which look amusingly ‘indie’ and ‘poetic’. That became one of their favourite nights together so far. Sharon loved every part of it; how they bonded, how the sound of the film being processed brought her way back in the best possible way, how they could let loose, how they now had little mementos of themselves to physically hold onto. Alaska loved it too, but mainly because of Sharon. Seeing her face light up at the whole process was heartwarming, and she loved every minute of it.

Eventually they had run out of film, and while it was on the shopping list to buy more, the bunch of polaroids they had were now dotted around the apartment. Sharon had one on her bedside table and another placed in the frame of her vanity mirror. There were a series of three on the fridge, and when Alaska went into the office to grab a pen, she noticed a candid one of herself on Sharon’s desk too, propped up against the stand of her sleek desktop Mac.

Alaska had her own collection going, but she knew when she got back to the dorm she wouldn’t be able to proudly decorate her room with them. She kept her collection in a clean sock, a hair tie keeping them bundled together. She tucked them away in her bag, out of sight, as if they were more precious than money. Well, not like; they were more precious.

But she kept her favourite shot of them, the laughing one, inside her phone case. She had to pry it apart to get it out to look at it, but every time she did she couldn’t help but smile, as if the happiness felt in that moment was contagious.

“Do you know how to test if pasta is done?” Sharon asked, throwing a tea towel over her shoulder and wrapping a hand around the younger girl’s waist as she supervised Alaska’s oh-so-difficult stirring.

Alaska bit her lip as she smiled, managing to look even more adorable as she shook her head, her high ponytail swinging and her white apron-clad body wiggling slightly as she moved. There was a tiny smear of flour on her cheek from when they made the pasta earlier, and the hand that wasn’t stirring the ladle had a thin layer of dough caked on her fingers, making her stick them out daintily in the air.

A feeling had thudded in Sharon’s heart all afternoon as they made the pasta together from scratch, laughing as Sharon taught Alaska a thing or twenty about cooking. The feeling almost vibrated between the chambers of her heart, bouncing around and growing stronger the more time she spent with Alaska. She knew what it meant, and the feeling wanted to jump up through her throat. But instead she swallowed it back, something telling her the moment wasn’t completely right.

“Don’t you like… squeeze it?” Alaska attempted before laughing at her lack of expertise.

“Mmh, kind of,” Sharon laughed, nudging Alaska’s hand up to bring the ladle full of pasta out of the water before quickly grabbing a strand. “Or you could do this.”

Sharon swiftly threw the wet string of spaghetti against the glass splashback, Alaska watching in shock as it stuck.    

“Oh my god!” Alaska exclaimed, bouncing on her toes. “Can I try?”

“Of course,” Sharon encouraged, taking the ladle from her hand. “Grab a strand, maybe that one hanging there, come on, quickly—“

“I’m trying!” Alaska squealed, her laughter getting in the way of her fingertips grasping at the hot, wet spaghetti. Once she finally pulled a strand loose, she lumped it at the glass surface adjacent to the stove and cackled when it limply fell down.

“Aw, me too, girl,” Alaska drawled, picking up the strand before chucking it into the sink.

“One more try,” Sharon prompted, dunking the spaghetti into the water before bringing it to the surface.

“No…” Alaska whined, “I can’t do it. You make it look so easy.”

“Oh my god Alaska yes you can, throw a damn noodle before we overdo them,” Sharon ordered in mock seriousness, which only served to dissolve Alaska into more giggles.

She shakily pulled another strand from the heap and threw it at the wall, her eyes widening as the noodle stuck proudly to the glass surface before she shrieked.

“Oh my god, I did it!” Alaska lit up, clapping for herself as Sharon cheered.

Sharon’s heart skipped a beat as she watched Alaska, all smiley and overwhelmed with excitement at her little noodle sticking to the wall.

I’m so in love with you, Sharon thought.

“Now take it off the stove,” Sharon said after a moment, the feeling in her heart inflating by the second.

She was so ridiculously in love with Alaska, and the sensation of the realisation almost brought tears to her eyes.  

Alaska didn’t notice the slight shake in her girlfriend’s voice as she concentrated on draining the pasta, the almost blinding steam giving Sharon a moment to rapidly blink away the moisture in her eyes.

“Aw, I’m so proud!” Alaska said as they plated up two beautiful bowls of pasta, complete with delicious red sauce and topped with fresh basil.

“You should be,” Sharon said honestly, refilling their glasses of wine.

Alaska wrapped her arms around Sharon’s waist before looking up at her.

“Thank you so much for teaching me how to make something,” Alaska drawled, her voice dripping with affection. “I love it so much.”

Three words rested on Sharon’s tongue, but as she opened her mouth, they halted, running into each other before collapsing into a heap behind her teeth.

Instead she kissed Alaska, bringing their lips together and communicating what her vocal chords couldn’t yet manage.

Alaska kissed her back, her eyelids fluttering shut as she melted into their embrace, unaware of the unspoken confession rolling off Sharon’s tongue and onto hers.

*

“I have a date,” Dorothy said.

“With a man?” Blanche asked inquisitively.

“No,” Dorothy replied, ready to deliver another signature zinger.

“With a Venus flytrap,” Alaska said in sync with her favourite character. Even half asleep she could recite every line from her most beloved show.

She giggled softly from her reclined position on Sharon’s couch, her body practically one with the soft cushions as she approached her fourth episode in a row.

It was Friday afternoon, and Sharon had become inundated with emails from colleagues ahead of a Saturday morning faculty meeting to regroup for the remainder of the semester. Alaska craned her neck slightly to see Sharon in the office, stretching her arms above her head before returning to rapidly type away on her keyboard.

Alaska had gone in before, planting another cup of coffee down beside her and another kiss atop her head. Sharon had hugged her and apologised yet again for having to do work during their break together. But Alaska didn’t mind at all. Just being able to chill somewhere peaceful, away from her parents, the campus and any university responsibilities, was a holiday in itself.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes, and Sharon was perched on the coffee table beside her, gently nudging her awake.

“Come on baby,” she said while smiling softly, “have a nap in the bedroom. I know from experience you’re gonna get a sore neck from this couch. Trust me.”

Alaska cleared her throat as the laugh track sounded from the TV, realising she had nodded off. She stubbornly didn’t want to sleep, and was too lazy to leave her sprawled position, but curling up in their sheets did sound awfully inviting. She let Sharon help haul her up from the couch before the older woman wrapped an arm around her waist and turned The Golden Girls off.

Climbing into bed, Alaska snuggled under the covers as Sharon drew the curtains, darkening the room around them. Alaska couldn’t help but sigh as she was enveloped in the delicious embrace of their bedding, the subtle scent of Sharon infused into the sheets swirling around her. Sharon kissed her on the forehead, the both of them enjoying the rare, comforting act of her tucking the other girl in.  

“Nap with me,” Alaska said quietly as Sharon pulled away.

“I have a bit left, I’m almost done…” Sharon considered, before a yawn swallowed the rest of her sentence.  

“Come on, you deserve a break.”

Sharon wasn’t one to argue. She gingerly climbed over Alaska, spooning her on top of the sheets as Alaska curled up underneath them.

“Five minutes,” Sharon told herself, letting her eyelids flutter shut as she hugged Alaska, her arm draping over her waist as her left thigh rested between Alaska’s legs.

The quietest moan escaped Sharon’s lips. It was like being lowered into a hot bath; her muscles relaxed and the tension around her shoulders evaporated. Their breathing synchronised effortlessly, Sharon’s lungs expanding as Alaska exhaled.

A small smile tugged at Alaska’s mouth. Why didn’t they mutually nap more often? In a weird way, Sharon’s gentle waves of breath against her neck and their bodies pressed together felt just as intimate as sex, but in a different way.

In what felt like as close to experiencing an epiphany as Alaska thought she would ever get, something came over her. With her eyes closed, her mind hurtled through time and she found herself envisioning moments like this more often.

Alaska had fantasised about a future with Sharon. This thought process wasn’t new. But instead of picturing how they would decorate their apartment together or frolicking around on the beach in the sun, hand in hand and in public, Alaska was suddenly picturing introducing Sharon to her parents, family roasts on a Sunday, and Christmases together. She was picturing a proper house, a yard, another cat, a dog, a baby. And while it all seemed so far away, what was once a terrifying concept of commitment was now not just something she wanted, but something that felt right.

Oh my god, Alaska realised, I’m so in love with you.

And just like that, her futuristic montage ended. With her body still, she opened her eyes, noticing that they were a little misty. Now out of her thoughts and back in Sharon’s arms, she noticed the deep, even breathing from the other woman, and how heavy her limbs felt pressed against her.

Alaska bit her lip to hold back her smile.

Sharon had fallen asleep, and the precious moment warmed her soul. She suddenly remembered how in Grade 7 she went over to a friend’s house and held their new little kitten in her lap, which promptly fell asleep under her gentle pets.

Alaska closed her eyes as sleep tapped at her eyelids and begged to be welcomed in. Before she allowed herself to slip into unconsciousness, one thought hung in her mind.

I love you, Sharon Needles.

*

“… and then I bought this Marc Jacobs bronzer,” Courtney rattled off, opening the sleek white compact and extending it towards Alaska, who was sitting cross-legged on her bed opposite her dorm roommate and best friend. “Here, smell it, it smells like coconut!”

Alaska leaned in and took a whiff, smelling a mix of makeup, coconut, and luxury.

“Ugh, stunning,” Alaska commented, thoroughly enjoying Courtney’s fall break makeup haul and living vicariously through her as she pulled out goodies from the black and white Sephora bag, where the price tag was well into the hundreds.

“I think that’s it?” Courtney questioned, frowning at the spread of palettes, highlighters, and lipsticks on her bed. “Oh and that Anastasia gloss I showed you on Snap! But it’s already in my purse.”

“You did well, Court,” Alaska smiled, standing up to finally begin unpacking. Their room was a mess, with the floor covered in clothes and their beds covered in everything else – including makeup, snacks, books, and even a kettle Courtney had brought from home.

“I still can’t believe you did zero shopping on the break,” Courtney shook her head, “I thought your splurge was going to rival mine!”

Alaska laughed and shrugged her shoulders vaguely, knowing her at times aloof personality would excuse her lack of details.

“Oh, you know,” Alaska rambled, hanging one creased T-shirt onto a hanger and laying back down after her hard work, “I just hung out with the fam, baked a lot with mom, cuddled little Poundcake.”

“Aw,” Courtney said, swatching a gold eyeshadow on the back of her hand. “Yeah I saw those cookies on Snap.”

“Oh yeah!” Alaska forgot she sent Courtney pre-planned photos to cover her tracks.

God I’m good, she thought smugly, picking up her phone to open Instagram.

“I just don’t get how you say you were home, when you were actually here in Pittsburgh.”

Alaska froze.

From her peripheral vision she saw Courtney lift her head to look at her best friend.

“What?” Alaska croaked, the word barely making it out through her tight throat.

She could just feel how scared her face looked. Her cheeks turned hot and the dorm bedroom began to spin slightly.

How did Courtney know?

“I saw on Snap Map,” Courtney revealed, reading her mind.

Alaska closed her eyes. She was so fucking stupid. It never crossed her mind to turn off her location on the app. It didn’t matter how savvy she thought she was, or how many photos she staged. She had fucked up her entire plan.  

