Glass bricks are primarily made by molding molten glass into two halves, which are then joined together and cooled.
Creating a glass brick involves heating raw materials like sand, soda ash, and limestone until they become molten glass. This hot liquid glass is then carefully shaped.
The Molding Process
The key step involves shaping the molten glass into the brick's form. This is typically done using a mold. Based on how it's made:
- A portion of the molten glass, referred to as a gob of glass, is cut off.
- This hot gob then slides into a waiting mold.
- A plug pushes the gob down, applying pressure.
- This action is crucial for spreading glass throughout the mold cavity, ensuring the glass takes the precise shape of the mold's interior.
Often, two separate halves of the glass block are created using this molding technique.
Joining and Finishing
Once the two halves are molded, while still hot, they are typically sealed together to form a single, hollow block. This creates the insulated core characteristic of many glass bricks.
After joining, the bricks undergo a controlled cooling process called annealing. This gradual cooling relieves internal stresses in the glass, making the finished brick strong and durable.
Finally, the cooled bricks may be cleaned and packaged, ready for use in construction and design projects.
