cutting small windows into partition wall

[houstonwehaveaproblem]

I would like to create about 4 x small equally spaced square openings (30cm x 30cm) at the top of a partition wall. This is to give some natural light. Ideally i would like to have glass fitted in the openings but dont want to have any timber as would prefer to have a plastered finish inside and not use architrave etc.

Is this possible?

 

[Micilin]

Do you want them finished fush or with a reveal?

 

[roy c]

If you have them centred or off set in the opeening you could put plaster stop beads on both sides of the glass and skim to it.

 

[houstonwehaveaproblem]

I would like to have the glass centred in the opening.

Whats the stop beads? As you can tell I'm not to clued up

 

[big-all]

do you have any sockets or switches on the wall??
do the wires travel up from the sockets or switches
is there any pipework or other services hidden in the wall

you need to take fire regulations into account ??

 

[houstonwehaveaproblem]

do you have any sockets or switches on the wall??
do the wires travel up from the sockets or switches
is there any pipework or other services hidden in the wall

you need to take fire regulations into account ??

No sockets switches or pipes.

Fire regs for? The window openings?

 

[big-all]

if an alteration is made it shouldn't reduce fire protection to a dangerous level
in other words if the fire breaking through the glass would for example block off an escape route it must be designed to stop that happening with suitable glazing

 

[Micilin]

Are you going flush or recessed?

 

[houstonwehaveaproblem]

if an alteration is made it shouldn't reduce fire protection to a dangerous level
in other words if the fire breaking through the glass would for example block off an escape route it must be designed to stop that happening with suitable glazing

Would we need a fire door as well then?

 

[houstonwehaveaproblem]

Are you going flush or recessed?

Sorry how do you mean?

 

[Micilin]

Do you want the galss of the window level with the wall, or is it going to be set back so that you have a small 90 degree return from wall to glass similar to the windows in your outside house walls?

 

[houstonwehaveaproblem]

Do you want the galss of the window level with the wall, or is it going to be set back so that you have a small 90 degree return from wall to glass similar to the windows in your outside house walls?

Glass would be set back into centre of opening. Single pane

 

[Micilin]

Okay, then you will have an angle bead on the external angle, and you can plaster into the glass . I would protect the glass with tape. Put the tape on in a straight line allowing for the thickness of skim, then it wil come away cleanly wihe a nice line -otherwise cut it after with a knife.

You can then put a small bead of painters caulk where the glass meets plaster as you will get a hairline crack there.

Alternatively, use either a 3mm stop bead or an edging bead on the plasterboard where it meets the glass, leaving a 2-3mm gap that you can mastic This might be better for heat/movement but I'm not sure you need to go to that trouble for an internal window. Anyone else?

Teh advantage of the reveal (as opposed to flush) is that you can have the window all glass, ie the outside edge can be hidden by the plasterboard - compared to the flush one where the board butts up to it if you don't want an archtrave

 

[roy c]

Another alternative that I have done before is to (depending on the room the other side) is to cut yourself a square out of the wall and put a cill in, then fill the square up with some coloured (or plain glass) blocks. you can buy them from your local tile shop and sometimes they will come as a kit to fill a certain size hole. This is something you may be able to do yourself as they come with the cement for building them with and also spacers that you put on the corners of each block as you build them up.(these are hidden as you build up).I should imagine that they would give you more time than a glass window if there was a fire. If you go down the route of putting a fire door in then you would have to put a bigger frame in as fire doors are thicker than normal doors. I would ask a joiner about this if you follow this route.These glass blocks are quite thick and you can not see thru them as they are not clear glass but will let a lot of light in. I have some photos of a job I did with these blocks once, I will try and get it on my albums so you can see what they look like....
Just google "Building with glass blocks"..I dont know how to put the link up

 

[Micilin]

Good idea Roy.