Whale Tail Glass Table by Downing Designs.

 

In this blog we present a new White Glass Table design configured with a Textured and Thermoformed Glass Whale Tail emanating from what seems like the depths of the ocean. We have illuminated this glass table top design from below with small LED strip lights.  The Whale Tail itself is 24″ wide.  It is set outdoors to show off the ability of the materials to survive stressful Tampa, FL weather conditions. Previously we discussed our Mermaid Tables using Textured Glass forms cut into White Glass tables for a Clearwater outdoor Cafe Kaia Bowls which produced a spectacular result.

At Downing Designs, our creative desire to mix and match different materials and present them in a functional, yet artistic fashion really keeps us going.  As creative tables go, these excel at gently and upwardly illuminating the faces of the people surrounding the table.  This takes at least a year or two off of anyone over 40’s facial features

We can produce these tables for you…just tell us the size desired. Our White Glass slabs are available up to 60″ x 120″ in 1 piece. This makes them easily transportable. We can affix them to your current table base, or we can have our stainless fabricator create any size you desire.

Please enjoy these pictures, and use your imagination…perhaps we can create a super nautical-themed table or you and your ideas.

Jeff Downing

(813)  784 5211

Jeff@DowningDesigns.com

Whale Tail Table in early morning light

Whale Tail Table in White Glass Table…Look at that Shadow!

Whale Tail Table in White Glass Table in Daylight

Whale Tail Table in White Glass Table at Noon

 

 

The post Whale Tail Glass Table by Downing Designs. appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/whale-tail-glass-table-by-downing-designs/

Tropical Outdoor Kitchen and Bar in Tampa with Glass Countertops

It is true that we have THE BEST clientele in the world. So many are creative thinkers and have a clear vision for their outdoor kitchen design…and how it makes them feel.

Eric and Kelly Dobsha in Tampa are just such a couple. Fun, creative, and Kelly has an enormous talent in creating outdoor paradises as evidenced by her beautifully designed and super-colorful back yard…it is sensational and great fun to walk the lengths of her property as it sinews in a dramatic fashion.

To this they wanted to add a “Key West Tropical Beach Bar” for their evening soirees.  We sat down over a bottle of wine and dinner and sketched their vision together, and shortly had a clear drawing of the path forward. We like to say “Nice things happen to Nice people”…and its never truer here.  We showed them a few ideas to deploy our concrete and glass countertops in an unusual fashion. It would illuminate their outdoor bar area with a gentle wash of upward and downward lighting. As you can see from the pictures, they are clearly enjoying their new outdoor party area!

It is beautiful because the LED’s that we specified are controlled by Bluetooth and they can dim and change colors easily on the fly.  The light blue hue is a perfect complement to the white underside of their hut roof, and is very warm…even at a very dim setting. You do not need much light to set the mood.

Kelly has a tremendous sense of balance in her adornment of the area with her potted flowering plants…it is very unusual to see such a warm vision executed so well.  I highly recommend her talents to anyone looking for a professional outdoor pool, patio, kitchen, and bar area design. She is so easy to work with , and is a tremendous listener. I recommend her style to anyone looking for a colorful, fun outdoor retreat.

Please enjoy these pictures. I hope they convey the feeling they achieved to you.

Outdoor Kitchen Bar Area Concrete and Glass Countertops

Outdoor Kitchen Bar Area Concrete and Glass Countertops Day

Jeff Downing

DowningDesigns.com

(813) 784 5211

 

 

The post Tropical Outdoor Kitchen and Bar in Tampa with Glass Countertops appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/tropical-outdoor-kitchen-and-bar/

Glass High Bar Support from Downing Designs.

Glass High Bars can be deployed in many areas, not just the kitchen above an Island base. Often, there is no base and one must be fabricated to support the Glass High Bar.  We find it best to deploy 4″ stainless steel tubing with 1/8″ wall thickness as the vertical posts. In this blog, we will show how 2 different approaches that solved the issue of how to secure the base and the glass high bar.

Glass High Bar with Stainless Steel Square Base.