“So… where actually were you?” Courtney asked quietly. She swatched another shade on her hand.

For a fleeting moment Alaska considered lying to one of her closest friends. Saying it was a glitch, accuse her of being crazy, but she couldn’t. They both knew it wasn’t a glitch. And there was something in Courtney’s voice, the hushed vulnerability, that made Alaska realise there was more to this than she first realised.

“I just—!“ Courtney said abruptly, taking Alaska’s silence as a moment to open up, before regretting it but continuing away, desperate to get her bottled up thoughts out. She kept looking down at her hand. “I just, I don’t know what’s going on with you lately. Well I think I do, but I don’t. But I know that you haven’t been as close with me, like ever since the semester started you’ve been weird and distant and I feel terrible for saying that because what if you’re going through shit I don’t know about? But then I think, you’ve always told me if you’re going through shit, so why am I so in the dark? And—“

“Courtney,” Alaska stood to interrupt her frantic friend, watching as she wound herself up and rapidly blended the gold shadow into her hand.

Courtney finally paused and took in a deep breath.

With wide eyes she looked up at Alaska standing above her, the both of them a little taken aback at her outpour. And suddenly the two of them couldn’t stop laughing. Alaska literally doubled over, grabbing her knees for support as she cackled, while Courtney couldn’t help but roll onto her side as she shrieked, before moving when she realised she was on top of her expensive makeup.

While some tension still lingered in the room, the majority of it evaporated when Alaska sat down next to Courtney and wrapped her arms around her.

“I’m sorry,” Alaska started.  

“No, I’m sorry,” Courtney had to apologise. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“No,” Alaska shook her head. She needed to come clean. She had been so wrapped up in herself and Sharon that she had forgotten other people, their emotions, actions and relationships with her, still existed. “You’re right. I’ve been shady as fuck recently.”

“Why?” Courtney asked, and Alaska wanted to rest her head on her shoulder when she heard the concern in her voice. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh yeah,” Alaska assured her. “Things are great, it’s just…” Alaska didn’t even know where to begin.

“Are you… in a relationship?” Courtney asked outright, taking Alaska off guard.

“Is it that obvious?” Alaska drawled. She was going to be in so much shit with Sharon, but she was trying to not think about it.

“Well, you’ve had a surge of hickies on your neck in recent weeks so it wasn’t too far-fetched of a guess. But aww!” Courtney squealed, wrapping her arms around Alaska. “That’s wonderful! With who? What’s their name? From uni? Do I know them? Oh my god, tell me it’s not Derrick—“

“It’s not Derrick,” Alaska said immediately, making them both laugh.

“Then who is it?” Courtney asked.

Alaska squeezed her lips together, as if she was trying to stop herself from throwing up. Maybe she was.

“I don’t want to say yet…” Alaska eventually said. “I don’t know! We’re just like, not official yet, you know? It’s still really early days… and I don’t want to make a big deal in case things don’t actually end up working out with her.”

“Oh, her!” Courtney sighed, her smile beaming and her eyes soft.

Alaska couldn’t help but smile, and when she did, she couldn’t stop. They laughed again, and Courtney literally shook Alaska’s shoulders.

“Look at you!” Courtney gushed. “You’re glowing! She’s in love!”

Alaska covered her face with her hands before pulling away and shrieking with joy. It felt so liberating to have Courtney know, and to share in what she was feeling. She was in love, and she couldn’t bring herself to deny it.

“So is that who you stayed with during the break?”

“Yeah,” Alaska said, wondering how much she could reveal without revealing it all.

“Wow, I mean that’s great your parents let you stay with her, even though it’s only early days.”

Alaska murmured in agreement.  

“Oh my god, they don’t know,” Courtney concluded, reading Alaska like a book.

“No, they don’t, and you can’t tell them—“

“Like I would tell them!” Courtney exclaimed. “I’m not a mole.“

“Fuck awf, ya dog arsed mole,” they both said in unison, quoting an iconic Courtney line she slurred while drunk at a handsy frat boy during one of their campus parties back in first year.

“Aw, I feel like the old you is back,” Courtney thought, going back to her makeup as Alaska stood up and picked another shirt up from the floor. “Not that I don’t enjoy loved-up Alaska, but loved up Alaska is a sneaky snake.”

“I’m sorry for not being honest with you, I didn’t realise how shit it looked on my end.”

“No, it’s okay! I can see why you’d want to keep it quiet at the start,” Courtney agreed. “I felt bad for bringing it up, but when I saw snaps from you at home but it said you were still here, I just had to mention it. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“No, don’t feel bad, I would have done the same,” Alaska said. In fact, Alaska would have mentioned it much earlier if she suspected one of her friends was attempting to pull a fast one and conceal a hidden romance.

“So we’re good?” Courtney asked.

“We’re great,” Alaska smiled, walking the short distance from her closet to hug Courtney.

“Right, I need to wash my hair,” Courtney announced, grabbing her towel and toiletries bag. “Gotta look stunning for 8am tomorrow.“

“Ugh,” Alaska whined, not ready for Monday. “I forgot tomorrow was an 8am start.”

“Yep,” Courtney said, double-checking their timetables sticky taped on the back of their door on her way out. “Bright and early tomorrow at 8am, Strategic Marketing with Professor Sharon Needles.”

Alaska forced herself not to laugh and instead turned to face her wardrobe as Courtney left the room, only to return seconds later.

“Forgot my damn shower sandals,” she added, rummaging around her wardrobe. “Oh, and there’s no rush, but I’d love to meet your mystery woman! Bring her out to drinks when it’s right! I’m sure she’ll fit right in with the gang!”

“Aw,” Alaska nodded, holding back a laugh at the thought of Sharon clinking drink with her friends at the uni bar while Courtney took an oh so original Boomerang. “Thanks, Court.”

Courtney left again, and it was only when the door finally shut and she didn’t immediately return for another forgotten item did Alaska let herself collapse on her bed. She had so much to tell Sharon, but just like the revision quiz was she meant to be studying for, that problem could wait for tomorrow.

*

“Honey, I’m home!” Sharon announced as she closed her apartment door behind her upon spotting Alaska pottering around in the open plan kitchen.

“Sweetie!” Alaska replied, both of them laughing at the stereotypical sitcom trope.

“How’s my baby?” Sharon asked softly after pecking Alaska on the lips.

“Good,” Alaska smiled, busying herself by wiping down a mug that was already dry.

She swallowed dryly, attempting to calm her nerves as Sharon kicked off her heels and made herself comfortable, knowing her bombshell was only going to cause tension.

“Fuck, that 8am was a killer, but we had a pretty decent turn out. And people actually laughed at my jokes!” Sharon exclaimed, rinsing her coffee Keep Cup in the sink. “What a win!”

“I always laugh at your jokes,” Alaska smiled, wrapping her arms around her waist from behind. “They’re funny.”

“Aw, I know you do, I see you sitting there in the front row smiling down at your laptop,” Sharon cooed. “Also I’m really craving pumpkin risotto tonight so I hope you are too.”

“Sounds delish,” Alaska drawled, distracted. She was trying to find the perfect moment to tell Sharon, but she knew she just had to get the words out.

“I’m gonna get started on it now so we can have an early dinner and you can get back to the dorm in good time,” Sharon planned, pulling out pots and pans.

“Sounds good,” Alaska replied, opening the fridge and helping bring out ingredients, deciding then and there to break the news when Sharon was warm, well-fed and happy on wine.  

Almost an hour later, the moment arrived. They were cuddled on the couch, their dirty dinner dishes forgotten in the sink and their wine glasses running low on the coffee table.  Sharon’s lips were against her neck as her hand massaged Alaska, under her skirt but over her underwear.

It was slow and sensual, relaxing and comforting, everything they both normally loved, especially as a way to unwind after a Monday.

But Alaska couldn’t relax.

What she didn’t know, however, was that Sharon could sense it too.

“What’s on your mind, love?” Sharon asked gently, pulling back as she moved her hand to rest on Alaska’s waist.

“What?” Alaska said in surprise. “Nothing."

“Okay,” Sharon said uncertainly. “You sure? You’re just… a little tense.”

It was almost comical the way they watched Alaska’s body suddenly sag as she forced herself to relax.

“We can stop,” Sharon said, wide eyed as she moved her hands from Alaska. “Like if you’re not comfortable I totally understand and we can stop—“

“No, Sharon, baby, that’s not it, I promise” Alaska reassured her, her heart warming at Sharon being so considerate. “It’s not you.”

Sharon nodded, sensing Alaska was genuine.

“Then what?”

It was now or never.

“In… a series of events…” Alaska started, not knowing how to phrase it. “Courtney found out.”

Alaska knew this was going to be hard, but she wasn’t prepared.

“What!?”

Sharon sat frozen, before she ripped her hands from Alaska and stood up quickly, pacing the room before Alaska could get a second word in.  

“How does she know? What the fuck. Who told her? Did you tell her? Who else knows? Oh my fucking god—“

“Sharon I didn’t tell her!” Alaska had to interrupt, quickly standing up to match Sharon’s height, and to shake her shoulders if need be. “I would never tell her!”

“But she knows about us!?” Sharon exclaimed, whipping around to face Alaska. Her blue eyes were already brimming with moisture, and the sharp spike in emotion wasn’t something Alaska expected.

“No! Only that I’m seeing someone!” Alaska exclaimed back, moving to touch Sharon, who only shrugged her embrace away. Alaska fiddled with her hands instead, noticing how Sharon’s were shaking in response.

“Fuck me,” Sharon sighed, her shoulders slumping in relief as the situation became clearer, “you really should have fucking led with that information.”

Alaska nodded, knowing she had screwed up the delivery. She was just so nervous and overwhelmed that she had momentarily forgotten a key detail.

They stood in silence, Alaska waiting for Sharon to ask the questions, which she did.  

“Does she have any idea at all that it’s me?” Sharon asked, her hands on her hips as she stood in her office clothes, looking like she was in the middle of a high stress meeting.

“No, not at all,” Alaska answered. “She told me she hoped it wasn’t Derrick.”

Sharon made a face.

“Does anyone else know you’re in a relationship?”

“No,” Alaska answered. “But Courtney might talk… but she’s very loyal! …But was also very excited.”

“I don’t want your little friends to try and bust this case wide open,” Sharon ran her hands through her hair, pulling at her roots before dropping them completely and smacking her pencil skirt in the process.

“I can make Courtney promise not to tell,” Alaska attempted, not even taking offense to the ‘little friends’ jab. Alaska knew how immature they probably came across to Sharon, and she wasn’t about to start another argument.

“Yeah well fuckin’… college girl promises might not be kept.”

There was more silence, and Alaska bit her lip, looking at a still Sharon who stared at the ground, practically hearing the gears turning in her head.

“How did she find out, anyway?” Sharon questioned.

Fuck, Alaska thought.

“I… um, there’s this feature… on Snapchat, where they use your GPS location… and everyone is on this big map,” Alaska explained, looking at the floor instead of matching Sharon’s erratic gaze. “And… over the break I was sending Courtney photos of my mom’s baking and my little cat, saying I was back home.”

Alaska ignored her the shake in her voice. She was so fucking scared to tell Sharon.

