Mounted Glass shelves are very handy in improving the interior décor of your space in a classical manner. Glass shelves have been in use for many years now and technological advancement has led to the generation of advanced glass version with more desirable features and greater strength. This implies that glass materials today can support more weight and withstand higher pressure than earlier pure glass versions. One important feature of glass shelves is that they can fit the walls of rooms and there are many designs from which one can pick from. The main consideration when choosing the best wall mount glass shelf design is the purpose of the shelf as well as where and how the shelf will be mounted to the wall. This paper discusses the various designs of wall mount glass shelves that can be created using different custom cut glasses.
The shape of Glass Shelves
The glass shelves can be made with glass cut in different shapes. Rectangular and square glass shelves are the most common. Rectangular glass shelves can be installed in various places like the bathroom, in the living room, kitchen, office, and in the bedroom as well. Square shelves are mostly installed at the corners of rooms to provide sufficient anchoring for shelve. There are also specific shapes of glass shelves designed specifically for installation at corners. They include triangle, corner pentagon, and quarter circle glass shelves. It is important to consider the purpose of the shelf when choosing the glass material for the shelf to ensure the material chosen can support the required load without breaking.
Glass shelves can also be L-shaped and these are fit into or onto corners of rooms. There are many types of glasses to choose from for wall mounted glass shelves. Tempered glass is the commonly used type of custom cut glass for glass shelves. This type of glass is hardened to increase durability and resistance to high temperature and pressure. Tempered glass also breaks into blunt square pieces that are less likely to injure people as opposed to angled sharp pieces obtained when ordinary glass breaks. The other suitable glass type for wall-mounted glass shelves is the acrylic glass. Acrylic glass consists of a very transparent material that allows the glass to allow more light to pass through it than normal glass. The downside of acrylic glass is that it scratches easily but the scratches can be removed by buffing. Other types of custom cut glasses suitable for glass shelves are low-iron glass, textured or frosted glass, as well as colored glass.
Various Types of Mounted Glass Shelves Uses
There are also various wall-mounted glass shelf designs dependent on the shape of the horizontal cross-section of the glass. Some glass shelves are bent like the eclipse and triumph shelves. Eclipse glass shelves are slightly curved forming an arc while the triumph glass shelves have a bookend on one end, and are designed for keeping books and magazines. Another glass shelf type is the Fiora glass shelf which has a straight surface like the rectangular glass shelf. Fiora glass shelves are available in clear and colored glass materials. The other type of glass shelves is the Roya glass shelf which is simply rectangular in shape. Bent glass shelves are very decorative and are mostly used in the bathroom for keeping light-weight objects.
Installation or Mounting to the Wall
The glass shelves can either be mounted directly into the wall of the building or attached using brackets. Glass shelves with straight edges are the most suited for direct fixation into the wall of the building. When fixing glass shelves directly to the wall, a groove is first to cut into the wall using a chisel and hammer if the wall is masonry. The glass shelf is then fixed into the groove and a suitable adhesive applied to stick the glass to the wall. The other types of glass shelves are attached to the wall using brackets. The brackets are made of a strong durable material like stainless steel. Brackets are screwed or riveted to the wall and the glass shelves fixed to the brackets. Other types of glass shelves can be mounted to a frame which is then fixed to the wall. This type of glass shelves is manufactured as a set that is first connected together then fixed to the wall.
Mounted Glass shelves can also be hanging at the top. This type of glass shelves is referred to as the hanging glass shelves. The shelves are fixed to a frame that is suspended from the top of the building. Hanging glass shelves are manufactured as a set in the factory and are suitable for rooms where the wall is not strong enough for mounting the glass shelves directly to it. Also, when the walls are filled with other things, using the hanging glass shelves provides extra space for storing stuff.
Choose the Right Glass Thickness
As stated in the introduction, the intended purpose of the glass shelf and where it will be installed determines the type of glass material that will be used. The material chosen should be strong enough to support the anticipated load. The thickness of the glass also determines its ability to support a given weight with thicker glass shelves being able to support higher loads than thinner glass shelves. It is also crucial to consider the material that makes up the wall on which the shelf will be mounted as it has a direct relationship to the weight that the shelf can support. Brackets should be attached to hard materials like concrete, or masonry walls to ensure maximum strength.
Mounted Glass shelves have many designs from which people can choose from. In addition to providing more storage space, glass shelves including bent glass shelves, add aesthetic value to a room making it possible to display one’s collections with ease. The shelves allow light to pass through them helping to maintain the room well-lit which helps to brighten the mood of the place. One can also consider finishing the corners of the shelves in different shapes to make them more stylish and appealing. When installed properly, glass shelves match perfectly with any interior design theme.
Read Also:
