The History of Glass Windows

Glass windows are such a ubiquitous part of life in the modern world that they're often taken for granted. Though it's easy to forget, there was a time before glass windows when all interior spaces were either devoid of natural light or exposed to the elements. While they have been around since the Roman Empire, the technology used to make them has varied greatly.

The Roman Era

Ancient civilizations developed some remarkably advanced glass-making technology. Glassblowers would produce a bubble of molten silica and then slice it in half. They would then apply pressure while the glass was still hot enough to be malleable and flatten out the half bubbles into small panes. Because the process was so labor intensive, only the wealthiest Romans would have been able to afford glass in their homes.

Medieval and Renaissance Europe

Since much of the glass-blowing knowledge from the Roman era was lost during the Dark Ages, medieval Europeans were forced to rediscover many of the techniques. French glassmakers produced small discs of glass by blowing bubbles and then spinning them until the centrifugal force spun them flat. Many windows of the time incorporated small latticework windows of cut glass because they were unable to produce larger pieces. Also, many churches and mosques during this period developed stained glass window techniques, where metallic oxides were adding during the production process, and then monks or artists would add paint to the finished glass to enhance its colors.

Modern Glass Windows

In the 1950s, an Englishman named Alastair Pilkington developed a technique that would revolutionize the word of glass windows. The float glass process (also known as the Pilkington process) involves pouring molten glass onto a pool of molten metal, usually tin. The glass floats above the metal and smoothens under its own weight, leaving behind a perfectly flat and uniform pane of glass. With small variations, this is the process that is still in use today.

Glass windows have come a long way since their earliest beginnings. Today, glass can be molded and formed to create a virtually limitless array of shapes and structures. At Victorville Glass, we have glass solutions for nearly every application, from commercial and residential projects to glass enclosures and mirrors. If you live in the High Desert area and need an installation or replacement for your home or business, then call 760-245-3456 today for your free estimate.