“But… I forgot to turn my location off, so Courtney saw I was still here in Pittsburg—"

She heard Sharon inhale sharply.

“… And she asked me why I lied, and then guessed I was seeing someone… so now she knows.”

Alaska didn’t lift her head to see the look on Sharon’s face. She couldn’t. But before she could even respond, Sharon left. Alaska watched as her feet walked away, down the hallway, before she heard the sound of their bedroom door close.

She found a small comfort in the fact that Sharon didn’t slam it shut.  

Standing there, Alaska cried, letting the tears she had held back all night finally fall. She waited, straining to hear any sound come from Sharon’s room, or to see her re-emerge. But there was nothing.  

She knew she had fucked up, she knew this was her fault. But it felt like her heart was being crushed. This was their first ever fight, or conflict, at least. She wished for nothing more than to be back on the couch with Sharon, their bodies intertwined as they kissed.

Alaska paced around, not knowing what to do with herself now that she had calmed down. It was only just past 7pm, and she had told her dorm supervisor she would be back right before their 9pm cut off after ‘visiting her grandma, who happens to live in the area’.

She wrung her hands, not wanting to knock on Sharon’s door just yet. To distract herself, she did the dishes, the hot water softening her skin and soothing her senses. But as she stacked dishes, she smelt the faint scent of smoke. Suddenly on edge, Alaska looked around, inspecting the oven, toaster and microwave and wondering if anything was burning. But they were all empty.

She walked into the living room, sniffing the air and trying to hunt down the source. It was coming from outside, so she immediately suspected a forest fire, or perhaps someone getting too keen with their chimney.  

Opening the sliding glass door, she stepped onto the dark balcony before jumping back.

“Oh, sorry!” Alaska exclaimed upon seeing Sharon leaning against the railing, a lit cigarette perched between her fingertips as her silvery blonde hair blew gently in the night breeze.

Sharon jumped too, the interruption ripping her from her deep train of thought. She almost knocked her orange Halloween-themed glass ashtray off the railing in the process, but thankfully grabbed it just in time.  

“Oh my god, you spooked me,” Sharon whispered, clutching her chest and taking a drag.

“I thought you were unspookable,” Alaska said, standing in the doorway.

She noticed Sharon had entered the balcony from her bedroom’s glass door, which explained the silence.  

“I’ll go,” Alaska said. But she didn’t go. Instead, they stood there, the traffic from the ground filling the silence.

Alaska spoke again. “I didn’t know you smoked.”

“It’s a filthy habit, it’s gross, I’m really trying to quit,” Sharon explained quickly, hovering her hand around the ashtray as if to show she was about to stub it out.

“I’ll stop in a sec,” she instead said coyly, taking one last, long drag. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to get the smoke in. I know how gross it smells.”

Alaska was surprised at how apologetic Sharon was, and even more surprised at how she assumed Alaska was so against smoking. Which, on second thought, she was. But there was something so seductive about the way the embers from the lit end flickered in Sharon’s blue eyes, and how the smoke trailed up from her parted red lips.

“Oh, no,” Alaska stammered, physically shaking her head out of her trance. “I actually kind of like the smell of cigarettes.”

Sharon cocked her head to the side, smiling before stubbing it out.

“It’s like, comforting,” Alaska said bashfully, stepping out and joining Sharon now that the tension was gone.

Sharon felt a pang in her heart when she realised Alaska’s eyes were red-rimmed, and that her reaction had caused her pain.

She wrapped her arms around the younger girl to hold her, squeezing her as she felt Alaska squeeze back.

“I’m so sorry,” Sharon apologised, her words muffled as she spoke into Alaska’s hair.

“No, I’m sorry,” Alaska said, tilting her head up and looking at Sharon. “It was my mistake, I fucked up.”

“But I blew up.”

“Only because I screwed up again and didn’t tell you Courtney doesn’t know it’s you.”

They stood together, their arms wrapped around each other until they finally broke apart. Alaska lowered herself down on the two-person outdoor loveseat just behind them, and Sharon joined her.

“I just freaked the fuck out,” Sharon sighed.

“But like, rightly so,” Alaska replied, lacing her fingers with Sharon’s.

“It’s just,” Sharon started, “I know it’s only Courtney, but the more people who know, the more chance there is of this getting out, and if this gets out, everything will be ruined and I might not get to see you anymore and I know we’re both adults but we both knew the consequences of this and someone else knowing just makes this all so real and—“

“Sharon,” Alaska tried to interrupt.

“No, let me finish,” Sharon said, her heart pounding as the words poured out of her. “It’s all just hitting me now how real this all is and I’ve always cared about you and loved you but I need to tell you now that I’m so fucking in love with you, you have no idea, and the thought of losing you is my biggest fear. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I’ll be damned if I don’t get to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Alaska was silent, watching as Sharon finally took a deep breath. Realising her outpouring of emotions was over, Alaska’s face broke into a smile, which practically lit up the night sky.

“You love me?” Alaska whispered.

“So much,” Sharon whispered back, their lips centimetres apart.

“I love you too,” Alaska announced. “I’ve loved you for what feels like forever, and I know that sounds cheesy as fuck but lately I haven’t been able to imagine my life with anyone else. I wish we could go out and have brunch and take photos of it like Ivy and Jinkx, or go to museums and take photos of each other looking at art like Shea and Sasha, but I care so much more about you and us and our relationship, that having it get out isn’t what I want either. I just want you. I love you, Sharon, so much."

Sharon’s heart melted, and it was only when she blinked and her vision warped did she realise she had tears in her eyes.

Their lips met, passion exploding from their hearts and communicating so much more than what words could. Alaska’s fingers tangled in Sharon’s hair as Sharon’s tongue lapped against hers, a smokey aftertaste underpinning their embrace. They stayed like that on the balcony until they couldn’t anymore, Sharon’s arm wrapped around Alaska as they shared kisses and looked up at the stars, their hearts so full of love that they felt like they could ascend into the galaxy above them and shine together. While Courtney knowing of a relationship changed things, it only made their actions more secretive, their time together more precious, and their feelings for each other more raw and powerful. Sharon looked to the stars, knowing as long as no one else knew, things were going to be okay.

*

“So, when am I meeting your girlfriend?” Willam asked offhandedly, unassumedly picking up the soy sauce bottle as she eyed her colleague and closest friend

The avocado sushi grasped between Sharon’s wooden chopsticks fell to her plate as she stared wide eyed at Willam across the small table, her whole body frozen as the sushi train continued to politely glide around them.

“How do you know?” Sharon breathed.

“Oh my god,” Willam exclaimed, lowering her voice as she smiled with glee. “It was just a hunch. But you didn’t deny it. Holy shit."

Fuck fuck fuck, Sharon thought.

Like a ridiculous unbalanced seesaw, Willam’s expression became more excited as Sharon’s dawned in horror.

“You’re a fool, Needles, a damn fool,” Willam laughed. “Walked right into that one.”

Sharon ran an anxious hand through her hair, suddenly forgetting about her luch and looking at the other diners around them, on alert for any one of them to turn around and suddenly start publically shaming her for shagging a student.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Willam said softly, not expecting Sharon’s withdrawn, uncharacteristic reaction.

There was always a little chemistry between them that kept things exciting, but Willam and Sharon were close friends first. Best friends, even. They shared so many of the same interests, and both being lesbians was the final bond in their valuable, female friendship. It wasn’t unusual for them to discuss their relationships, ask for advice, or delve into the details of a recent hook-up. But Willam had noticed a change over the past few months. There were no more one-night stand reviews during their Monday lunchtime catch-ups (at least, not on Sharon’s behalf. Willam was still pulling her weight.)

Except, there was someone. Willam just knew. She didn’t miss the goofy smile from Sharon when her phone would light up during a faculty meeting, and how it wouldn’t leave her face until long after she’d locked her home screen. She didn’t miss the way Sharon claimed the love bite on her neck was a curling iron burn, when her hair that day was actually dead straight. She didn’t miss the way Sharon laughed louder and hugged Willam a little bit longer.

She seemed loved-up. She seemed happy.

And by the way she was currently acting, Willam was right.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to divulge into all the details,” Willam backtracked. She sensed Sharon’s hostility, but it only made her more curious.

“No, it’s okay,” Sharon lied, recalling the story Alaska had fed Courtney the night before. “We’re just… not official. I don’t know. I don’t know what we are at the moment, so I don’t really want to talk about it and like, jinx it…”

“Right,” Willam replied, eyeing the avocado and salmon combination coming travelling towards her. She wasn’t buying Sharon’s vague babbling. “Tell me her name.”

“No!” Sharon exclaimed, as if Willam had just had the audacity to ask Sharon for her dad’s phone number.

Sharon’s cheeks grew hot. She always talked about all things dating with Willam, and she knew she wasn’t coming across well. She was just so taken off-guard. But as Willam hailed a waitress to alert her the approaching wasabi bowl was empty, Sharon realised this was exactly how Alaska felt when Courtney had sprung it on her – and Sharon had made her feel worse. She made a mental note to spend extra time between her thighs tonight to make up for it.

“Why not?” Willam protested. “At least show me a photo. Is she cute? She better be.”

“No, I mean— no to showing you a photo,” Sharon explained. “And yes, she’s cute. She’s beautiful.”

“What does she do?” Willam asked, dunking her sushi into her little bowl of soy sauce as Sharon picked up her previously forgotten chopsticks.

“She’s… a hairdresser,” Sharon improvised, suddenly recalling the alibi Alaska had given her the moment they first met. The flashback to that incredible first night sent a flush of warmth through Sharon, and she couldn’t help but smile at the table at the thought of it.

“Aw,” Willam said through a mouthful of rice. “Look at you, she’s in love.”

Sharon burst out laughing. Willam had worn her down, and talking about Alaska, finally indulging and talking about her greatest pleasure of all, the woman who had captured her heart and was always on her mind, made her giddy.

“Look, you’ll hear all about her when things are more serious and a little more… set in stone,” Sharon promised. “l… really like her. So I really don’t want to fuck things up.”

Willam smiled at her friend as she heard the authenticity in her voice.  

“I’m so happy for you Shaz,” Willam said, the both of them not used to sentimental moments like this, “you deserve this.”

*

S: So

S: Willam knows

A: WHAT!?!?

S: About the relationship, not you personally

A: Thank fuck

A: Oh lol, I see what you did there

A: I’m gonna go to my room and smoke now

S: HEY

A: :))))

S: Happened exactly like you with C, she guessed, said she could tell

A: we’re such fools

S: loved-up fools

*

The sun beat down on Alaska’s back, warming her skin and drying the salt from the sea into her pores before she heard a voice.  

“Be careful not to burn,” Sharon warned, lowering her designer sunglasses to check up on Alaska sunbaking next to her, just out of reach of their umbrella’s circle of shade, which Sharon had made herself comfortable under.  

Alaska rolled her neck to the side, smiling at the lengths Sharon went to protect her milky white complexion and prevent early aging. Her blonde hair flowed down from the chic, wide brimmed straw hat she wore, while the dark sunglasses framed her face. An expensive long sleeves white shirt covered her arms, while a plunging black one piece hugged her figure. Her gorgeously long legs were exposed, though the umbrella protected them, as did the layers of sunscreen she had applied earlier. A novel rested in her lap, and a beer was wedged into the sand next to her.

