Category: Glass

Innovative Glass Pool Fence Ideas Transforming Your Backyard

Posted on by Frameless Shower Installations

Innovative Glass Pool Fence Ideas Transforming Your Backyard

Has there ever been a time when you’ve been lounging by the poolside, soaking up the sun and relishing the tranquillity, only to have your moment of zen disrupted by the sight of a clunky, obstructive pool fence? From the sheer beauty of transparent barriers to the unparalleled safety they provide, glass pool fences can truly transform any backyard into a suburban oasis. Let’s delve into what makes this innovative approach to pool fencing a favourite among homeowners today.

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A Glass Pool Fence

Understanding Your Options: Frameless vs Framed Glass Fences

The first decision to make when considering a glass pool fence is whether to go frameless or framed. A frameless glass fence provides an almost invisible barrier, perfect for maintaining an unobstructed view of your pool and beyond. The clean lines and minimalistic design add a touch of sophistication to any outdoor setting.

In contrast, framed glass fences offer a blend of modern design and a slightly more traditional feel, with their visible posts and railings. While slightly more noticeable, they remain elegant and unobtrusive, serving as a stylish addition to your backyard aesthetics. Regardless of your choice, we ensure the highest quality glass and expert installation services for both styles.

Safety Features And Compliance Of Glass Pool Fences

  • Toughened Glass: Our pool fences are made from toughened safety glass, ensuring they can withstand significant force without breaking.
  • Compliant Height: To meet Australian standards, all our pool fences are designed at a height of at least 1200mm.
  • Secure Gates: Equipped with self-closing and self-latching gates, our fences help to always keep your pool area secure.
  • Non-Climbable Design: The design of our fences makes them non-climbable, a key requirement of Australian pool safety regulations.

Enhancing Your View: The Transparency Advantage

Imagine lounging on your patio, enjoying an uninterrupted view of your sparkling pool, the children playing or perhaps the sun setting over a serene landscape. This dream can become a reality with the transparency advantage of our glass pool fences. Crafted from the finest quality glass, our fences ensure that you never miss a moment of the backyard splendour while adding a touch of elegance to your outdoor setting.

How Glass Fences Stand Up To Weather Conditions

Weather conditions can be harsh, with intense sun, heavy rain and gusty winds. But fear not, our glass pool fences are up to the challenge. Made from highly durable and weather-resistant glass, they remain steadfast and clear, regardless of what Mother Nature throws at them. So, enjoy your pool and the view around it, come rain or shine.

The Ease Of Maintenance With Glass Pool Fences

Remember those Sundays spent scrubbing and repainting the old timber fence? With our glass pool fences, that’s a thing of the past. These fences require minimal maintenance, allowing you more time to relax and enjoy your pool. A quick wipe-down is all it takes to keep your glass pool fence looking as good as new, ensuring your backyard continues to shine.

Transform Your Backyard: Pool Fence Design Trends

  • Seamless Integration: Blending your pool fence with the surrounding landscape is a growing trend, made easy with our range of designs.
  • Illuminated Fences: Adding LED lights to your fence can create a stunning night-time effect and we can help make it happen.
  • Mixing Materials: Combining glass with other materials like wood or metal offers a unique aesthetic appeal.

Time For A Backyard Transformation?

Isn’t it time your backyard reflects your taste and personality? With a stunning glass pool fence, not only can you ensure safety and compliance, but also infuse a touch of elegance into your outdoor space. Our team at Frameless Shower Installations is ready to make your vision a reality. Contact us today!

How To Clean Your Glass Shower Screen

Posted on by Frameless Shower Installations

How To Clean Your Glass Shower Screen

The tranquillity of a warm shower can provide a moment of solace from the chaos of daily life. The last thing you want is a scummy shower screen ruining the moment! If you’re sick of looking at soap scum and grime, here are some handy tips and tricks to restore the sparkle to your glass shower screen.

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Close Up Image Of A Shower Glass Screen

Gather Your Supplies

Before cleaning your glass shower screen, gather some cleaning supplies. Some great options are:

  • Glass cleaner: Look for a high-quality glass cleaner that is specifically formulated for removing soap scum and hard water stains. Make sure it does not contain harsh chemicals that could damage the surface of the glass.
  • White vinegar: Vinegar is an excellent natural cleaner that effectively cuts through mineral deposits and soap scum. If you are worried about damaging your glass, white vinegar is a great alternative to chemical-based cleaners.
  • Baking soda: This versatile household ingredient acts as a gentle abrasive and helps remove stubborn stains without scratching the glass.
  • Microfiber cloth: Choose a soft microfiber cloth to avoid scratching the glass surface while cleaning.
  • Squeegee: Find a soft rubber ended squeegee designed for delicate glass surfaces.

