glass floor

Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 2 Location: Philadelphia

I have a rather technical question. Recently, during the course of surveying a late 19th/early 20th century building interior in Philadelphia, I found that some of the rooms (used to store books and manuscripts) had glass floors. The floor is composed of glass slabs supported on steel joists that form a grid like system.

Was this done as a way of fireproofing the room? Was this common practice during this period?

If someone could provide me with information on the historic use of glass as a floor material it would be great.

Thank you,
Dee

Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 2 Location: southwestern US

Do you have any pics? Sounds very intriguing.

Joined: 15 May 2009 Posts: 14

D. Ghosh wrote:

I have a rather technical question. Recently, during the course of surveying a late 19th/early 20th century building interior in Philadelphia, I found that some of the rooms (used to store books and manuscripts) had glass floors. The floor is composed of glass slabs supported on steel joists that form a grid like system.

Was this done as a way of fireproofing the room? Was this common practice during this period?

If someone could provide me with information on the historic use of glass as a floor material it would be great.

Thank you,
Dee

I am not sure about this but I believe that glass floors must not be for fire proofing. Glass as a flooring material is used in both residential and commercial structures; usually for attraction purposes.

Special hollow glass blocks known as 'glass pavers' are often used in combination with a metal frame. That is usually to make illusions from the light.

So, I don't see any specific reason of using glass for fireproofing.

Any picture(s) of that would have helped to understand better.

Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 1

I have the same opinion as austinstrickland, that it was for decorative purpose only to use glass floors.
But maybe there can by some hidden symbolism in using glass, for example to represent clarity or reflection.

Joined: 09 Jul 2009 Posts: 1

if possible than please provide some pics of this, you can also google for it and share such image link with us. i can accordingly provide the solutions.

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Joined: 17 Oct 2009 Posts: 1 Location: California

I did some searching on the Google and it seems that glass floors are only for aesthetic purposes only.

Glass as a flooring material is also in both residential and commercial structures. Special hollow glass blocks known as glass pavers are often used in combination with a steel or aluminum frame.

Does anyone know if a plastic or polymer is mixed with the glass for strength as they do in automobiles?

Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 2

I have seen glass flooring in the stacks of several late-19th/early-20th-century libraries. Examples that spring immediately to mind are the public library in Winchester, VA (some pics here: http://www.hrl.lib.state.va.us/handley/temporary%20files%20for%20home%20page/HRL%20history.pdf) and the old Oliver Wendell Holmes Library at Andover, MA. If you google "glass floors in libraries", you'll find lots more examples. Apparently this was done as a way of maximizing the passage of light within the stacks.

Jen
(not an HP professional, but formerly a librarian)

Joined: 12 Nov 2009 Posts: 2 Location: Florida

HappyNeo wrote:

I have the same opinion as austinstrickland, that it was for decorative purpose only to use glass floors.
But maybe there can by some hidden symbolism in using glass, for example to represent clarity or reflection.

Fireproof glass floors have been around for years.

Suitable for both domestic and commercial application. This contemporary flooring allows natural light to flood any building, comprising an eye-catching yet practical feature. Lightens gloomy spaces, whilst maintaining a role as a sturdy construction material.