In comparison, Alaska was laying in the sun, her high-cut olive green bikini showing off her curvy bottom, while her back was completely exposed, her bikini top left unhooked under her chest in a bid to get the perfect tan. Her once-wet hair was half drying as she laid, and grains of sand were peppered along her cheekbones.

After Sharon herself had been sprung, she still felt guilty for getting mad at Alaska for a simple mistake. But even though they couldn’t go public, Alaska admitting she wished they could do normal things like go out for brunch or to museums or the movies had played on Sharon’s mind ever since. With some Googling and a price tag that barely made a dent in Sharon’s bank account, she had found them a swish holiday Airbnb that backed onto their own little private beach.

The location was just over an hour away from campus, and the time of the year meant not many people were planning beach getaways. While cooler weather was on the horizon, they had lucked out, with the weekend away they booked being bathed in sunlight and humidity one last time before fall properly set in.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go swimming?” Alaska asked, rolling onto her side and giggling as Sharon lowered her sunglasses again to admire Alaska’s exposed chest.

“I’m sure,” Sharon said succinctly. “I stepped on some random crustacean when I was 15 and split my foot open and have been scared of the water ever since. But you looked very cute frolicking around before.”

“I’ve always wondered about that scar on your foot,” Alaska mused.

“Case closed,” Sharon said, taking a swing of her beer.

Alaska got up, walking over to Sharon and ducking underneath their short umbrella. She sat down on her lap, not caring that her wet hair dropped water onto the other woman, or that her damp body was against her pristine shirt. Sharon discarded her book, choosing to instead wrap her arms around Alaska as their lips met. She sighed as her skin felt the heat radiating off Alaska.

“You’re so warm,” Sharon murmured, kissing her girlfriend, “like my personal little sun.”

Alaska giggled, and being this close meant Sharon noticed the odd little freckle here and there on her face, and how her nose scrunched up when she laughed.

“Okay, I’m the sun,” Alaska said, playing with Sharon’s hair, “and you’re my moon.”

“That’s very cute,” Sharon replied, moving to kiss Alaska’s neck and licking her lips as she tasted salt.

“Please come and swim with me? I promise there are no crustaceans, and the moon actually controls the sea, so you can just shoo them away if they get too close."

“Oh my god,” Sharon grinned, allowing Alaska to haul her up from her beach chair. Their heads almost knocked into the umbrella, but after Sharon shrugged her sun shirt off and Alaska piled her salty hair onto her head and secured it into a messy bun, they walked towards the water together.

Sharon’s alabaster skin glowed in the sunlight, and it was endearing to see her be so cautious as they stepped into the calm water. Once their bodies climatised, they walked in a little deeper, Alaska always a step in front and holding her hand, and Sharon following her sandy little bottom until they became waist deep.

“Are you still scared?” Alaska asked, wrapping her hands around Sharon’s neck and feeling herself pulse as her bare chest pressed against Sharon’s.

Without Alaska initially meaning it and through a weird, telepathic way, they both realised her words carried a meaning beyond just the sea. There would be a million consequences if their relationship got out. Those closest to them would get hurt, and judgment would come from every angle.

But ever since their mutual declaration of love, that ending to their relationship didn’t feel like an ending anymore, but just something that could happen. They would still carry on, hand in hand, together.

“No,” Sharon said, hugging Alaska closer. “As long as I have you, I’m not scared.”c

[sarahnairn3]

Benefits

Highly versatile. Wide range of applications from products and furniture to large-scale sculpture and construction

Unique. Good consistency between panels, but each one will have its own distinct pattern

Hand-made. Each panel is composed by hand

Sustainable. 100% recycled and 100% recyclable

Easily cared for. The materials are easy to work with, clean and maintain

No VOC off-gassing. All of the classics range of panels are made from chemically inert recycled plastics waste

Material Properties

The materials in our classics range have the following properties:

Hard, dense and rigid

100% waterproof, rot-proof and strong weather resistance

Solid and consistent, allowing you to have a decorative edge

Moderate scratch resistance, and can be refinished

UV resistance (except our Alba material, which yellows in the sun but can be refinished)

Can be heat-formed into shapes

Matt/planed finish, and can be polished

Can be machined, drilled, cut (router, CNC), water cut and fixed using adhesives and screws

Recommended Applications

There’s an almost limitless number of ways to use our materials, but the following applications have proven particularly successful:

Store and Exhibition Design – plinths, display counters, cabinets, signage, partitions and furniture

Bar/Cafe/Restaurant Design – counter tops, table tops, partitions, bathrooms, toilet cubicles

Office Design – table tops, shelving, seating, bathrooms

Product and Furniture Design – from jewellery to homeware to dining tables, both indoor and outdoor

Residential – bathroom panels, wet rooms, counter tops, splashbacks, cabinet doors, furniture and shelving

Recreation – playgrounds, swimming pools and spas

For more ideas, head over to our Inspirations section.

The material

Our material is made from various recycled plastics or other waste streams of an exceptional quality. We work with (amongst other things) plastic bottles, yoghurt pots and packaging, plant pots, food packaging and coffee grounds. All our materials are highly versatile, easy to work with and waterproof.

Turning plastic waste into artistic panels to make counters, cabinets, furniture, bathroom tiles and more — that’s the work of Smile Plastics.

[luckglass-blog]

Temperable satin surface acid frosted painted glass for kitchen splashback.     √Limitless Colour Options √Durable √Scratches resistant √Easy to clean √Finger print proof √Stains resistant √Custom product   #obscureglass #satinglass #acidglass #frostedglass #acidfrostedglass #frostedglassdoors #Coloured Glass Panels #Surface etched and carved glass  #doubleglazingglass #buildingglass #temperedglass #stainedglass #windowglass #lowironglass  https://www.instagram.com/p/B5rQ5BklbvR/?igshid=1mu6k2tmx0ty5

[creoglass09-blog]

View all our previous splashback and worktop installtions to inspire your colour and design choices. Use the drop-down filters to sort the images & videos and find the exact combination of worktop, splashback and cabinet colours you are looking for in your own kitchen.

[downingdesigns]

2019 Buyers Guide to Glass Countertops …Written by an Experienced Glass Fabricator Copy

Content

Interviewing Your Glass Fabricator

Author Qualifications

Glass Countertop Types and Terms

Textures for Glass Countertop

Glass Countertop Cutting and Polishing

Lighting Glass Countertops

Metal Support Brackets and Installation Techniques

Glass Countertops Cost

Installation and Shipping

Remodeling Trends

Conclusion

ERRATA:  The Dumbest Glass Countertop Ideas on the Internet

Thick Glass countertops are one of the hottest design trends in Kitchen and Bath remodeling today. No other material enhances the visual beauty of your space like the translucent nature of glass. It offers endless creative possibilities which high-end designers demand when their projects require a luminous focal point.

This buyers guide will help you understand the many decorative options available to make it “POP” in your home.

As a buyer, we recommend you ask lots of questions of your glass fabricator after website visits followed by On-Site tours and first-hand inspection of product quality.

Do your reputation research. Know what you are getting for your money in writing upfront.  Here are some good interview questions to start…

  Questions for your Glass Countertop Fabricator

Where are your products Made… In the USA? 

Are they responsive via phone, text and email?  Speak with Who will Measure, Design, Fabricate and Install.

Share your Vision with your Fabricator in Sketches and Photos from e.g. Houzz  

Are your Inputs taken when Designing Glass textures?

Do they Feel Passionate about their work…or are they just a slab exporter?

Are they Reputable ?

Get a written Quote with all options itemized with Installation.

Author Qualifications

This guide was written by Jeff Downing of Downing Designs, a professional design-build-install studio that has installed millions of dollars of custom Glass surfaces. He has an intimate understanding of glass countertop fabrication.

Downing Designs has a truly unique approach where human interaction and creative insight are fluidly aligned to imagine a  brighter future for your space. Great things happen (e g. Prototypes) when we cross-pollinate our ideas with others. The result is a functional piece of glass art that has an emotional connection with their clients.

If you Google  “Buy Glass Countertops” you will see many keyword-stuffed, ad-driven sites posting misleading statements and very odd glass high bar support ideas.  Please enjoy our ERRATA section at the end where we’ve called them out for their misleading statements and expensive glass countertops installed in strange, half-baked ways.  Buyer Beware!

Glass Types and Terms

Glass Countertops can be fabricated from a variety of glass. Float Glass is commonly used. Float glass is a flat sheet created by “floating” raw molten glass (a mix of raw material and recycled glass cullet) over a bath of molten tin.

Float Glass  glass pieces up to 177” x 127” x ¾” thickness are available and are well suited for flat, back painted countertops and splashbacks.

3/4″ Low iron Glass Backpainted White

Low-Iron Glass is a Float glass with low amounts of iron which render a light bluish hue. This is critical when viewing the edge, as you will see the color intensity greatly magnified. Low-iron glass is well suited for countertops and backsplashes.

“Clear” Glass is a Float glass with higher iron content that renders it a greenish hue. The thicker the glass, the deeper the hue. Dont use “Clear” glass if you are back painting the glass as it will tint your final result.

Tempered Glass is created from Float Glass by heating in an oven and then quickly cooling. Tempered glass is about 4x stronger than annealed glass, allowing it to be used for thin glass applications e.g. shower doors, sneeze guards. Tempered glass must have all cuts completed before tempering. Usually, glass that is ¾” or thicker need NOT be tempered for use in bathrooms vanity tops, or kitchen glass counters.

Designer Note:  Lighting flat glass with LEDs is generally a waste of money because it has no texture depth to deflect the light.

Slumped Glass is made by placing glass over a mold then thermoforming at ~1300 degrees F in Kilns until the glass “slumps” and to the shape of the mould.  Slumping glass over large textured ceramic sand beds creates textured glass Sinks and Glass Backsplashes.  

Fused Textured Glass is a process where sheets of float glass are thermoformed over a large ceramic sand bed or mould and fused at ~1450 degrees F,  then annealed. The annealing process “heat-strengthens” the fused glass product to almost 2x annealed glass strength. Fused textured glass at 1.5” thick is very strong and is an extremely durable material that can be cantilevered  to a much greater degree than most surfacing materials.

Glass Countertop Cantilevered 37″ from left Support

Designer note:  1” thick countertops do not have the visual depth on edge vs 1.5” glass but cost only fractionally less.

Textured glass hides the appearance of fingerprints and minor scratches.

Fused Glass with Colors is created using an inter-layer “paint” of glass frit and enamels and then fired. Vibrant colors are possible.

Glass With Colored Frit Fused in between Layers

Hot glass is the process of gathering and molten glass and twirling it into the artists final vision. Beautiful small artistic glass sinks and pieces can be formed this way. Examples include Dale Chihuly and “Big Wave” Dave Wight.  

White Glass countertops (aka Nano glass, Crystallized glass) are a fusion of recycled glass and minerals created at 3000 degrees. It is poured, cooled then polished to a very high gloss shine. White glass countertops share a non-porous nature with Glass.

Pure White Glass countertops change the spatial relationship of every room they reside. In fact, they make kitchens and baths appear ~25% larger.

White Glass Countertops in Kitchen

From a 2019 survey on Houzz:  White countertops continue to grow in popularity. Nearly one in three counters are done in white (22%, 27% and 31% in 2017, 2018 and 2019 studies, respectively) making them the #1 countertop choice for homes.

