Everything returns, as confirmed by pavés. This material had great prominence in the 80s but it began to lose validity at the end of the XNUMXth century. Now, however, thanks to the role it has played in major architectural works it has recently come back into fashion. That is why we do not hesitate to show you today different ideas with pavés.
What for years has been considered old-fashioned is now a trend. And it is great news because the cinder block glass not only helps us to gain light in our home but it has other very interesting qualities that we can take advantage of. How? Using these translucent blocks to create both interior and exterior walls and give a certain industrial atmosphere to our residence.
What is pavés?
The pavés or crystal of pavés, is a translucent glass block that allows the passage of light but, at the same time, provides a certain intimacy to the spaces on either side of it. It is manufactured at very high temperatures, generating an inner chamber that provides it with great thermal and acoustic insulation.
The walls made with glass blocks are usually resistant and fire retardant, protecting us from fire, smoke or heat. They are also waterproof, which makes them easy to use both outdoors and indoors. And as we have already mentioned, they also have important features in terms of thermal and acoustic insulation.
Pavés blocks are usually square. The standard size is 19x19x8 centimeters, although we can find pieces that have other sizes and shapes in order to offer greater flexibility. Their finishes are also varied, being able to be smooth or textured, colorless or coloured, opaque or transparent.
Advantages of pavé
- Lets in light and at the same time provides some privacy inside. The different degrees of transparency allow you to play with both features.
- find a great thermal and acoustic insulation. The inner air chamber provides good noise insulation as well as great resistance to changes in outside temperatures. In addition, there are glass blocks on the market with special properties: increased sound insulation and greater energy efficiency.
- The walls made with glass blocks They are resistant and fire retardant.
- Its installation is relatively simple and requires neither expensive additional materials nor highly qualified personnel.
- Can be used in many ways, both on facades or interior partitions, as well as on floors or ceilings as skylights. As a block is a small unit, the decorative possibilities are limitless.
- Its maintenance is simple. You will only have to occasionally clean them with water.
Ideas with pavés
Are you wondering how to use these glass blocks in your home? There are many ways you have to do it depending on the quality you want to exploit. Do you want help to take advantage of the outside light? To favor the light of those spaces without windows? To provide intimacy to different spaces in the same room?
on the outer walls
Using pavé on the exterior walls of a home is a wonderful alternative for take advantage of outdoor light and protect our privacy at the same time. It will be especially advantageous to use these blocks in areas where windows cannot be installed by law or where their curved architecture makes their installation difficult.
They can be used to create small gazebos but also to cover complete facades. As we have already advanced before, these walls are resistant, offer good thermal and acoustic insulation and are fireproof. In addition, there are glass blocks with reinforced characteristics for exterior walls that make this material a really interesting alternative.
There is also a wide variety of designs that allow not only adapt its aesthetic to that of our home but to provide it with the necessary security and privacy. Do you like the idea of using pavé on exterior walls to fill your home with light?
On floors and ceilings
Pavés has great mechanical resistance, which allows it to also be used on floors and ceilings as skylights. A great tool, for example, to provide a basement with more natural lighting or reinforce the feeling of spaciousness and light in a transit area where we do not want to open windows.
In the case of soils and in order strengthen the strength and stability of the structure, metal rods are usually arranged between the glass pieces, filling the spaces later with cement mortar. It goes without saying that this is one of those ideas with pavés for which we will need to hire a professional.
to separate environments
Among the main applications of pavés is the construction of interior walls that they allow the entrance of light in adjoining spaces. These translucent walls are especially interesting in rooms without windows and in large elongated spaces with a single light source where you want to create various environments.
Pavés will also have a great decorative force in these spaces; its enormous variety of finishes will make it possible, once again, to create attractive combinations that personalize the space. In industrial and contemporary environments They are a trend.
As a screen in bathtub and shower
Glass walls had a great presence in bathrooms when this material was a trend in the 80s and they have it again now. They are mainly used to separate the bath area from the sink area. The idea is to place the glass block wall where the most splashes are generated, opening up the rest of the space for wide access to the shower.
These types of walls fit especially well in industrial-style bathrooms. with ceramics in gray tones that imitate concrete. But it is also possible to integrate them in bathrooms of other styles, as you can see in the images that we have selected. Can you imagine the strength that colored pavé crystals can give a small bathroom?
As a decorative element
In addition to those mentioned, there are many other ideas with pavés with great decorative power that we can incorporate into the design of our home. One of the ones that has caught our attention the most is to place these glass blocks in the kitchen front. We love the contrast of the green blocks with the black cabinets, don't you?
They are also a great idea for shape bars and counters, provided, of course, that you do not need storage space under these. In addition, you will find very original proposals inspired by these glass blocks such as the lamps that we show you.
Do you like our ideas with pavés? Would you like to incorporate this material into your home?