I have made a hole in a lightweight concrete wall to let light into the bathroom behind the wall, but my wish is that this "light pass-through" should also be sound-insulating so that you don't feel too "exposed" when in the bathroom.
Originally, I had planned to use glass blocks, which have both of these properties, but before I decide, I would like to get tips on other materials. A suggestion I received is to build a kind of "window" using either frosted glass or acrylic sheets (plastic). My question is how well do these materials insulate against sound?
To make it a bit more complicated, the hole is located in an outer corner according to the attached sketch (it's the light blue corner that should be filled with suitable material).
Another requirement is that it should be very cost-effective - that is, as nice as possible at the lowest cost possible. If the delivery time for the incoming components is short, it's a big bonus!
Originally, I had planned to use glass blocks, which have both of these properties, but before I decide, I would like to get tips on other materials. A suggestion I received is to build a kind of "window" using either frosted glass or acrylic sheets (plastic). My question is how well do these materials insulate against sound?
To make it a bit more complicated, the hole is located in an outer corner according to the attached sketch (it's the light blue corner that should be filled with suitable material).
Another requirement is that it should be very cost-effective - that is, as nice as possible at the lowest cost possible. If the delivery time for the incoming components is short, it's a big bonus!
Glass and plastic have poor "isolation" unless you use them very thickly or in multiple layers (e.g., triple glazing). So the only thing I can recommend is glass blocks... simple and with all the properties you asked about. They come in different versions such as frosted, colored, etc... I wouldn't hesitate. Also, they are the most stable... if you have children, then regular glass (e.g., 3-4mm) is not really suitable... if a football hits it or someone falls against a glass pane, it can be unpleasant...
I vote for glass blocks!
/
M
I vote for glass blocks!
/
M
I would have voted for glass blocks. If you don't want a molding in the corner, otherwise a double or triple-glazed window should work well. They are likely to provide better sound insulation than most interior doors. Then you can choose frosted/etched glass etc., or maybe use some form of film.
See: http://www.etchedlookglassdecals.com/samplephoto.html I hope this link is OK even though it's partly an advertisement for the company. But it's probably much cheaper to have it done by a local advertising company, so I hope it's okay. Considering there are so many different ideas that you can take advantage of.
See: http://www.etchedlookglassdecals.com/samplephoto.html I hope this link is OK even though it's partly an advertisement for the company. But it's probably much cheaper to have it done by a local advertising company, so I hope it's okay. Considering there are so many different ideas that you can take advantage of.
I have actually been considering a combination of glass blocks and "film". I tried buying a super cheap clear glass block and some super cheap white-patterned film. I applied the film to both sides of the block and the effect turned out really well. The impression that the wall was made of glass blocks almost completely disappeared, which was appreciated by my partner who for some reason doesn't like glass concrete
However, the problem was that when you scratched the film with a nail, it easily left marks on it. If a nail can cause marks, then surely vacuum cleaners, umbrellas, hockey sticks, and similar things could unintentionally cause the same damage?
Is more expensive (professional?) film perhaps more durable?
However, the problem was that when you scratched the film with a nail, it easily left marks on it. If a nail can cause marks, then surely vacuum cleaners, umbrellas, hockey sticks, and similar things could unintentionally cause the same damage?
Is more expensive (professional?) film perhaps more durable?
You can sandblast the glass blocks to get patterns, etc. The company I mentioned also had some kind of kit... I guess you can make patterns with a bit of cut and paste with tape, etc., and then sandblast.
Exactly! It's a good idea that I've also considered a bit - then you get the good qualities of the glass blocks together with a "nicer" appearance. Maybe you could even use plastic instead of glass to save money and get a more durable solution?Pysslarn said:
I also got a tip about triple-glazed windows (frosted) which both let through light and insulate well against sound. Do you think this would work well?
Does anyone have good tips on how to build such glass into a wall without having bulky frames - maybe you can "plaster in" the glass?
Does anyone have good tips on how to build such glass into a wall without having bulky frames - maybe you can "plaster in" the glass?
If you fix the window, it will be troublesome when the kids have played football Personally, I would have chosen to have a moulding or similar in one direction so you can remove the window. Then you could glue the window with something like pl400 and then glue a thin moulding that only sits in the window so you can just break it off without damaging the plaster if the pane breaks.
Personally, I would have chosen to have a moulding or similar in one direction so you can remove the window. Then you could glue the window with something like pl400 and then glue a thin moulding that only sits in the window so you can just break it off without damaging the plaster if the pane breaks.