White glass is much harder on the Mohs hardness scale (7) vs glass (5.5)  or granite (6.2) or engineered quartz (6.7). It is a superior countertop material for outdoors as it reflects much of the solar energy, is UV-proof, non-porous, stain-proof, requires zero maintenance or sealing, acid-proof and does not burn from cigarettes. White glass comes in slabs 120” x 60” x 1.2”

Black Glass countertops are similar to White glass…but a deep, pure opaque high gloss black. These will get hot in direct sunlight.

Recycled Glass Countertops is a matrix made up of small chips of colorful recycled glass chips in a binder and sold in slabs. A concrete based binder for your recycled glass countertops will require a sealant application. A resin-based binder will stand up to stains better, but can’t be used outdoors…UV light will degrade it. Many choices for colors and binders are available. Vetrazzo, IceStone, Geos are notable brands.

  Textures for Glass Countertops

Texturing Glass Upon selection of the glass countertop to be used, fabrication can begin after measuring, templating, and texture design. A like a bespoke tailor, a full-service glass countertop designer-fabricator will demonstrate ALL of your options to accessorize your glass countertop to achieve the utmost in “wow” factor. These critical points include:

Stamped Textures provide a consistent textured look that is omni-directional. These can be interesting when selected for the right environment.

Hand Sculpted Textures are artistically carved into the kiln bed to create the texture you desire. Deep textures create drama and are spectacular when lit with LEDs and downlights. See our Fox News video showing some of this sculpting process.

Designer Tip: Communicate and review pattern suggestions, and refine these until happy. Select a glass texture that enhances the personality of your room “flow”. Don’t settle for a stamped textured piece of glass when for the same amount of money you can have a custom designed statement piece that flows elegantly with the lines in your home. Make sure your texture flows from one piece of glass to another across the seam in multi-sectional countertops. See Video below for a glass counter that flows well with the room.

    Hand Texturing Kiln Bed for Glass Countertops

Smooth texture transition at corner

Air Bubbles trapped between layers of glass are part of their endearing “flaws” since glass is not formed under a vacuum.

They enhance the visual interest and depth of thick glass countertops. More Bubbles can be creatively added to glass countertops (with chemicals) if that is your desire.

  Glass Cutting and Polishing

Kiln-formed glass must be cut to size and have holes drilled. Waterjets, wet saws and polishing tools with plenty of water are used. Make sure your glass fabricator has these in his shop to efficiently move your glass from kiln to cutting to polishing.

Designer Note:  Make sure you inspect the quality of the edge polish of your glass countertop upon arrival. If it has lines from a worn out CNC bit, reject it!  Your glass edge should offer a perfectly polished lens into your glass.

Also, 45 degree bevels present (2) sharp edges where the top meets the face. Gently rounded over edges are much more comfortable, and much less prone to chipping. See below picture illustrating those points.

Lines on Face due to Worn Out CNC bit…”Shiney but Liney”

Lighting Glass

Make sure you have a thorough Lighting plan for LED Edge Lighting, Down lighting and Ambient Lighting so they can all contribute to the WOW factor of your glass countertop.

LED Edge and Down lighted Glass Countertop…Note Dramatic Shadows on Floor

LED Edge Lighting is typically this is the best way to light textured glass countertops. Narrow LED strip lights on the edge of the countertop allow for high levels of striking high-contrast color. Done right, your glass countertop will “POP”…especially at night. Color and brightness are achieved with a controller, usually a smart phone app. This produces millions of stunning colors that can even dance to your music. You will need to run wires from the LED strips to a controller and transformer to a 110v power outlet. Use quality LEDs…this is not a place to save money as they can be tricky to replace once installed.

Designer Tip: Your LED cover and wiring should be minimalist and allow viewing into glass as well as reduce the pixel appearance from the front. Get a plan to conceal the LED wires through the supports and lower surface.

Minimalist LED Cover…no Visible Wires.

On A Lighter Side Note:  Our “proprietary” research shows that properly lit Glass High Bars are in fact “Time Machines”. Apparently, a huge benefit of the upward angling and soft mood lighting from our glass high bars is that it “turns back the clock a few years”. (It makes my vintage 1959 wrinkles almost go away…we are not sure how to price that benefit just yet).

Down lighting from the ceiling will create a powerful mimic shadow upon the floor and lower surface. It is a perfect lighting technique for High bars to complement LED edge lighting.

Designer Tip: Modern LED downlights are available that create a tight, well-defined X-Ray shadow upon the floor. They are powerful, dimmable and consume very little electricity. Aim the light to project the shadows where you desire…preferably at an angle to make the shadows look bigger.

Ambient lighting allows the glass to pop naturally during the day in a sunny location. Low iron glass is naturally beautiful when lit with sunlight. See the pictures and video below.

Glass Countertop without LED in Daylight

Same Countertop Down lit at Night

  Under lighting Glass requires a tall structure on the underside of the textured glass to allow for even distribution of light…which may be unsuitably high for your countertop.

Designer Note: It also creates a very “flat” lighting effect that minimizes the contrast of shadow vs light and robs textures of their visual depth. It “highlights” the rib structure of the underlying panels…and is not pretty. (see below). This technique does however work well with onyx slabs.

Underlit Glass Countertop…Looks like an XRay!

  Metal Support Brackets and Installation Techniques

Supports Metal support brackets of all shapes and sizes are available. Custom metal supports must often be fabricated to suit unusual installs e.g floor-mounted supports.   Your metal fabricator should be able to offer you any custom design you wish…not just some one-size-fits-all support.  Make sure your plan for your high bar is sturdy and elegant.  Methods of attachment of the glass to the support include:

Silicone. Best used to attach textured glass to flat supports.

Metal Caps. Low Profile caps are best if caps are used.

UV glue. Fastest bond for flat glass to flat metal supports.

High Bar with (3) Low Profile Caps, No supports

High Bar with Low Profile Caps, Stainless Supports in Ground.

High Bar with Custom Supports…attached by Silicone

  Designer tip: Many designs are lazy and use ill-conceived support techniques. They often prevent you from freely rotating in your high bars stools because your knee hits the support. Or, they use “hockey puck caps” on top of the glass to prevent you from having an uninterrupted smooth flow across your high bar surface. Look for these “beauties” in the “Errata” section at the end of this article. Make sure your supports do not interact with your knees at your glass high bar. Look closely at the  pictures above and below. They have a clean look owing to thoughtfully designed custom cantilevering brackets . They are concave on the high bar chairs side, thus making it very hard to hit your knee as you rotate your high bar chair.

Custom Bracket designed to Not Hit Your Knee

Back painting glass maximizes the visual depth of the textured glass countertop, backsplash or sink basin, while hiding the ability to see under or behind the glass.

Designer Tip: Back painting is preferred to laminating or painting your underlayment because gnats can find their way between the bottom of textured glass and the top of the laminate where their little carcasses will pepper the background forever. Not Pretty. Silver metallic and white back paint add depth. Back paint can be tinted to match your decor.

Textured 1/2″ Glass Backsplash Backpainted with LEDs

Installation and Shipping.

Expensive Glass requires skillful planning and experienced manpower to install.

Designer Note: We have been on a few time critical installations where cabinets, plumbing, electrical work, ceiling plastering were all being dome in the same kitchen at the same time!  This is not good.

Please have a schedule that allows the glass counter to be one of the last installations...just like a valuable piece of wall art. Having too many tradesman in the room after installation increases the risk of damage to your artistic piece.

Crating for Shipping. Crates are specially fabricated for glass countertops with plenty of sturdy foam to cushion it during shipping.  Make sure you purchase insurance t cover the cost of both the glass as well as the shipping costs.

Solid Crate for Shipping Glass Counters

Glass Countertops Cost:

As you can see, there is a wide range of options for glass countertops. It is impossible to conclude a precise cost but these numbers below can give you a start.

$100+/sq. ft. for ¾” flat low-iron glass. Backpaint, thermoforming, waterjetting custom shapes, holes, etc. adds to cost.

$350+/sq. ft. for 1.5” textured low-iron glass. LEDs, backpaint, custom shapes, size of piece, supports, installation, etc. add to cost.

White Glass and Recycled Glass are $125-175+/sq. Ft.

Installation and delivery costs add to the above.

Remodeling Trends

In an interesting article on Houzz, they show that homeowners are increasing their spending more on High-End countertops vs other kitchen elements.

Houzz Survey…Buyers are Splurging on Countertops

Conclusion

You are going to have to place your trust and money in someone to faithfully execute your glass countertop project. If your vendor cannot confidently lead you through each step in the design, template, custom textural sculpting, fabrication, lighting, back-painting, supporting, securing, shipping as well as installing, then find one who can …or…risk a poor outcome. Glass counters cost too much to risk a poor outcome in the hands of amateurs.

Find a passionate glass fabricator that can listen to you and bring out the best in your ideas, create a plan and lead you through the process. The result will be an unbelievable artistic “wow” piece in your home for many years.

Jeff Downing is the founder of Downing Designs in Downtown Tampa, FL. He has represented Hewlett-Packard and Philips Medical amongst others before quitting to open his custom design studio. His teachings and blogs help architects, designers, etc. to embrace creative new ways to use glass in their projects. He previously represented ThinkGlass for several years before purchasing his own kilns to bring his unique artistic glass visions to life.

  ERRATA  

STRANGE Glass statements we have scraped from the Internet…”Fake News”

“On average, the minimum cost for glass countertops per square foot is $75, while the maximum cost per square foot is around $105.”

Clearly they have never made a thick textured glass countertop.

“Annealed Glass—Similar to tempered glass, annealed glass has chemicals added to the resin mixture to increase its strength.”  

A chemical added to the resin??? This is glass, NOT plastic.

“Nonetheless, there are many other factors that can increase or decrease the total cost of glass counters. Supplies such as sealants and adhesives add an average of $2.45 per finished square foot of surface area.”

Sealants????   Why do you need to seal glass? Its non-porous.

“Contact with acidic foods, drinks, and certain cleaners can affect the surface and require fixing”  

Not unless you are serving hydrofluoric acid to your guests! Nonsense!

  Odd Designs Ideas for High Bars

  Underlit Glass Countertop…Looks like an XRay!

This ugly under lighting completely ruins an otherwise nice glass countertop. Very Odd looking.

  Glass Countertop with Hockey Pucks and Archaic supports. Where am I supposed to sit ?   Knee and Shin bashing will occur.  Careful of those Hockey Pucks!  Thanks, but I think I’ll stand…

Again, where am I supposed to sit?  Knee bashing will occur. Shins are safe here. Robs the ability to seat people normally.

Posts to Floor Reduce Usable Bar Space

Glass Countertop with fat supports and LED covers

 Where does my glass of wine and dinner plate sit? Look out for those hockey pucks!  You cannot see the edge of  the glass while cooking!   Glass Counters should look great from all sides.

What is the Point? No Cantilever, Lots of Hockey Pucks,No room to clean under.

  This client went with a slab vendor  (Thinkglass) that merely took their money with no thoughtful advice (e.g. backpaint) to prevent this half-baked result. The result is a glass countertop that shows everything inside the cabinet. Thinking about themselves and not about getting this piece right!

