Modern bathroom design is a top priority for many homeowners. While past design trends have emphasized old world accessories, exotic motifs, and vintage inspired designs, the new push in bathroom design is towards the cutting edge of both visual appeal as well as fixture design. Bathroom sinks, in particular, are the one fixture that seems to be handling these changes the best, taking on the widest variety of modern design variations of all the significant pieces within the bathroom. From vessel sinks to wall mount sinks, the styles of bathroom sinks being offered on the market are astounding. Sink materials are seeing some major variations as well, with non traditional bathroom sink materials such as steel, copper, and glass taking center stage. In fact, glass sinks are some of the most sought after variations on the modern bathroom sink to be found on the current market.
How Did Glass Sinks Come To Be?
According to written history, the sailors from the Phoenecian lands were the first people to be noted for their use of glass. As the existence of the unique material became more widely known and examples of its uses began to spread, it quickly gained in popularity as not only a beautiful material, but a versatile one as well. Frequently seen in relics from the time period, glass was most often used in items such as jewelry, vases, and other primarily decorative natured objects. For the most part, it was often used as an accent on other base materials, until glass workers discovered that if the material was created in thick enough sections, it was extremely durable on its own. Once this discovery had been made, its versatility as a stand alone material became just as important as that of an accent material.
Discoveries such as this ultimately led to the creation of glass bowls, vases, dishware, and, as witnessed in modern times, glass sinks. Essentially, various types of glass were mixed together and superheated until it reached a thick liquid state. The fused elements were poured into molds and allowed to settle into the mold, reheated, and then cooled. Once the glass mixture had cooled, the mold was broken and the finished glass piece was ready to be polished. Today, most glass bowl sinks are made from tempered glass in order to increase their durability and also ensure the safety of the user.
What Is Tempered Glass?
A glass bowl sink made from standard glass would be somewhat durable, however, if it were to break the glass would break into sharp, jagged pieces, creating a severe safety hazard. Tempered glass, on the other hand, has been shown to be over four times stronger than standard glass. More importantly, if a tempered glass sink were to break, it would separate into tiny, pebble-like fragments, relatively smooth to the touch and significantly safer to deal with. Essentially, a tempered glass sink is not only much less likely to break, it is also much safer to deal with on the rare chance that it does suffer damage.
Why Are Tempered Glass Sinks So Important?
Tempered glass is becoming increasingly popular in a number of bathroom applications. It is the most common material used in the fabrication of both stand alone shower doors and walls, as well as panels and doors installed on standard bathtub and shower combination units. Because of this, it has also become the material of choice for the fabrication of glass sinks, regardless of their style. For the most part, there are two main types of glass sinks on the market, glass vanity sinks and glass vessel sinks. Tempered glass is crucial to both designs for somewhat varied reasons.
In Counter Glass Vanity Sinks
With a glass vanity sink, you have the strength of the glass within the sink as well as the support of the counter top it has been set into. Typically the sink will have an additional layer of support underneath it as well. Because the sink is set into the counter, however, there is a higher chance of various bathroom items falling into the sink that have rolled off the counter. Depending on the weight and size of these items, there is always some potential for damage. The added strength of the tempered glass helps to minimize the risk associated with stray bathroom items falling into the glass sink and causing damage.
Above Counter Glass Vessel Sinks
A vessel sink, on the other hand, presents a slightly different challenge. The vanity sink design benefits from the added support of both the counter and the vanity cabinet structure. Given that a glass vessel sink is set above the bathroom counter, as opposed to being set into it, the durability and safety factors are crucial design elements. The sink itself has no outer support and is therefore subject to a greater likelihood of potential damage. Because if this, glass vessel sinks also tend to be made somewhat thicker than a vanity sink in order to account for the extra durability they need to possess.
What Are My Glass Sink Design Options?
As stated above, the two main types of glass sinks are above counter and in counter designs. The above counter vessel sink style presents a more modern appearance and more striking initial visual appeal. They tend to make a very bold statement and work well for consumers who prefer a highly artistic décor, as they are typically mistaken for a decorative accessory, rather than a bathroom fixture, on first glance. In counter vanity sinks, on the other hand, still offer the modern appeal of glass as a design medium, while not being overly bold in appearance. They are more suited towards consumers who prefer a more subtle décor, as well as those who like the concept of modern bathroom design, but not necessarily the idea of making too bold a visual statement.
Tempered glass can be just as decorative, if not more so, than standard glass, offered in a variety of both solid and opaque colors, etched designs, and internal patterns. The safety glass is also not limited by any specific shape or size, allowing the creation of sinks meeting nearly any specifications. While round and square designs are two of the most popular, glass sinks can be found in nearly any shape you can imagine. Tempered glass, even with its added safety features and overall strength, is just as affordable as standard glass as well.
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