Glass Countertops
Definitely Unique and Stylish Too

Glass countertops are among the less common types of countertop material you'll find but that doesn't mean they're not up to the task. On the contrary, they can provide a clean, sanitary and very stylish countertop surface, one that you won't find in every other household down the block.

While there are plenty of countertop choices that are available, you'd have to agree that there's a cluster of common countertop materials that most homeowners opt for, like stone, solid surface, laminate or engineered stone.

But what about those individuals that want to be set apart from the masses, who want their kitchen to express their unique style? From a countertop perspective, glass countertops are one of those unique materials that meets that need.

Glass counters aren't common but they're gaining in popularity among designers and style-minded homeowners who want unique options.

So what should you know about glass countertops before you start shopping? Let's take a look.

Page Sections At A Glance

Getting To Know Glass Countertops

Determining If They're Right For You

Glass countertops provide a durable surface but depending on your lifestyle they may be a right or wrong choice. Children leave lots of finger and hand prints as their calling card and keeping a glass counter top clean with young children around might be more of a chore than you think.

If you like to cook and foresee needing a surface for cutting and chopping, you might think of something more akin to a wood or butcher block countertop. That doesn't mean you can't have glass counters. It's just that glass does scratch so you'll need to use cutting boards for cutting operations.

Getting Familiar With Types of Glass

• Tempered and Non-Tempered
  Similar to metal, glass can be heat treated to obtain certain properties. Tempered glass has been heat treated to increase its strength. On the flip side, annealed glass can be considered non-tempered or not as strong as tempered glass. Some glass countertops may or may not be tempered. You'll want to discuss this with your fabricator to determine the best type of glass for your application.

• Types of Glass
  These are terms you may encounter with various fabricators as relating to the type of glass they use in their products.
  • Float Glass - Molten glass is "floated" on a bed of molten tin to produce sheets of glass that have a uniform thickness and are very flat and smooth. This is the same process used to make windows.
  • Slump Glass - Glass that's laid in a mold and heated until it softens and "slumps" into the shape of the mold is called slump glass. This is one process used to give glass sheets texture and variable shape.
  • Kiln-Fired Glass - Glass remnants that are melted in a kiln and recycled into new glass classifies as kiln-fired glass. It's typically strong and hard but its size is limited by the size of the kiln.

Installation

To get around this, the glass can be treated with an opaque paint or coating on the bottom surface that will hide what's underneath it. Other options include installing the glass over a solid substrate like plastic laminate that covers the inside of the cabinets. Some fabricators suggest using metallic-colored laminates to enhance the color depth within the glass.

As Unique As Art

Some of the sources that make glass counters are art studios specializing in the craft of glass fixtures and art pieces. In this way they're well positioned to create for you a distinctive countertop that you won't find anywhere else.

If you've only seen a few examples of glass counters, it may be beneficial to spend some time looking over the websites of some of the sources for glass counters. You'll be able to see the wide range of colors, textures and the visual impact that this type of countertop can have. You can find sources for glass counter tops here.

Different Forms And Many Options To Choose From

One style option that works well with glass countertops is the "floating" or raised countertop. It's nothing more than a two-tiered countertop where the top counter is raised on small pillars off of the main countertop or island surface. The main countertop might be a different material that offers a contrast to the raised glass surface.

Similar to concrete countertops, glass countertops allow for interesting contours and curved edges. These stylistic options complement the clean modern look that glass possesses.

Glass, unlike other countertop choices, can accommodate under-surface lighting for a striking visual effect. The light can be used both as a decorative effect to enhance the natural depth and color of the glass as well as for practical means by providing additional light in the kitchen.

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Pros and Cons of Glass Countertops

Where would we be without pros and cons to make us more confused than ever? Actually, they're best at pointing out some of the considerations to think about, maybe as a piece of information that helps tip the decision scales one way or another.

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What Do I Need To Consider When Choosing Glass Countertops?

• Provide Plans and Templates
  Glass countertops are not an 'off-the-shelf' type of product and they're virtually all custom made. You'll need to provide fabricators with plans and templates of your countertop/kitchen design along with measurements for them to be able to craft your countertop.

  If you're handy, you can do this yourself. Otherwise you may want to employ the services of your contractor or a kitchen designer to help with this process.

• Pricing is Widely Variable
  The cost for a glass countertop is based on a number of variables such as overall size, thickness, type of glass, any added artistic details or colors and so on. A rough (very rough) ballpark range for glass countertops is anywhere from about $60 to $300 per square foot. Some sources put cost at the higher end of this range.

  The best way to get an idea of what a glass countertop could cost you is to contact one or several glass countertop sources and provide them with dimensions in order to get a quote.

• Consider Fabrication Lead Times
  In many cases there will be a lead time involved in the fabrication and delivery of your glass countertops. In some instances this could be several months, depending on the design and the fabricator. You will need to factor this into your building or remodeling schedule so that the countertops are available for installation at the right time.

• Understand Shipping and Damage Policies
  Fabricators of glass countertops understand the fragile nature of their products and have sophisticated means to crate and ship them. But make sure you understand your responsibilities when receiving the goods and what do and who's responsible if the goods are damaged.

  Some fabricators provide this information on their website but others don't. Remember to discuss these issues so that there are no surprises should the unlikely event of damage occur.

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Where To Get Them

Although they're not the type of countertop you'll find at your local big-box home supplier, there are still plenty of sources for glass countertops.

Kitchen designers in your local area might know of sources close by that make or can source them for you. Local sources obviously save on transportation and shipping costs and afford you the ability to work face-to-face with the fabricator.

If those options aren't fruitful, click here to go to our glass countertop sources page. There you can find a list of fabricators that design and fabricate glass countertops. Highlights of what each company has to offer is included along with their website address.

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