Cylinder glass
Historic England 2020 Stained Glass Windows: Managing Environmental Deterioration, Swindon, Historic England, published in 2020 defines broad glass, or cylinder glass as: “The principal method of making sheet glass by hand, developed in the early Middle Ages, and still in use. The glass maker swings a bubble of molten glass back and forth whilst blowing, producing an elongated balloon. The end of the balloon is opened out using a hot iron tool, and it is then cut from the blowing rod to produce a cylinder of glass. This is scored down its length and returned to a kiln, where the heat causes the cylinder to open out along the scored line and flatten into a sheet.”
Maintaining traditional plain glass and glazing, published on 1 November 2007 by Historic Scotland, states: ‘Cylinder glass (also known as ‘broad, ‘sheet’, or ‘muff’ glass) was made by blowing a cylinder of molten glass. This cylinder was cut along its side and flattened out in a furnace, giving the glass a slightly rippled surface. It can also be recognised by the pattern of the ‘seed’ which consists of elongated air bubbles that lie in straight parallel lines within the glass. Popular until the first half of the 18th Century.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.