Glass Countertop without BackPaint…NOT Pretty to see insides of cabinets

Thanks for making it this far. If you care to speak further, please call or text my cell phone at (813) 784 5211.

Jeff Downing

The post 2019 Buyers Guide to Glass Countertops …Written by an Experienced Glass Fabricator Copy appeared first on Downing Designs.

from Downing Designs https://downingdesigns.com/glass-countertops-buyers-guide-copy/

[elitepainting1-blog]

Reflection Splashback Panels

Splashbacks are an integral part of any kitchen. While their main purpose is to protect the walls of your kitchen from grease, food splatters, heat and moisture that arises with cooking, splashbacks can also make a huge difference in the look of the kitchen. There are currently numerous types of splashbacks in different colours, materials, styles and finishes that can make choosing the right one overwhelming. Glass and stainless steel often come with a hefty price tag whereas acrylic is susceptible to scratches. Tiled splashbacks are versatile and cost effective but the groutwork may need replacement in the future. Reflections splashback panels are a great solution. Here are a few reasons to consider using Reflections kitchen splashback panels in your home.

Durable Material

Reflections splashbacks are constructed out of a high density mineral core with an aluminium coating that is stronger than traditional glass and more flexible than acrylic whilst also being durable and sturdy. A popular alternative to glass and granite, Reflections splashbacks are grout proof, flame retardant, steam resistant and waterproof, making it an ideal, cost effective solution for kitchens. Cleaning and maintenance is a breeze as the non-porous surface doesn’t trap dirt, stains or grime. A simple wipe down with common household detergents is all that’s required.

Easy Installation

Installation is convenient and versatile, as the panels are easily cut, drilled and shaped to fit any space. Cut and trim the panels on site with simple hand cutting tools to ensure the perfect fit or better yet, order custom cut to size kitchen splashback panels for an easy DIY job as they can be placed on top of existing splashbacks or tile walls. Measuring a slim 4mm thick, these panels are an easy way to upgrade any home kitchen.

Style and Finishing

Available in 14 stylish designer colours from neutrals, to pops of colour and metallic shades, there’s one to suit any home decor. Reflections kitchen splashbacks are able to mimic the appearance and appeal of glass splashbacks at a fraction of the cost, offering a sleek and stylish look. They are coated with high gloss paint technology to effectively reflect light, making even the smallest kitchens feel bright and airy. Moreover the metallic options incorporate subtle metallic flakes for added dimension and shine.

So if you’re looking for kitchen splashbacks, stop by the E Kitchens website. We stock a range of solutions from cabinets to benchtops, everything you’d need for a kitchen renovation. We have a sizeable range of Reflections Splashback options and we are always adding more!  Reflections Splashbacks offer a great range of versatility in terms of colour, size and style whilst also maintaining high quality sturdy finishing. Moreover they can be custom cut to size to fit any space. We are dedicated to helping you create the kitchen of your dreams. If you have a renovation plan in mind, don’t hesitate to contact us at (08) 9456 3108 to speak to one of our friendly designers who are willing to assist you with any queries or qualms you may have.

[signaturekitchen]

4 fun and fabulous colour makeovers for your kitchen floor

A kitchen is not only the heart of the home, it’s a big capital investment. No wonder that most of us are drawn to timeless neutral colour schemes that are ‘safe’ in the sense of giving us the best return on the investment.

Having said that, unless you accentuate your plain room scheme with some colour, it can all get a little too boring. Of course, there’s no shortage of interior design advice out there to help you inject some colour into your kitchen. But on the floor?

We’ve got some great ideas on how to bring some zest and excitement to your kitchen design by decorating from the ground up. A colour makeover for your kitchen floor can be whatever you want it to be: fast and free, cheap and cheerful, creative and quirky, subtly elegant or properly professional. Take a look at these 4 fabulous suggestions and fall in love with your kitchen all over again.

Source: The Chromologist

Paint the floorboards

Whether you live in a period building or a modern home, chances are that if you take a look under your current kitchen flooring surface, you’ll find wooden floorboards. Assuming these are in good structural condition (they can be restored or replaced, of course), you can sand and paint them any colour you want.

Painting floorboards is an incredibly versatile option, and an affordable one too. Choose from one plain overall colour treatment, painting stripes or chevrons, borders or even mosaic tile effects. Go for a bold colour for immediate impact. You can also use paint effects to trick the eye. For instance, visually enlarge your floor space simply by painting the skirting board in the same colour.

As a high traffic area, your painted kitchen floor may not stay pristine in the long term but then the well loved, weathered look may add to the overall charm of your home, particularly if it is a period property. For added protection, you can add a tough top lacquer coat to the floor, and recoat it every few years.

Source: The Chronicles of Home

Throw on some rugs

Enlivening your kitchen colour scheme can be as easy as putting a pretty rug or two on the floor. Of course, there’s no need to go overboard and invest in expensive oriental carpets – after all, accidents and spills are bound to occur and might spoil the rug.

Instead, go for a cheap and cheerful option that’s easy to replace – perhaps using colourful, recycled cotton rag rugs that don’t cost a lot, or budget friendly, hardwearing kitchen rugs and mats that are practical and easy to clean, made from sisal or polypropylene? If only a real rug will do, opt for a mid-priced cotton kelim in a bold tribal design or a traditional vintage rug where the odd stain won’t show.

Having a rug on the kitchen floor may take a bit of getting used to (don’t forget the non-slip underlay!) but you’ll be surprised how quickly you will grow to love the softness and warmth underfoot!

Source: Harvey Maria

Fresh and modern vinyl flooring

If your current kitchen floor looks drab and dated, why not give it a makeover using vinyl? LVT (luxury vinyl tiles) is the fastest growing type of flooring in the world and a very long way from the cheap and nasty vinyl sheet flooring of old.

LVT is made from environmentally friendly products and meets all building standards. In terms of everyday use, it’s a doddle to clean, requiring nothing more than a damp mop now and again.

The best bit is that LVT comes in a vast selection of styles and sizes and colours at a price that’s eminently affordable, given the alternatives. Slip, stain and scratch resistant, as well as water proof, it’s the perfect surface for a kitchen that gets a lot of heavy household use. In fact, this material ranks among the most durable flooring materials, able to handle intense traffic without damage.

Source: Country Living

Colour with ceramic tiles

With kitchen tiles, you have a choice: you can play it safe with natural colours – and they can look stunning – or you can take a chance and inject some pizzazz to make a real design statement on the floor. Why not choose a plain jewel colour to bring your kitchen floor alive? Or choose from an array of intricate patterns such as Moroccan inspired decorative flooring or earthy, geometric designs. Or go for a plain tile with a bold, ornate border? There’s a wide choice and it’s all yours.

Ceramic tiles are perhaps a more subtle way to add impact to your neutral kitchen scheme than, say, a brightly coloured splashback. However, in terms of flexibility, there’s a huge selection of shapes, colours and sizes available and the opportunity to design your own patterns, should you fancy the creative challenge.

The post 4 fun and fabulous colour makeovers for your kitchen floor appeared first on The Kitchen Think.

Via Mike James http://www.thekitchenthink.co.uk

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kitchen glass splashbacks

Kitchen glass splashbacks are becoming an interesting kitchen decor with time. The development really arrived to gentle when some daytime TV reveals outlined the visible appeal and design of these glass splashbacks. Glass splashbacks in your kitchen have several advantages besides seeking visually appealing. Although it is difficult to ignore the beauty they provide to one's kitchen, one specific reason persons choose them is their durability.

Thus, it is now essential to have some glass company in the kitchen to improve its appeal.

Unfortunately, several folks are unwilling to use glass in their houses, particularly in the kitchen, considering it sensitive and delicate. Furthermore, they believe that glass is said to be handled cautiously, and therefore it is greater off repaired in windows. Surprisingly, individuals who are pleasantly operating through active highways at 70m/hr sitting in a vehicle with a couple of inches far from a slim glass sheet make such assumptions and prevent applying glass in their living space this site .

When you have ever viewed day preparing reveals, you will see that chefs generally prepare food on glass boards. You can see that smashing and reducing with different blades and razors with sharp sides, or contact with large pots, boiling pans, water, and acids doesn't influence glass counters and splashbacks. Which means glass does definitely not need to be fragile. Glass may, in fact, be really durable.

House glass service is getting popular time by day. Persons are searching for new and progressive solutions to beautify their residing space. The transparency feel of beauty with glass fittings is a perfect supplement to any house. The type of glass found in kitchens and other home parts usually are tough. They've a smooth and clear floor, are reduce proof and break proof, scratch resilient, and offer incredible brightness and type in kitchen. Glass is both a reflector and refractor of light. For this reason having glass splashbacks in a home can be an efficient way to really make the home search contemporary, large, brighter and lighter.

Nowadays, you've many choices when it comes to house glass fixtures. You don't have to stay with those previous transparent, one colored or colorless glasses. You can cause an exceptional view in your home by the addition of decorative and uneven glass accessories in accordance with your kitchen's theme. Get some fast glass support now and include elegant, stylish, contemporary splashbacks in your home today.

[mountaintree49-blog]