We took a 16″ x 16″ x 3/8″ stainless steel plate, water-jetted a hole to allow for tight passage of the tube, protruded it by ~1/4″ and welded the base to the tube. This provides a very clean look from the top. 4 holes were drilled at the corners and the structure was attached to the concrete and tile floor with  Red Head Drop In Anchors .  Much of the tile directly under the tubing was removed to allow passage of the wiring without slicing it.

The LEDs and their feeder wire present another challenge. Since the wire to drive the LED  strip lights are 1/4″ in diameter, we drilled a hole in the rear of the support, fed the wire down the stainless support tube,  and out the bottom. The grout lines were a perfect conduit to the power supply and LED strip light controller. We aligned the bases to best advantage and then used our Dremel powered grout removal tool to take out all the grout, stuff the 1/4″ LED cable in the groove, and recovered with same color grout.

The Glass High Bar was secured to the 4″x 10″stainless post top with ultra-clear silicone, and allowed to set 24hrs before cured. This 24 hr set time is a consequence of the undulating textured glass bottom,mated with the flat stainless post top. Some of the gaps are 1/2″ and take time to cure vs smaller gaps.

Glass High Bar with Custom Stainless Steel bases supports

 

Glass High Bar with Stainless Steel Post cemented into the ground.

In this instance, we had new construction and access under the concrete slab to secure the stainless posts. Here we made the posts ~24″ too long to secure into the ground and fill with hydraulic cement. The concrete slab was cut into and drilled to provide access for the posts. The posts were also drilled so as to allow the concrete to flow freely inside them to fill the hole.

Rapid Set cement is amazing and can be set in 30 minutes, ready for action. We created a scaffold apparatus around the support. Made sure it was perfectly level, and poured.  Using plumb lines assures that each post top is level with the next.

In this case the stainless post tops were pre-tapped to accept the Low Profile Caps used to secure the glass. Precision measurements are a must in aligning the posts. We use templates to ensure perfect fits.

No silicone is needed. We pre-drill the glass high bars to make these heavy glass counters secure from the eventual party that will be playing out upon them.

No LEDs striplights were used, but the conduct of the lighting feed would be hidden just as above.

Glass High Bar with Stainless Steel Post supports

 

 

 

The post Glass High Bar Support from Downing Designs. appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/custom-glass-high-bar-support/

Lava Stone Countertops A Colorful, Modern Countertop Material

Modern kitchens designers love to use Lava Stone Countertops in brilliant colors for their designs. Cabinets,  Countertops and Tile Backsplash in stunning colors are in play and color flexibility is critical to bright kitchen design. We present here a dazzling array of Lava Stone countertops that can be customized to ANY COLOR you desire.

They are stain proof and hot-pan proof…unlike most marble, granite or quartz countertops.

The color palette is endless, and the resulting finish is unique and permanent. Two companies (Pyrolave from France and Rainieri from Italy) lead the pack in their ability to quarry lava stone from their local volcanic areas: Auvergne in France and Mount Etna in Sicily. The quarried lava stone is prepared in a multi-stage process, coated with the enamel glaze and kiln fired at over 1500 degrees F. 

Lava Stone is:

Inert to heat, since that was its genesis. No other stone offers such thermal protection. Hot pans can be placed upon the surface without causing any issues.

Non-Porous, and will not stain. It can withstand all common household cleaners and food acids and requires no maintenance or sealers

UV inert. It simply will not fade. It is inorganic. Many historic French road signs were made of this material and have been successfully deployed for centuries.

It is a perfect outdoor table or countertop material…especially in lighter colors that reflect vs absorb sunlight.

 

Lava Stone colors:

See the attached pictures to get an idea of the vivid colors available in enamel glazed Lava Stone countertops. There are many standard colors to choose from and an infinite ability to color match your samples. No other countertop material we know of possesses the ability to have such a dazzling array of colors.

Matte or Glossy are the finishes available. Metallic finishes are also available.

 

Pricing Lava Stone Countertops

Lava stone is priced at around  $250-$350 per sq ft. While this is expensive, we offer a solution. We contend that you do not need a lot of color to make an artistic design statement. Just as an art gallery uses white walls to make the small paintings POP, so too can you in your design schema. Downing Designs offers White Glass Countertops and these are the perfect material to juxtapose against your Lava Stone countertops. Varying the composition is a fun exercise,  can save you money and produce a clean, modern kitchen look. White Glass is about ½ the cost of Lava Stone countertops.

