In
our daily lives, we come across glasswork everywhere we go from offices to shopping centers to homes, and even when we choose to stay indoors we cannot avoid coming across it or using it.It however does have to handle with great care as a small mishandling can have severe consequences to the extent of one being handicapped or bedridden; especially with small children where parents need to be even more careful from handling glass. Glass has unique properties which allow it to mold in any form or shape. As you can appreciate it is omnipresent starting from your house where we have windows, doors, shower doors, mirrors, tabletops, and glass utensils, to your office and places you would frequent for example shopping centers, schools, and community centres, storefronts, display cases in malls, skylights, vehicles, mirrors just to mention but a few.
We would admire high-rise buildings with beautiful sparkling shining glass facades. And windows well fitted into the overall scheme of things making it all the more appreciable. We definitely ought to appreciate too the people behind this appreciation and the work of art on the glass; The Glazier. A Glazier a person who specializes in glass from scoping, selection, meticulous planning, cutting, installing, and removing the glass and other materials that may substitute glass e.g. plastic. A profession that has a high-risk profile associated with it given they play with glass all the time and the risk of being cut by glass or other operational injuries that may cause during jobs definitely deserves to be praiseworthy and respectful like all other jobs.
A role of a Glazier may vary by the nature of glass applications. For example, a glazier who would work in fitting glass in motor vehicles, safety glass in aircraft. Or another type of glazier who works in the furniture industry on mirrors, and glass tables. Or the most common of all who works on residential and commercial windows and doors
What exactly does a glazier do?
- A glazier’s typical day would start with laying down the specifications which would determine the size, color, thickness. And type of glass that will use for different purposes. They would cut glass into different shapes and sizes depending on the requirements so that it fits in perfectly.
- They would be traveling on-site to replace broken glass and in doing. So, they would ensure the safe removal of the previous broken glass and then put another in place.
- For larger residential and commercial projects. They would make metal moulds that would house the glass bringing solidarity and firmness to the overall frame. Adding a weather seal is critical around panels to ensure no gaps exist between glass and other surfaces. The next steps would include fitting and fastening glass into the frames with moldings ensuring they can withstand any force.
- At construction sites, glaziers would be the lifting of heavy glass that already molded and pre-cut. And would perform installation of the same, where glass not secure. They attach frames to the building and then fasten it.
In order to be a professional Glazier, you need to have a good balance, great eye coordination, time management skills, physical stamina, and endurance as they need to be accurate in their cutting and careful enough not to break the glass.