Kitchen Decor

The most recent craze in interior design and style, high gloss kitchen area splashbacks are a vibrant and contemporary different to glass splashbacks giving a flawless and long lasting finish. The large gloss is produced by a layer of clear acrylic which is coextruded over a layer of coloured acrylic. The remarkable light admittance of the obvious acrylic permits the colour to display via, ensuing in a vibrancy and depth of colour not witnessed in other acrylic sheets. Plexiglas Hi-Gloss acrylic can be mounted as a splashback about the kitchen area behinds sinks and operate surfaces, even though it need to not be utilised guiding a hob or other warmth resource. Publicity to large temperatures can warp acrylic over time, so if the substantial gloss is to be put in behind a hob a warmth-shielding substance this kind of as toughened glass must also be used to protect the acrylic. Substantial gloss acrylic sheets are mounted to a wall or supporting structure with a large-toughness double-sided tape along with crosslinking silicone to guarantee a flawless and extended lasting finish with no distortion to the surface area of the sheet. Even so prior to the sheet is installed there are a variety of preparations to make to equally the sheet and the substrate to make certain the splashback seems to be its greatest. Prime Tip: High gloss acrylic sheet will be delivered with a masking film on the surface area to safeguard from scratches and marks - never eliminate this film until the sheet is installed! best knife set for the money could want to drill and cut the acrylic sheet before putting in to make holes for plug sockets, pipes or other wall characteristics which will interrupt your splashback. To do this excessive care have to be taken to avert the sheet from cracking or breaking, so it is recommended that only pre-floor twist drill bits that are created for use with acrylic sheet are utilised. When drilling the sheet, the drill bit ought to be positioned slowly and gradually and carefully pushed via. Slow the feed as the little bit reaches the other side to stop chipping of the colored layer, and it could be advantageous to use a piece of wooden as a supporting material. To amazing the acrylic simply use faucet h2o to the region that has been drilled. To noticed the sheet, non-vibrating high velocity equipment ought to be employed to achieve the cleanest-cut edges which may then be polished to restore the large gloss lustre. best knife set america's test kitchen and desk saws may possibly be employed, but must only protrude a bit beyond the area of the sheet to minimise vibration and movement. Jigsaws are also ideal for reducing substantial gloss acrylic sheets, and will successfully and neatly noticed the plastic if only straight-tooth blades are used and if treatment is taken to spot the shoe firmly on the masking film. This will safeguard the acrylic from unwanted chipping, preserving the edge for the most expert end to the splashback. When again, faucet h2o could be utilized to great the acrylic following cutting. Best Tip: Evaluate twice, reduce after! As soon as your colourful high gloss acrylic sheet has been shaped to match your kitchen area, you may wish to complete the edges and restore that crystal-obvious lustre to the splashback. This is specifically essential in which the edge could be noticeable and it will give the splashback an nearly glass-like result and the large transparency of the plastic will allow the layer of color to be noticed. To sleek off and buff the edges of higher gloss acrylic, moist sanding need to very first be carried out in 3 levels with three grades of sandpaper: • 1st, coarse sandpaper of 80-240 grit • Then, medium sandpaper of 400 grit • And lastly, fantastic sandpaper of 600-one thousand grit As soon as the sanding approach has been concluded and the tough edges of the plastic brought on by sawing or slicing have been smoothed out, the shine can be restored to the acrylic with the use of a polishing wax, paste or even a commercially offered car polish. A lot of minimize plastic sheeting suppliers will advocate a model of sprucing wax or paste, and this solution will demonstrate useful later on on as a indicates of getting rid of scratches from the area of the plastic which may incur by way of many years of use. For edge ending, apply the sharpening item and buff with a delicate material. A buffing wheel will supply extremely enjoyable results for edge finishing. Leading Idea: Hid edges may be finished by basically deburring with a scraper or a file. After the sheet is totally prepared, it really is time to prepare the wall or substrate for putting in the large gloss splashback. Large gloss acrylic sheeting might be mounted on a quantity of surfaces which includes: • Water-proof gypsum wall board • Coated moisture-resistant chipboard • Coated MDF • Firmly put in mirror tiles • Stone or concrete coated with latex paint • And numerous a lot more The key requirements of a suited substrate for a higher gloss acrylic kitchen splashback are that it is water resistant, flat and uniform in profile, and free from free substance. Preparing of the substrate is a crucial element of setting up a splashback, and the far better the substrate the much better the floor of the acrylic will appear after it is set up. All walls and substrates have to be thoroughly clean, flat, dry, free from grease and dust, strong and load bearing. As soon as the sheet and the wall have been prepared and appropriately finished, the splashback is all set for set up. Below we will discuss the advisable technique for long lasting wall installation of higher gloss acrylic, such as in a kitchen as a splashback surface area. Top Idea: Just before last installation, carry out some 'dry runs' to make certain the sheet is minimize accurately and the substrate is effectively prepared. When bonded there's no heading again! Just before applying the bonding materials to the wall, clear the reverse of the acrylic sheet with isopropyl alcohol or petroleum ether, this will remove any traces of dust or grease which may possibly undermine the adhesive. Then we are prepared to utilize the adhesive to the substrate. I would advocate 19mm double-sided mirror tape and crosslinking silicone strips positioned amongst the tape. The silicone beads should be amongst 3 and 4mm in peak, and the strips of tape and silicone need to be evenly dispersed with just sufficient space to stop the silicone from coming into speak to with the tape when it spreads out. When you believe the sheet is all set to go on the wall, placement it at a 45o angle just before straightening it from the wall and urgent it firmly and evenly. Using a spirit degree assists to boost the evenness of the unfold, ensuing in the even distribution of the silicone and the area of the acrylic currently being definitely flat. When you are pleased that the sheet is firmly bonded to the wall, leave it to set for 20-four several hours. As soon as the silicone has established, end off the edges and joins in the splashback with a waterproofing silicone seal and get rid of the masking movie from the surface. Right after allowing the seals to dry for a more 20-four several hours the splashback will be finished and all set to get pleasure from! Top Idea: Never take away the protective film till you have completed work in your kitchen area! Once put in, numerous years of flawless performance can be expected from a large gloss acrylic kitchen splashback, but nonetheless treatment need to be taken to shield the floor of the sheet. Acrylic is a wonderful and hygienic materials for use in food preparation places, and it is very effortlessly maintained. All that is essential to get rid of filth from the area of substantial gloss acrylic is a delicate fabric, a little detergent and some warm drinking water. The warm water softens the deposits even though the soap produces a lubricating layer which safeguards the plastic from any harm. As soon as wiped away with a soft cloth, the acrylic will be restored to its ideal problem. There is no require to use scourers, abrasive cleaning goods or severe substances when cleaning higher gloss acrylic. Using any of these strategies will really probably scratch and hurt the floor of acrylic leaving it susceptible to microorganisms and mould expansion, and foremost to the quick deterioration of the substantial gloss glow. Inevitably, with years of use it is possible that a large gloss kitchen splashback will grow to be scratched. Luckily, taking away the scratches from the floor of acrylic is simple and it is straightforward to preserve a splashback in 'as new' issue. Little hairline scratches and marks can be taken out with the use of a polishing paste or wax. If you used this kind of a solution to complete off the edges of the sheet prior to installation the same can be utilised to buff fantastic scratches out of the sheet. Merely employ the identical strategy used in buffing the edges of the sheet with a gentle cloth and a great quantity of treatment. If the scratches are more substantial, for instance if they can be felt by flippantly operating a fingernail in excess of them, use a wonderful sandpaper of 600-1000 grit to carefully clean out the scratch and then buff with the sprucing solution. If correct treatment and light cleansing techniques are carried out, you will find no purpose why a plastic kitchen area splashback shouldn't give many years of unblemished large gloss and a contemporary end for your kitchen area.

[luckglass-blog]

LUCK Painted Satin Glass applied to kitchen splashback. √Limitless Colour Options √Durable √Scratches resistant √Easy to clean √Finger print proof √Stains resistant √Custom product #obscureglass #satinglass #acidglass #frostedglass #acidfrostedglass #frostedglassdoors#ColouredGlassPanel #splashbackglass #SplashbackKitchenGlass #kitchensplashback #glasssplashback #splashback #DecoGlazeGlassSplashbacks  #backpaintedglass https://www.instagram.com/p/B4O35qrlVw1/?igshid=7knuy86gg553

[luckglass-blog]

Marble Series of Enamelled Glass Applied in Kitchen Cabinet, Splashback. Hand printed multiple ceramic coatings. Processable and temperable. UV proof, scratch proof. Lighter and stronger than nature stones. Easier to process than Ceramic. #Cabinet glass， #kitchen cabinet glass work， #cabinet glass for sale， #cabinet design， #glassclosetdoor, #glasscabinetdoor #DecoGlaze Glass Splashbacks #concretekitchen https://www.instagram.com/p/B1fzvN0JnKo/?igshid=69qo8ppze478

[downingdesigns]

2019 Buyers Guide to Glass Countertops …Written by an Experienced Glass Fabricator

Content

Interviewing Your Glass Fabricator

Author Qualifications

Glass Countertop Types and Terms

Textures for Glass Countertop

Glass Countertop Cutting and Polishing

Lighting Glass Countertops

Metal Support Brackets and Installation Techniques

Glass Countertops Cost

Installation and Shipping

Remodeling Trends

Conclusion

ERRATA:  The Dumbest Glass Countertop Ideas on the Internet

Thick Glass countertops are one of the hottest design trends in Kitchen and Bath remodeling today. No other material enhances the visual beauty of your space like the translucent nature of glass. It offers endless creative possibilities which high-end designers demand when their projects require a luminous focal point.

This buyers guide will help you understand the many decorative options available to make it “POP” in your home.

As a buyer, we recommend you ask lots of questions of your glass fabricator after website visits followed by On-Site tours and first-hand inspection of product quality.

Do your reputation research. Know what you are getting for your money in writing upfront.  Here are some good interview questions to start…

Questions for your Glass Countertop Fabricator

Where are your products Made… In the USA? 

Are they responsive via phone, text and email?  Speak with Who will Measure, Design, Fabricate and Install.

Share your Vision with your Fabricator in Sketches and Photos from e.g. Houzz  

Are your Inputs taken when Designing Glass textures?

Do they Feel Passionate about their work…or are they just a slab exporter?

Are they Reputable ?

Get a written Quote with all options itemized with Installation.

Author Qualifications

This guide was written by Jeff Downing of Downing Designs, a professional design-build-install studio that has installed millions of dollars of custom Glass surfaces. He has an intimate understanding of glass countertop fabrication.

Downing Designs has a truly unique approach where human interaction and creative insight are fluidly aligned to imagine a  brighter future for your space. Great things happen (e g. Prototypes) when we cross-pollinate our ideas with others. The result is a functional piece of glass art that has an emotional connection with their clients.

If you Google  “Buy Glass Countertops” you will see many keyword-stuffed, ad-driven sites posting misleading statements and very odd glass high bar support ideas.  Please enjoy our ERRATA section at the end where we’ve called them out for their misleading statements and expensive glass countertops installed in strange, half-baked ways.  Buyer Beware!

Glass Types and Terms

Glass Countertops can be fabricated from a variety of glass. Float Glass is commonly used. Float glass is a flat sheet created by “floating” raw molten glass (a mix of raw material and recycled glass cullet) over a bath of molten tin.

Float Glass  glass pieces up to 177” x 127” x ¾” thickness are available and are well suited for flat, back painted countertops and splashbacks.

3/4″ Low iron Glass Backpainted White

Low-Iron Glass is a Float glass with low amounts of iron which render a light bluish hue. This is critical when viewing the edge, as you will see the color intensity greatly magnified. Low-iron glass is well suited for countertops and backsplashes.

“Clear” Glass is a Float glass with higher iron content that renders it a greenish hue. The thicker the glass, the deeper the hue. Dont use “Clear” glass if you are back painting the glass as it will tint your final result.

Tempered Glass is created from Float Glass by heating in an oven and then quickly cooling. Tempered glass is about 4x stronger than annealed glass, allowing it to be used for thin glass applications e.g. shower doors, sneeze guards. Tempered glass must have all cuts completed before tempering. Usually, glass that is ¾” or thicker need NOT be tempered for use in bathrooms vanity tops, or kitchen glass counters.

Designer Note: Lighting flat glass with LEDs is a waste of money because it has no texture to create depth.

Slumped Glass is made by placing glass over a mold then thermoforming at ~1300 degrees F in Kilns until the glass “slumps” and to the shape of the mould.  Slumping glass over large textured ceramic sand beds creates textured glass Sinks and Glass Backsplashes.  

Fused Textured Glass is a process where sheets of float glass are thermoformed over a large ceramic sand bed and fused together ~1450 degrees F and then annealed. The annealing process “heat-strengthens” the fused glass product to almost 2x annealed glass strength. Fused textured glass at 1.5” thick is very strong and is an extremely durable material.

Designer note:  1” thick countertops do not have the visual depth on edge vs 1.5” glass but cost only fractionally less.

Textured glass hides the appearance of fingerprints and minor scratches.

Fused Glass with Colors is created using an inter-layer “paint” of glass frit and enamels and then fired. Vibrant colors are possible.

Glass With Colored Frit Fused in between Layers

Hot glass is the process of gathering and molten glass and twirling it into the artists final vision. Beautiful small artistic glass sinks and pieces can be formed this way. Examples include Dale Chihuly and “Big Wave” Dave Wight.  