Templating

 

Templating is critical to make sure we get the overhangs, sink cutouts, faucet holes, angles, etc. correct.  A good seam plan is also important. This is where a professional well-versed in kitchen design and implementation is invaluable. Be prepared to answer many questions concerning the ultimate layout. Once templated, you must freeze any added work that changes the layout.

 

Using Lava Stone in your kitchen or bath will set your design apart from others. Having an experienced design eye assist you is invaluable…especially one that offers a wide variety of materials to complement your Lava Stone selection. Properly designed kitchens can expect many decades of use from their lava stone countertops.

 

The post Lava Stone Countertops A Colorful,  Modern Countertop Material appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/lava-stone-countertops-a-colorful-modern-countertop-material/

Concrete Stair Treads in Custom Colors and Sizes by Downing Designs

Concrete stair treads by Downing Designs are available in any custom color, shape or thickness.  Our ultra-strong concrete mix design allows us to integrate any color you desire into the concrete stair treads, and are a durable mix designed to look terrific now and down the road with the inevitable wear and tear upon them. Since we use sand, cement, fiber, pigment, water reducing admix, it allows us to polish the surface smooth and pre-abrade the surface. Many precast concrete stair treads use large aggregates (rocks) that spot the surface, especially over time when the first layers of the concrete are abraded off. We do not. In Florida the large aggregate is white limestone rock chunks. They will show once the  initial layers gave been eroded…NOT GOOD!  What you see is what you get…now and down the road. This is critical to matching decor in commercial and residential spaces. Make sure you know what your mix design is …otherwise it could be quite a surprise. We always ship a sample that has been cut with a saw to show you the innards of our concrete.

We use hair fine fibers in our mix design to knit the concrete together. This fiber concrete matrix is proven extremely strong. Interestingly in Japan,  fiber is used as a primary reinforcement in place of welded wire mesh and/or rebar. Rebar prevents big chunks of concrete from breaking off,  but fiber actually prevents large cracks from occurring, and then spreading.  These fibers are stronger than steel. With tensile strengths of 240 ksi, this means our concrete will flex under loads that would cause other reinforcement methods to fail. They bond within the concrete on a molecular level (hydrogen bonding) to the cement particles. Truly a superior technical advantage.

Our custom concrete stair treads and steps are a proprietary blend that exhibits tremendous compressive and flexural strength.

We polish the surface to attain a safe slip-resistant “bite” even if they are wet. They are acid-washed and sealed permanently with penetrating sealers to maintain their good looks. We never use or  recommend epoxy/plastic sealers for high use treads…it will eventually wear off leaving zero protection and will look not pretty in unprotected areas. Much like porcelain tile, our concrete stair treads will maintain its looks over time.

We  recommend 2″ thick minimum for concrete stair treads. Often railings are through-drilled and mounted onto these treads, and it is smart to have a thick chunk of concrete to distribute the weight load per sq inch where the railing is mounted.

Colors. We use a white portland cement and sand as our base concrete stair tread mixture. It is more expensive and stronger than grey portland cement, and produces a color akin to light canvas. From there, we can add pigments in a computer-controlled mix design to match any color you specify. We usually communicate color by using either Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams colors. When selecting colors for your concrete stair treads, we recommend using light to medium colors to be more forgiving of inevitable traffic tracking in dirt from outside. Dark colors concrete stair tread will hide dirt better than light concrete.

We pour the steps in huge slabs, polish them and then cut to size. This keeps color identical for each concrete stair tread. We can pour large landings as well. Please note that these large pieces are very, very heavy, and must be placed with the aid of forklift, lull or other powerful equipment. Make sure your concrete stair tread installation plan allows for this machinery access.

We usually put a 1/2″  round-over on the leading front edge of the concrete stair treads to make them comfortable even on bare feet.  This also disperses energy should a heavy object fall upon the stair treads reducing the chance for chips. If chips should occur, we can recreate the exact formula and patch the affected area.

These concrete stair treads are commercial and residential rated. Any thickness and profile you desire are available. Often it is desirable to pour the concrete stair treads “hollow” on their interior so they fit onto the steel stair structure like a hat to conceal the steel work.

