The Origins of Stained Glass

As lovers of all things glass, we at 3^rd Avenue Window Supply are fascinated by stained glass and it’s ability to tell a story through its beauty. Colored glass has been around since ancient times. The ancient Romans and Egyptians both mastered the art of manufacturing colored glass.

Stained glass reached its height in the Medieval Ages, when Catholics used it to decorate their ornate cathedrals throughout Europe, through the form of beautiful windows. Depicting scenes from the Bible, these windows were used as a visual narrative to a largely illiterate population. During the Gothic period, as architecture developed a more ornate form, stained glass windows grew larger in size, affording greater light into the cathedrals. Throughout the centuries, stained glass windows have evolved into a wondrous art form.

Today, stained glass windows can be seen in more than just cathedrals and Christian churches. They are also used in many synagogues throughout the world. Many homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright contain stained glass, as well as homes from the Victorian era. Many town halls, schools, colleges and other public buildings now incorporate stained glass into their designs. We’ve all seen stained glass in numerous British pubs, a number of restaurants, and even in some libraries. Stained glass windows are a wonderful and gorgeous way to add light to a room and still give an artistic feel.

Glass Stronger Than Steel?

At 3rd Avenue Window Supply, we supply a wide range of glass windows, as well as gates and doors. So it is safe to say, we know a lot about glass and we are very interested in it. We heard something today that we thought you might find to be as cool as we do. Apparently, a team of researchers from the Berkley Lab and Caltech has developed a glass that is as stronger than steel and not as brittle as regular glass.

This new form of glass is a metallic glass that contains palladium, exhibiting a high bulk to shear ratio. Thus, it bends rather than cracks, sometimes going beyond the fracture limits of some of the world’s strongest materials. Robert Ritchie, a materials scientist on the Berkley side, said that this is the first use of a new strategy for metallic glass fabrication, and believed that even tougher glass than this prototype can eventually be developed.

Pretty cool, huh? We thought so. We carry a whole line of safety glass products at 3^rd Avenue Window Supply and it would be quite interesting to see where the trends go in the years to come. Who knows, maybe we’ll even carry this product sometime out there in the future…

Saving Money with Energy Efficient Windows

 Let’s face it. Times are still not great when it comes to the financial situation in the U.S. And because of this recession, we are all looking for ways to save on cost all across the board. When it comes to new window installation for your home, a great idea to help you save in cost, is by installing energy efficient windows. In a place like New York, we all know the extreme weather conditions we face throughout the year. Winters are normally freezing, while summers can be terribly humid and hot. You probably care a lot about how comfortable your home feels, because it is your escape from these daily weather extremes.

Energy efficient windows can be phenomenal for both of these harsh seasons. In the winter, windows have represented a major source of unwanted heat loss, discomfort and condensation problems. New, energy efficient windows can help prevent these things from happening and improve comfort. With a triple layer, high solar gain window you can see up to 24 - 26% savings in your electric bill, due to heating annually. Pretty cool, huh?

In the summertime, these same windows can save you just as much, if not more. Older windows have continuously been the cause of unwanted heat gain into homes. Now, these newer, energy efficient windows have something called a low-E coating that rejects the solar heat, while at the same time not darkening the window. You can still enjoy a view and be cool at the same time. You’re energy costs to run an air conditioner are lessened by nearly 35%. Who would object to that?

How Does Tempered Safety Glass Work?

At 3^rd Avenue Window Supply we offer a wide range of residential and commercial glass products and services. Our employees possess knowledge and expertise which has been gained through years of experience. One type of glass we have available is tempered safety glass, a product which, upon impact, will shatter into little pieces as opposed to pointy, dangerous shards.  How does this safety glass work?

Tempered safety glass is a single piece of glass that gets tempered using a process that heats, then quickly cools, the glass to harden it. The tempering process increases the strength of the glass to five to ten times that of untempered glass. Because of this capability, tempered glass breaks differently than regular clear glass. When struck, regular glass breaks into large, sharp, shrapnel-like pieces. Safety glass however, breaks into tiny, pebble-like pieces without sharp edges. Tempered safety glass is often used on automobiles, eyeglasses, computer monitors and LCDs, skylights, refrigerator shelves and storm doors. You can sometimes spot tempered safety glass used in an automobile on a sunny day, if you are wearing polarized sunglasses. You simply have to tilt your head 90 degrees or so and you should be able to see a symmetrical pattern in the glass, created by the tempering process.

It is easy to see there are many reasons why this type of glass is preferred for a number of projects. It is one of the safest types of glass out there. If you are in need of a repair or replacement of a glass structure of any kind, give us a call at 3^rd Avenue Window Supply.

What Type of Door Should I Choose for my Remodel?

Ok, so you’ve been thinking about adding some curb appeal to your home, or perhaps just making it a little safer. You want to install a new entry door but you’re having a difficult time deciding what type of door to choose. We have a few suggestions for you:

• Custom Glass Door

Most often these are used in commercial settings, but they are beautiful for homes as well and add a touch of elegance.

2. Wood Doors

Beautiful and classic, these doors come in a variety of styles and finishes. Wood doors do require more maintenance to retain their original beauty.

3. Fiberglass Doors

These doors come in a variety of styles and colors, as well as wood finishes so authentic that it is difficult to distinguish from real wood. They are especially great for holding up against extreme elements, like the sun, rain and salt air exposure.

4. Iron Doors

These doors are dramatic and statement making. They combine heavy wood with iron fabrication and glass.

Whichever type of door you are thinking about, visit 3^rd Avenue Window Supply in the Bronx. Our team of experts have over 40 years of combined experience in the industry. We pride ourselves on our amazing customer service and complete knowledge of all our products.

Custom Designed Windows at New York’s Hotel Edison

We are excited to announce that 3^rd Avenue Window Supply is installing new custom designed windows at the Hotel Edison in Manhattan! When it comes to thinking about windows for a hotel, it is imperative that we think first and foremost about the view. Especially in an amazing city such as the Big Apple. With skyscrapers towering high into the sky for miles, it is a site of wonder and most hotel guests yearn for a room with a great view. But along with this, there is another extremely important matter one must consider when installing new windows. And that is, safety. The amazing thing about a New York hotel is that it soars high into the sky to catch the ultimate view, but this also means that windows cannot be opened too far, to prevent any dangers of falling. So exactly what type of window works best for maximum amount of view with the necessary amount of safety?

3^rd Avenue Window Supply has come up with a perfect solution. We are promoting our custom combination of picture frame windows with hopper windows. A picture frame provides for a great, unobstructed view. Plus, they just look great. A hopper window allows the window to be opened only a minimal amount, preventing any danger if children open them. Our custom designed window combination has a decorative iron bar that doesn’t take away from the view, unlike a traditional child guard, which is inserted behind the window.

As we have said, we are very excited about working with Hotel Edison in beautifying their already wonderful hotel. Stop by sometime, if you’re in the area and see for yourself.