Prepare The Cleaning Solutions

If you’ve chosen natural products (vinegar and baking soda), you will need to prepare the cleaning solutions:

  • For regular cleaning: Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake well to ensure the solution is well mixed.
  • For tough stains: Make a paste of baking soda and water to remove stubborn stains.

Start Cleaning

Now you’re all set up, it’s time to clean those glass shower screens!

  • Spray the glass cleaner solution or vinegar solution generously over the entire surface of the shower screen. If there are hard water stains let it sit for 15 minutes.
  • Using a microfiber cloth, wipe the glass in circular motions, paying extra attention to areas with visible stains or soap scum.
  • For tougher stains, use the baking soda paste and gently scrub the affected areas. Rinse thoroughly with water afterwards.
  • If hard water stains persist, repeat the vinegar treatment, allowing it to sit for a longer period before wiping off.
  • Once you have thoroughly cleaned the glass, rinse it with warm water to remove any residue or cleaning solution.
  • Finally, use the squeegee to remove excess water and leave the surfaces nice and dry. This will also deter any pesky water marks after all your hard work.

Maintenance Tips

Want to keep your glass shower screen cleaner for longer? Incorporate these maintenance tips into your routine to cut down on your cleaning time:

  • After each shower, use a squeegee to eliminate excess water from the screen. This will minimise the build-up of soap scum and water stains.
  • Regularly clean the screen to prevent the accumulation of grime.
  • Consider applying a specialised glass treatment to create an invisible barrier that repels water and soap scum. This will make future cleaning much easier!

Transform Your Bathroom With Frameless Shower Installations

A sparkling clean shower screen can completely transform your bathroom. If despite your best efforts, your showers are looking worse for wear, it may be time to install new glass shower screens. At Frameless Shower Installations, we offer a range of glass products and services including the installation of frameless, framed and semi-framed shower screens.

With over 20 years of experience, we are committed to tailoring our services to suit our customers’ specific tastes, styles and budgets. If your Sunshine Coast home needs new shower screens, get in touch today for a free estimation and site-measure. Our friendly team are always happy to help!

Pros and Cons of Different Balustrade Materials

Posted on by localsearch

Pros and Cons of Different Balustrade Materials

The balustrade is one of the most important aspects of your staircase because it sets the tone for the overall design. A traditional wood-turned balustrade has a traditional feel while a modern, sleek glass balustrade creates a more contemporary look.

There are hundreds of options available for balustrades, including different colours, shapes and materials. This allows you to easily create a unique and interesting design for your home, but it can also make choosing the right balustrade more difficult.

So in this blog, we are going to look at the three primary materials used to make balustrades. Each has its pros and cons, and understanding these will make choosing the right material much easier.

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balustrades with wood and glass

Wooden balustrades

Wooden balustrades are the most traditional material for balustrades. Wood is strong, durable and cost-effective, and it can also be carved to create intricate shapes and patterns. While wood is seen as a traditional material, it can also be used to create a contemporary look.

Wooden balustrades are available in both soft and hardwoods. Softwoods like pine and hemlock come in warm rich colours that have a traditional rustic feel. Softwood is also softer to touch, which makes it ideal for handrails. Hardwoods such as oak and mahogany have deeper richer colours and are more durable.

Another advantage of wood is that it can be stained or painted to enhance its appearance. This gives you an almost limitless range of options to create a staircase that complements your interior. You can even mix and match finishes and materials by painting the spindles and staining the handrail for example.

Pros

  • Cost-effective
  • Aesthetically pleasing
  • Warm to touch
  • Almost unlimited choice of colours and finishes
  • Can be used to create contemporary or traditional interiors

Cons

  • Needs regular maintenance
  • Easily scratched or damaged
  • Not suitable for very modern minimalist interiors

 

Laminated Glass Railing Balustrade

Glass balustrades

Glass is a popular balustrade material because it allows light to pass through and reflect around the room. This makes it ideal for staircases in entrance halls where natural light is limited. But glass also makes the staircase feel lighter and less obtrusive, so it’s ideal for staircases in lounge or kitchen areas.

Another advantage of glass is that it doesn’t require any maintenance. At most, it will require a quick wipe-down with a damp cloth to remove dust and stains. But no painting or staining is required. After its aesthetic appearance, this is one of the main advantages of glass balustrades.