Our concrete mix is extremely strong and will last for decades of use. These pictures from Hydrologic in Sarasota and Tampa show almost no signs of wear and tear after 1 year of opening. ..they look unchanged by the daily use they receive from contractors, designers and clients.

Just like our concrete countertops, our concrete stair treads can withstand the daily use, and is a testament to their rugged, smart construction technique, as well as the sealing process. 

Cleaning. Cleaning concrete stair treads is easy…warm soap and water, and bleach as needed w 25% bleach/water solution. Simple!

 

Design note. Ive never had a client ask for this, BUT…It might be interesting to make a sequence of concrete stair treads where each has its own custom color….e.g. lets say 10 steps…perhaps start at bottom with light grey…advancing to the top which is dark grey…advance the color mix 10%  so that each tread is unique and the colors flow in sequence from light to dark as you go up the stairs. Or do a staccato of one light, one dark as the concrete stair treads progress up the stairs

We can also embed metal logos  into the steps to further customize the look.

The steel backbone for the steps must be strong and the flat…this may seem obvious, but steel can often warp after welding. Often when we place our steps extra grinding of welds and bowed steel must be done in order to flatten the stair step supports. Otherwise we would have to use a lot of shims (not pretty) and is also presenting an uneven support base which can lead to uneven stress and concrete cracking.

Attaching stairs is done with strong epoxy we love the Sika Hi Mod 31 epoxy which sets hard as a rock in 45 minutes, has a peanut butter consistency so it stays where we place it, and bonds well to concrete, metal, wood, erc.

It sets to over 16000psi compressive strength which is very hard and maintains its bond for a very long time.

Shipping is done in secured foam padded crates, fully insured to your jobsite.

We usually add an extra step to order to ensure continuity on jobsite should any damage occur…this alone has saved the bacon of more than one GC when their metalworkers abused one of our steps…they were absolutely shocked when we told them “No problem…I made extras”. 

Jeff Downing, Downing Designs, (813) 784-5211

Custom Concrete Stair Treads Medium Grey

Custom Concrete Stair Treads Hydrologic Tampa

Custom Concrete Stair Treads Hydrologic Sarasota

The post Concrete Stair Treads in Custom Colors and Sizes by Downing Designs appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/custom-concrete-stair-treads/

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

1. Where are your products Made… In the USA? 
2. Are they responsive via phone, text and email?  Speak with Who will Measure, Design, Fabricate and Install.
3. Share your Vision with your Fabricator in Sketches and Photos from e.g. Houzz  
4. Are your Inputs taken when Designing Glass textures?
5. Do they Feel Passionate about their work…or are they just a slab exporter?
6. Are they Reputable ?
7. 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.

source https://downingdesigns.com/glass-countertops-buyers-guide/

Custom White Glass Table Top with Mermaids lit by LEDs

We recently fabricated several White Glass Table Top with Glass Mermaids at our Tampa, Fl Studio. We always have at our disposal numerous remnant materials ranging from Textured Glass Countertop to White Glass. We enjoy juxtaposing the opaque vs translucent properties of these which can be combined into imaginative ensembles and enhanced with a multi-color LED strip lights to further highlight the textured glass.

In Clearwater, Fl we have a client Kaia Bowls where we were engaged to provide them with our white glass countertops and some textured glass vertical walls for their beautiful interior remodel. (Their food is beautiful too.) Their clients are mostly foot traffic beach-goers, and in a highly competitive area for food,  they wanted to catch the attention of passing vehicle and foot traffic.  We pitched our idea and drafted a nautical themed set of tables for them with a partially exposed Mermaid as the textured glass portion against a backdrop of White Glass. Our Waterjet was employed to cut these glass elements so they would nest inside the white glass, thus allowing for the LEDs to be placed along the bottom and illuminate the glass upward. This type of design lends itself to strength of the table as well since the intermittent slices leave much of the integrity of the table intact. Our custom white glass table tops are practical for an evening get-together as well since they provide infinitely adjustable, gentle illumination for night dining. Our LEDs are adjustable many ways: 8,000,000 colors, and 0-100% brightness…all from your smartphone or iPad via Bluetooth.  These are visible in the day, but at night are a real attraction. They white glass table tops are non-porous and very easy to clean while staying cool in direct Florida sunlight.  There are infinite variations of this ensemble design as shown below in previous installations. The pieces can be mated horizontally, or as in the case of the white glass table top with Mermaids,  vertically integrated.

