Hey Brett, have you ever done a glass insert in a floor?

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It's for my next reno.I've got a warehouse building attached to the house which is now empty and I'm going to renovate. The floor upstairs has a 1200mm square hole that currently has a wooden cover - it's the red square one of the kids is standing on in the photo. I'd like it to be glass so I can see downstairs.I know you do glass balustrades, have you ever done a floor insert?Scott Attached ImagesYeah, I carry.House keys, wallet, some change, usually a newspaper, maybe a pen.
Reply:I would guess 1/2" at least and safety glass or plexy...make that 1"
Reply:It will be closer to one inch.And it will have to be specified by an engineer I'd say.Yeah, I carry.House keys, wallet, some change, usually a newspaper, maybe a pen.
Reply:I've seen it done in several places. Usually glass as polycarbonate scratches in comparison easily IIRC. It will be thick and laminated similar to the bullet proof windows in banks and so on.BTW keep this in mind, you can see both ways. That means people downstairs can look up as well as you can look down. The ladies aren't always that cool with that part of the plan, people downstairs looking up their skirts and so on. Frequently, I've seen them done with the glass lightly frosted or rippled so that you don't get a real clear view thru the "window". Also frequently the "window" is made up of smaller units in a frame as large pieces of "structural" glass like this ain't inexpensive..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Yup, there's the up-the-skirt factor.It would be thick and tempered and laminated safety glass.It is certainly possible, but is it really desired or practical?  Shrug.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:You could always do the 'One-Way" glass so you can look down, but would appear to be a mirror when looking up!Lane
Reply:but is it really desired or practical?
Reply:I always thought that they would be neat, especially in very large sheets ( read mega dollars!). I always got shot down in my architectural design classes for sugesting such things. Always impractical, glass floors (although for some reasons 100% glass walls  and roofs were ok), spiral stairs, fire poles, they didn't like the bowling alley and archery / rifle range in the gym I had to design... .No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:A mate of mine who is an architect designed a bathroom with a glass floor and a glass bath. The client chickened out and went with frosted glass for the floor.We've got a building near me in the city with a big (mega bucks) glass floor in the foyer. Underneath the floor is a model of the city and the harbour. My kids love it.Yeah, I carry.House keys, wallet, some change, usually a newspaper, maybe a pen.
Reply:I've seen a couple at aquariums. Floors as well as ceilings and walls. You sort of walk "thru" the water..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Sydney Aquarium has that. It's about 500 meters down the road form my office. Another favourite with the kids. Favourite with me, too - I can sit in front of those glass walls for ages. http://images.google.com.au/images?h...ed=0CBEQsAQwAAYeah, I carry.House keys, wallet, some change, usually a newspaper, maybe a pen.
Reply:I see a fire-pole going in there instead of a window .....I forget where I originally saw it, but there was this one place that had a glass floor, done in 2' or 3' sections with 90* angle supporting the glass.  Underneath the glass floor was a deep well, about 4', and inside was a huge (and I mean HUGE) HO-scale model train layout.  I wish I could find that picture again ... it was awesome, the work these guys did on it ....