While all glass tiles offer designers a broad pallet of colors and options with which to work, glass subway tiles have become the preferred way to incorporate glass into tiling projects. One wonderful aspect of subway tiles is how flexible your design layout can be. Unlike typical, square-shaped tiles, subway tiles are rectangular, and thus offer a greater range of interesting patterns that can be created. Most people opt to arrange their subway tiles in a traditional, brick-style layout, but setting the tiles so all grout joints line up is also popular. Also, the subway tiles can be turned on their sides, so the same brick or inline pattern can be installed with the tiles’ long sides in a vertical position. No matter the design you choose for your tile installation, glass subway tiles offer the flexibility you need to transform your space into something truly spectacular.

When deciding how to lay out your glass subway tiles, you cannot forget to consider the different possibilities presented by the broad range of vivid colors available. For instance, if you decide to use only one color, then you may find a brick layout allows for the tiled surface to remain visually interesting in spite of the monochromatic color scheme. Another option could be to mix two or more different colors together. The colors don’t even need to be in equal proportions; adding a rogue color that can be incorporated randomly throughout the tiled surface can provide a “pop” that sets your project apart. Remember, there are no binding rules when it comes to interior design. Rather, your tiling project should be an expression of your taste, aesthetics, and artistic acumen. Let your imagination run wild before committing to your ultimate design. Glass subway tiles’ layout options along with the wide selection of colors and finishes available frees tile installers and designers to use their creativity to generate visual masterpieces.

Using glass subway tiles, as opposed to other tile materials, offers homeowners and designers nearly endless design options. The range of layout possibilities can be enhanced by the variation and number of colors you choose to work with. When purchasing your glass subway tiles, your creativity will be unleashed if you can source them by the piece — not on pre-mounted sheets. It is true that it is easier to install mesh-mounted tiles, but it limits the possible arrangements and ability to mix and match different colors. A truly unique design requires the flexibility that is only available by purchasing individually packed glass subway tiles.

Many brands of glass subway tile are available on the market nowadays, but the finest colors and quality are only available from Giorbello. Their Cristezzá Glass Subway Tiles are made available as loose, 3″ x 6″ pieces so as to not limit a designer’s creative vision. Also, ordering by the piece offers the flexibility to purchase only as many tiles as you need without wasting money. Like all glass subway tiles, they look stunning whether they are installed in an inline or brick pattern. However, the eye-catching depth and shadow of their subway tiles sets Giorbello apart from their competitors.

While glass tile has its own, inherent quirks when it comes to installation, an exterior application, such as a swimming pool, requires even more specialized attention and materials. The main challenge for installing glass tile outdoors is glass’ relatively high expansion coefficient. What that means is, glass expands and contracts at a greater rate than other materials someone might use in their pool, e.g. ceramic or stone. Since the tile is adhered to the bottom of the pool while it’s expanding and contracting, it can easily crack and break if the cement it’s laid into doesn’t stretch with it. Therefore, the question we hear again and again from customers is, “How do I install glass tile in my pool without having to repair the broken tiles year after year?” The answer has not always been an easy one. However, with advances in technology and contractors’ growing experience installing glass tile, we are now able to provide customers with the right recommendations so that their pool installation experiences minimal problems.

The most important step in putting glass tile in a swimming pool is choosing the right installation materials. To reiterate, the high rate of expansion and contraction of glass caused by temperature changes is the leading cause of cracks and damage to installed tiles. In order to compensate for this, special thin-set adhesives and additives have been developed that expand and contract with the glass. The leading manufacturer of glass-specific tile adhesive systems is MAPEI, and their Adesilex P10 thin-set and Keraply additive can be combined into an installation system that is specifically designed for applications where the glass tiles are completely submerged. The elasticity of the Adesilex P10/Keraply combination allows the glass tiles to stretch without breaking, and MAPEI is so confident in this installation solution’s ability to provide lasting results that they offer a 5-year warranty on materials and labor. With a guarantee like that, it’s no wonder that so many tile contractors and retailers stand behind MAPEI’s products as the best in the industry.

Whether you are installing glass tile on the exterior of your home, as an accent in the garden, or on the bottom of your swimming pool, you need to take into account the unique challenges that comes with using glass tile outdoors. These challenges are not insurmountable as long as you take care to use the proper installation materials. If you do this, then there is no reason why your project can’t look as gorgeous as the South Florida pool pictured above.

This is a snapshot of the state of the bathroom at the warehouse bathroom before we renovated it using Giorbello Glass Tiles. As you can see, the floor was bare concrete, the wall needed repairs, and there is a nasty, rusted pipe exposed in the corner of the room. A true mess that doesn’t impress our customers or our staff. All that’s about to change though…

After a few days of installing, grouting, and caulking the glass tiles, we have a brand new bathroom! Now, customers can see firsthand how beautiful glass tiles are after installation.

Two tiles were used for this project. The glass/stone blend installed on the floor, vertical strip behind the sink, and the horizontal border is “Rome” of the Giorbello Glacier Mountain product line. The solid white tile is “Shell White” of the Giorbello Cristezzá Select product line. Both glass tiles are 8 mm thick; therefore, they are suitable for use on floors as well as walls.

Over the past decade there has been a transition in tastes from ceramic to glass subway tile which is driven primarily by the unique advantages of glass as a building material. Visually, glass offers a depth and clarity that is unmatched by even the most finely glazed ceramic tiles. The brilliant colors that shine through glass tiles contrast sharply with the dull, muted tones of ceramic alternatives. Secondly, glass is impervious to moisture making them an ideal material for high moisture areas such as bathrooms. Luckily for homeowners, new manufacturing techniques have made glass subway tile available as a durable surface option while enhancing its unique beauty.

Glass subway tiles are an excellent choice in all sorts of applications. They are able to be used indoors or outdoors, in bathrooms, kitchens, and even swimming pools. They make a great addition to the ambiance of any space in which they’re used. Whether it’s your kitchen backsplash or your shower walls, incorporating glass subway tile into your home improvement project will endow your space with a trendy vibe while echoing classic designs of the past. Because of their classic appearance, you won’t need to worry about them appearing dated ten years from now. Subway tiles have, and will maintain, a traditional appeal while remaining contemporary at the same time.

Installing subway tile is a fashionable choice for your bathroom or kitchen construction and renovation projects. Designers are now combining the vivid colors of glass with the traditional design of ceramic subway tiles to create a new modern alternative to ceramic subway tiles. These new designs are being featured in many high-end houses and commercial buildings, but that doesn’t mean that glass subway tiles aren’t affordable to the average homeowner who seeks to transform their home into a showcase.

Many brands of glass subway tile are available on the market nowadays, but the finest colors and quality are only available from Giorbello. Their Cristezzá Glass Subway Tiles are made available as loose, 3″ x 6″ pieces so as to not limit a designer’s creative vision. Also, ordering by the piece offers the flexibility to purchase only as many tiles as you need without wasting money. Like all glass subway tiles, they look stunning whether they are installed in an inline or brick pattern. However, the eye-catching depth and shadow of their subway tiles sets Giorbello apart from their competitors.