Future combinations will be be forthcoming to include islands in countertops, sea life, etc. Stay tuned!

Thank you for reading. If interested in composing your own custom white glass table top ensemble, give me a call at (813) 784 5211….or   Jeff@DowningDesigns.com

White Glass Table Top with Mermaid Profile in Glass

White Glass Table Top with Mermaid Profile in Glass

White Glass Table Top with Mermaid Profile in Glass

Textured Glass Countertop mated with concrete Countertop

Glass Countertop inset into concrete Countertop

The post Custom White Glass Table Top with Mermaids lit by LEDs appeared first on Downing Designs.

source https://downingdesigns.com/white-glass-table-top-mermaid/

Design Considerations for an Island with a Glass Countertop High Bar

Many clients love the look of a Glass Countertop atop their Island Countertop. We enjoy the look too and have featured this  in a display in our Glass Design Center in Tampa.  We fabricate our Glass High Bars to be “floated” and cantilevered above the lower countertop. We do this with two support  brackets only…leaving a clean, contemporary look. As with any kitchen remodel,this needs to be done thoughtfully, and planned with scale models depicting the actual layout.  Our Glass Countertop over White Glass is our favorite combination and is depicted in the above picture. The flowing textures of the Glass High Bar are the perfect complement to the pure white glass countertop, and allows shadows to dance on its surface with thoughtful down-lighting.

This blog attempts to help you plan for each accessory and combine it into a dazzling ensemble for your kitchen or restaurant bar.

We must examine and plan for each of the following:

1. Cabinets. Since the average Glass Countertop High Bar weighs 300-350lbs,we must have sturdy cabinets. If we are to have a sink and a faucet in between the Glass High Bar, we must have the room. A practical minimum width for the Island is 36″ of cabinets. See drawing to examine the details.  Everything  (sink, faucet, glass high bar) must coexist in your island space, with room for access to clean the faucet, a sturdy front sink countertop piece, and the brackets to have a sturdy footing. See the pictures of the construction of our Island augmented with 2×12’s fastened very securely to the boxes style cabinets. Make sure to support the bottom of the cabinet augmentation with at least 5 well-fitted wood supports to disperse the extra weight this side of the island will carry.
2. Lower Countertop.  This material must be strong enough to endure the stress of a 350lb piece, set upon only 2 brackets, that is 175lbs per bracket.  We have succeeded in 100% of our installation by ensuring that the lower countertop has no pre-disposed tendency to crack. Fissures in marble,granite and onyx exist (however microscopically) and are starting points for deeper cracks down the road with stress. If this is the case, please use an underlayment fitted in between the walls of your cabinets to bolster your weak countertop material. We must drill several holes in the lower countertop for the threaded rod and  LED wiring to pass through.
3. Bracket positioning.  For a ~125″long high bar, we position our support brackets about 20-24″ inboard from each end. The final position will depend upon what is underneath. We use a 3/8″ threaded rod threaded into the bottom of our support brackets. This requires a hole in your lower countertop, to pass this through. From the underside we attach as wide a washer (typically 4″ square) as we can to disperse the torque. We do not want to have these washers and nuts too close to the ribs of the cabinets in order to tighten them securely.
4. LED power. The LED wire (1/4″ diameter) attached to the LED lighting strip will pass through the bracket and the  lower countertop. From there we need to attach it to 110v power outlet. If no power supply can exist, we can add a rechargeable battery pack that will last for days.
5. Down Lighting. The LED makes a terrific light for Glass Countertops. When we add dimmable LED downlights that cast tight shadows upon the lower countertop and floor…it is SPECTACULAR!  You may have limits as to where to place the downlights,but it is our strongest recommendation that you add these to your ceiling to make your Glass Countertop High Bar a real show-stopper when your guests arrive for parties. We love the SORAA LED lights and they have been widely adopted by many Museums for their color purity,low energy draw, many aperture widths (10, 25, 36, 60 degree spot light). We use the 10 and 25 degree spots in our Glass Design Center.