White Glass countertops (aka Nano glass, Crystallized glass) are a fusion of recycled glass and minerals created at 3000 degrees. It is poured, cooled then polished to a very high gloss shine. White glass countertops share a non-porous nature with Glass.

Pure White Glass countertops change the spatial relationship of every room they reside. In fact, they make kitchens and baths appear ~25% larger.

White Glass Countertops in Kitchen

From a 2019 survey on Houzz:  White countertops continue to grow in popularity. Nearly one in three counters are done in white (22%, 27% and 31% in 2017, 2018 and 2019 studies, respectively) making them the #1 countertop choice for homes.

White glass is much harder on the Mohs hardness scale (7) vs glass (5.5)  or granite (6.2) or engineered quartz (6.7). It is a superior countertop material for outdoors as it reflects much of the solar energy, is UV-proof, non-porous, stain-proof, requires zero maintenance or sealing, and does not burn from cigarettes. White glass comes in slabs 120” x 60” x 1.2”

Black Glass countertops are similar to White glass…but a deep, pure opaque high gloss black. These will get hot in direct sunlight.

Recycled Glass Countertops is a matrix made up of small chips of colorful recycled glass chips in a binder and sold in slabs. A concrete based binder for your recycled glass countertops will require a sealant application. A resin-based binder will stand up to stains better, but can’t be used outdoors…UV light will degrade it. Many choices for colors and binders are available. Vetrazzo, IceStone, Geos are notable brands.

  Textures for Glass Countertops

Texturing Glass Upon selection of the glass countertop to be used, fabrication can begin after measuring, templating, and texture design. A like a bespoke tailor, a full-service glass countertop designer-fabricator will demonstrate ALL of your options to accessorize your glass countertop to achieve the utmost in “wow” factor. These critical points include:

Stamped Textures provide a consistent textured look that is omni-directional. These can be interesting when selected for the right environment.

Hand Sculpted Textures are artistically carved into the kiln bed to create the texture you desire. Deep textures create drama and are spectacular when lit with LEDs and downlights.

Hand Texturing Kiln Bed fro Glass Countertops

  Designer Tip: Communicate and review pattern suggestions, and refine these until happy. Select a glass texture that enhances the personality of your room “flow”. Don’t settle for a stamped textured piece of glass when for the same amount of money you can have a custom designed statement piece that flows elegantly with the lines in your home. Make sure your texture flows from one piece of glass to another across the seam in multi-sectional countertops.

Air Bubbles trapped between layers of glass are part of their endearing “flaws” since glass is not formed under a vacuum.

They enhance the visual interest and depth of thick glass countertops. More Bubbles can be creatively added to glass countertops (with chemicals) if that is your desire.

Cresting Wave with Bubbles Included

Glass Cutting and Polishing

Kiln-formed glass must be cut to size and have holes drilled. Waterjets, wet saws and polishing tools with plenty of water are used. Make sure your glass fabricator has these in his shop to efficiently move your glass from kiln to cutting to polishing.

Designer Note:  Make sure you inspect the quality of the edge polish of your glass countertop upon arrival. If it has lines from a worn out CNC bit, reject it!  Your glass edge should offer a perfectly polished lens into your glass.

Lines on Face due to Worn Out CNC bit…”Shiney but Liney”

Lighting Glass

Make sure you have a thorough Lighting plan for LED Edge Lighting, Down lighting and  Ambient Lighting so they can all contribute to the WOW factor of your glass countertop.

LED Edge and Down lighted Glass Countertop…Note Dramatic Shadows on Floor

LED Edge Lighting is typically this is the best way to light textured glass countertops. Narrow LED strip lights on the edge of the countertop allow for high levels of striking high-contrast color. Done right, your glass countertop will “POP”…especially at night. Color and brightness are achieved with a controller, usually a smart phone app. This produces millions of stunning colors that can even dance to your music. You will need to run wires from the LED strips to a controller and transformer to a 110v power outlet. Use quality LEDs…this is not a place to save money as they can be tricky to replace once installed.

Designer Tip: Your LED cover and wiring should be minimalist and allow viewing into glass as well as reduce the pixel appearance from the front. Get a plan to conceal the LED wires through the supports and lower surface.

Minimalist LED Cover…no Visible Wires.

On A Lighter Side Note:  Our “proprietary” research shows that properly lit Glass High Bars are in fact “Time Machines”. Apparently, a huge benefit of the upward angling and soft mood lighting from our glass high bars is that it “turns back the clock a few years”. (It makes my vintage 1959 wrinkles almost go away…we are not sure how to price that benefit just yet).

Down lighting from the ceiling will create a powerful mimic shadow upon the floor and lower surface. It is a perfect lighting technique for High bars to complement LED edge lighting.

Designer Tip: Modern LED downlights are available that create a tight, well-defined X-Ray shadow upon the floor. They are powerful, dimmable and consume very little electricity. Aim the light to project the shadows where you desire…preferably at an angle to make the shadows look bigger.

Ambient lighting allows the glass to pop naturally during the day in a sunny location. Low iron glass is naturally beautiful when lit with sunlight.

Glass Countertop without LED in Daylight

Same Countertop Down lit at Night

  Under lighting Glass requires a tall structure on the underside of the textured glass to allow for even distribution of light…which may be unsuitably high for your countertop.

Designer Note: It also creates a very “flat” lighting effect that minimizes the contrast of shadow vs light and robs textures of their visual depth. It “highlights” the rib structure of the underlying panels…and is not pretty. (see below). This technique does however work well with onyx slabs.

Underlit Glass Countertop…Looks like an XRay!

  Metal Support Brackets and Installation Techniques

Supports Metal support brackets of all shapes and sizes are available.Custom metal supports must often be fabricated to suit unusual installs e.g floor-mounted supports.   Your metal fabricator should be able to offer you any design you wish. Make sure your plan for your high bar is sturdy and elegant.  Methods of attachment of the glass to the support include:

Silicone. Best used to attach textured glass to flat supports.

Metal Caps. Low Profile caps are best if caps are used.

UV glue. Fastest bond for flat glass to flat metal supports.

High Bar with (3) Low Profile Caps, No supports

High Bar with Low Profile Caps, Stainless Supports in Ground.

High Bar with Custom Supports…attached by Silicone

    Designer tip: Many designs are lazy and use ill-conceived support techniques. They often prevent you from freely rotating in your high bars stools because your knee hits the support. Or, they use “hockey puck caps” on top of the glass to prevent you from having an uninterrupted smooth flow across your high bar surface. Look for these “beauties” in the “Errata” section at the end of this article. Make sure your supports do not interact with your knees at your glass high bar.

Back painting glass maximizes the visual depth of the textured glass countertop, backsplash or sink basin, while hiding the ability to see under or behind the glass.

Designer Tip: Back painting is preferred to laminating or painting your underlayment because gnats can find their way between the bottom of textured glass and the top of the laminate where their little carcasses will pepper the background forever. Not Pretty. Silver metallic and white back paint add depth. Back paint can be tinted to match your decor.

Textured 1/2″ Glass Backsplash Backpainted with LEDs

Installation and Shipping.

Expensive Glass requires skillful planning and experienced manpower to install.

Designer Note: We have been on a few time critical installations where cabinets, plumbing, electrical work, ceiling plastering were all being dome in the same kitchen at the same time!  This is not good.

Please have a schedule that allows the glass counter to be one of the last installations...just like a valuable piece of wall art. Having too many tradesman in the room after installation increases the risk of damage to your artistic piece.

Crating for Shipping. Crates are specially fabricated for glass countertops with plenty of sturdy foam to cushion it during shipping.  Make sure you purchase insurance t cover the cost of both the glass as well as the shipping costs.

Solid Crate for Shipping Glass Counters

Glass Countertops Cost:

As you can see, there is a wide range of options for glass countertops. It is impossible to conclude a precise cost but these numbers below can give you a start.

$100+/sq. ft. for ¾” flat low-iron glass. Backpaint, thermoforming, waterjetting custom shapes, holes, etc. adds to cost.

$350+/sq. ft. for 1.5” textured low-iron glass. LEDs, backpaint, custom shapes, size of piece, supports, installation, etc. add to cost.

White Glass and Recycled Glass are $125-175+/sq. Ft.

Installation and delivery costs add to the above.

Remodeling Trends

In an interesting article on Houzz, they show that homeowners are increasing their spending more on High-End countertops vs other kitchen elements.

Houzz Survey…Buyers are Splurging on Countertops

Conclusion

You are going to have to place your trust and money in someone to faithfully execute your glass countertop project. If your vendor cannot confidently lead you through each step in the design, template, custom textural sculpting, fabrication, lighting, back-painting, supporting, securing, shipping as well as installing, then find one who can …or…risk a poor outcome. Glass counters cost too much to risk a poor outcome.

Find a passionate glass fabricator that can listen to you and bring out the best in your ideas, create a plan and lead you through the process. The result will be an unbelievable artistic “wow” piece in your home.

Jeff Downing is the founder of Downing Designs in Downtown Tampa, FL. He has represented Hewlett-Packard and Philips Medical amongst others before quitting to open his custom design studio. His teachings and blogs help architects, designers, etc. to embrace creative new ways to use glass in their projects. He previously represented ThinkGlass for several years before purchasing his owns kilns to bring his unique artistic glass visions to life.

  ERRATA  

STRANGE Glass statements we have scraped from the Internet…”Fake News”

“On average, the minimum cost for glass countertops per square foot is $75, while the maximum cost per square foot is around $105.”

Clearly they have never made a thick textured glass countertop.

“Annealed Glass—Similar to tempered glass, annealed glass has chemicals added to the resin mixture to increase its strength.”  

A chemical added to the resin??? This is glass, NOT plastic.

“Nonetheless, there are many other factors that can increase or decrease the total cost of glass counters. Supplies such as sealants and adhesives add an average of $2.45 per finished square foot of surface area.”

Sealants????   Why do you need to seal glass? Its non-porous.

“Contact with acidic foods, drinks, and certain cleaners can affect the surface and require fixing”  

Not unless you are serving hydrofluoric acid to your guests! Nonsense!

  Odd Designs Ideas for High Bars

  Underlit Glass Countertop…Looks like an XRay!

This ugly underlighting completely ruins an otherwise nice glass countertop. Very Odd looking.

  Glass Countertop with Hockey Pucks and Archaic supportsWhere am I supposed to sit ?   Knee and Shin bashing will occur.  Careful of those Hockey Pucks!  I think Ill stand.

  Glass Countertop with Hockey Pucks and Intrusive supports

Again, where am I supposed to sit?  Knee bashing will occur. Shins are safe here. Robs the ability to seat people normally.

  Glass Countertop with fat supports and LED covers

 Where does my glass of wine and dinner plate sit? Look out for those hockey pucks!  Would the Chef like to see the edge of  the glass on the backside while cooking?  No Chance!   Glass Counters should look great from all sides.

What is the Point? No Cantilever, Lots of Hockey Pucks,No room to clean under.

Lots of hockey pucks, and fat under side supports in an otherwise beautiful glass piece.

    The post 2019 Buyers Guide to Glass Countertops …Written by an Experienced Glass Fabricator appeared first on Downing Designs.

from Downing Designs https://downingdesigns.com/glass-countertops-buyers-guide/