One disadvantage of glass balustrades is that they can feel cold to touch. Some people prefer this sensation, but most prefer the soft, warm feel of wood. But nothing is stopping you from combining the two. You can have a glass balustrade finished with a wooden handrail, giving you the best of both worlds.

Pros

  • Enhanced durability
  • Doesn’t require painting or staining
  • Can be translucent or opaque
  • Allows more light into the room
  • Can be used to create a beautiful contemporary staircase

Cons

  • More expensive than timber
  • Limited choice of colours
  • Cold to touch
Silver Metal Balustrade in staircase

Metal balustrades

Metal allows you to create a unique and architecturally interesting balustrade. Metal is also stronger than wood so the individual spindles can be much thinner, which allows for a more elegant and less obtrusive design. The metal can also be painted or plated to create an almost limitless range of colours and finishes.

However, the extra fabrication required to make metal balustrades makes them more expensive than either glass or timber balustrades. And metal feels cold to touch, which puts some people off. However, much like glass balustrades, you can combine metal spindles with timber handrails to get the best of both worlds.

Pros

  • Enhanced durability
  • Lots of finishing options
  • Can be used to create intricate designs
  • Suitable for traditional or contemporary interiors

Cons

  • More expensive than timber or glass
  • Can feel too industrial for some homes
  • Cold to touch

 

Looking for quality glass balustrades?

Are you looking for a new glass balustrade for your home? Frameless Glass Installations on the Sunshine Coast stocks a large range of internal and external glass balustrades. You can choose from a range of styles and finishes to complement your interior and we offer a complete made-to-measure and installation service.

Check out our range of glass balustrades or complete the contact form to arrange a FREE quotation today.

Why You Should Use More Glass In Your Office Fit Out

Posted on by localsearch

Why You Should Use More Glass In Your Office Fit Out

Getting an office layout right can be tricky! You’re looking to find a balance between maintaining an open plan space and reducing ambient noise. An office with lots of walls might be quieter and more private, but having cubicles can be demoralising.

Research indicates that worker productivity suffers dramatically when they’re working from cubicles. Couple that with a lack of sunlight and interactions, and you’ve got a recipe for despondent employees.

Here are some of the top reasons to include glass in your office layout designs:

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glass office fit out

1. Noise reduction

While open-plan offices have become increasingly popular, one thing workers hate about them is noise pollution. It can be hard to focus when you can hear the person one desk over loudly eating snacks and someone coughing across the room.

Choosing solid walls is a drain on productivity as we’ve discussed, so glass is a great way to achieve a good balance. It gives you all the advantages of an open-plan office with the quiet and privacy of a closed one.

2. Open-plan aesthetic

Open-plan offices, while we’ve established aren’t always the most effective working spaces, are still very trendy and sought after. If your office is open to investors, stockholders or other consumers, having an aesthetically-pleasing office is a huge boon. A nice space reflects well on your product, lending an appearance of quality.

So, you can use large sheets of clear glass to maintain that highly sought-after open plan appearance. If noise pollution is less of an issue, half walls made of glass are a good option, as they can be used to demarcate borders between workers’ spaces without blocking eyelines or the flow of light through the room.

office room with glass walls for more natural light

3. Natural light

If you’ve ever tried to work in a dark room with fluorescent lighting, you know that it can be very demotivating. It’s dull, there’s no sign of the outdoors and your body can’t accurately rely on its internal clock, which leads to increased lethargy. Using glass spreads more natural light throughout the space, which raises productivity and morale. Plus, if there’s greenery nearby, it will add to your office décor without you needing to spend any extra cash.

This doesn’t mean you need to use crystal clear glass everywhere and sacrifice privacy. Use rippled glass to maintain light dispersion, even in-between spaces where you need to keep away prying eyes, like between boardrooms and the main floor.

4. Cost-effective

Solid sheets of timber and drywall are a classic choice, but they definitely have their downsides. Once a wall is put up, it’s costly and annoying to move it. But with a glass barrier, rearranging is easier as they can be locked into small brackets on the floor and/or ceiling which are far easier to move. Using glass also means less cost for lighting as you can capitalise on natural lighting.

Finally, glass is almost always cheaper as a building material, so combined with the added cost-effective features noted above, you’re in a great financial position when you use glass.

meeting room with glass walls

So now you understand how using glass as a construction material will improve employee morale, workplace aesthetics and your bottom line. If you’re looking for help, Frameless Glass Installations is here for clients across the Sunshine Coast.

We have a wide range of glass in various colours and patterns, and it all comes with a 5-year warranty because we trust our suppliers and workers. If you’d like to organise a quote, get in contact with us today and we’d love to help you out with your new office plan.