Glass High Bar placement showing faucet holes and sink

 

Glass countertop high bar support brackets mounted

Glass High Bar installed…NOTE shadows upon floor from downlights.

high bar width and length…off ewalls…in or equal to end of lower wlak around it

 

 

source https://downingdesigns.com/design-considerations-for-an-island-with-a-glass-countertop-high-bar/

Best Glass Countertop Kitchen and Bar Top Sink Options.

When choosing sinks for your glass countertops, we recommend you discuss with us how you want your glass to look. With a Glass High Bar, its easy since you do not see down into the kitchen utensils, or bath toiletries. For these we recommend back painting the glass to an opaque status. You can also use laminates atop your cabinetry. We recommend  Chemetal #791 Natural Brushed Aluminum laminate atop the cabinets to enhance the shadows under our glass.

With under-mounted sinks there will always be a large gap to fill between the textured glass and the top of the sink rim. Without back paint, the glass will show the silicone seam…not pretty!  We present 2 beautiful kitchen and bar sink options  for your kitchen countertop. They are:

• Beautiful, well made, come in a variety of sizes, and are reasonably priced
• Self-Trimming and very simple to install…which many apron front sinks are NOT.
• Protective of the glass against breakage or chipping.
• Ideal for traditional, contemporary and modern kitchen designs

Top-mounted and Apron-front sinks solve a tricky issue with glass countertops that under-mount sinks do not. They protect your glass from abuse!

Under-mounting sinks on glass counters leads to a very time-consuming installation process…which is why we typically do not to  recommend under-mounted.

A simple, elegant solution involves the use of Ruvati Top-Mounted Bar Sink and/or Kohler’s  Vault Apron-Front Sink

Installation of these sinks is easy and creates very clean lines. Kohler has great “how-to” videos on their site that walks you through the process. It takes less than 30 minutes to install, and can be done by anyone.

As you can see it eliminates the front countertop…this is SMART! Apron-front sinks also solve a much more critical issue: The front edge of most sinks is a thin countertop piece. Do the math…if a typical cabinet box is 24” deep, the countertop is normally 25.5” deep. If the sink is 20” deep, this leaves only 5″ of countertop…divided by two for front/rear leaves only a fragile 2.5” wide countertop piece in the front and rear of the sink. And the rear piece will be drilled for a 1.375″ faucet hole, and maybe air-switches, soap dispensers, etc. Not good. Cabinet fronts are usually nothing more than a non-structural decorative trim element. Disaster looms if you should press down too hard on the front countertop piece. The counter will crack and need to be replaced with a matching color/pattern. Apron sinks are also much better at taking the impact from pots/pans reducing the risk of chipping an exposed glass surface on the front. We like these sinks so much I installed them in my own home, and suggest that they be given your highest consideration when shopping for your kitchen  glass countertop sink.

When using LED’s along the backside of the glass, any sink is going to prevent the light from illuminating the front glass piece…creating a dark piece of glass. By using an apron-front sink we eliminate that imperfect situation. We can also place an LED around the perimeter of these sinks to cast lighting outward, eliminating dark spots. In some island pieces, this may be the ONLY lighting option available, and is a simple, elegant solution.

For glass countertops with bar sinks the Ruvati 15″ Bar Sink is perfect.

When using these sinks in the middle of our glass countertops, they allow us plenty of room to have structurally thick pieces fore and aft. This is critical to glass countertops in busy homes. We use a technique of adding an additional LED and controller to the front of the sink and adjust the lighting brightness so that it is very close to the brightness of the rear LED.

With our Bluetooth controlled LED strips, this is a very simple operation, and creates a visually seamless look where sinks must be integrated into the glass countertop. See below from 2 of our installations

Ruvati Top-Mount bar sink with LEDs

Ruvati Top-Mount bar sink with LEDs Outdoor KitchenContact:   Jeff Downing     8813-784-5211             email:   Jeff@DowningDesigns.com

Ruvati Bar Sink In Glass Countertop

I appreciate your time reviewing these sink options for glass countertops. I hope that our vast experience with both Ruvati and Kohler has assisted you in your decision making process.

Jeff Downing   (813) 784 5211     Jeff@DowningDesigns.com

 

source https://downingdesigns.com/two-great-kitchen-sinks-for-glass-countertops/