Glass Tips for Homeowners

5 Creative Ways to Incorporate Glass into Your Outdoor Space

If you’re looking for a way to make your patio stand out, consider adding some custom glass features. Yes, glass! Believe it or not, there are a number of ways glass can help you put your own personal stamp on your patio, taking it from ordinary to unexpectedly extraordinary.

Don’t believe us? Give some thought to these 5 creative ways of using glass on a patio and you’ll begin to get an idea of what we’re talking about when we say that glass can take your patio up a notch.

1. Glass “Walls”

Your patio or porch is like an extension of your home, so treat it like one.

This creative patio design uses sandblasted glass and LED lights to create an enclosed space that offers privacy by day and a spark of colorful drama by night.

2. Pivoting Glass Doors

Rather than the usual sliding glass or French doors connecting your living space to your patio, open up the inside of your home to the great outdoors by installing pivoting glass doors. Blur the space between indoors and outdoors and add an unexpected modern flair to a patio that’s right off the house.

3. Frosted Glass Patio Cover

A patio cover is a great way to allow you to stay on the patio even when an occasional rain shower passes through.

But instead of shading the area with a solid cover, consider using frosted glass panels in a wooden frame to allow some filtered light to come through, keeping the patio or deck bright and welcoming even on a partly cloudy day.

This will allow you to enjoy a panoramic view from any vantage point on your back patio.

4. Glass Pool Surround

Your scenic backyard shouldn’t be closed off with a bulky barrier around your pool, don’t obstruct it with a heavy wood or steel railing.

Use custom glass railings to enclose your pool instead of a solid or chain-link fence. This contemporary tempered glass enclosure creates a clean, modern effect for your outdoor living space.

And don’t worry about glass railings being more fragile, we use special safety glass for these projects, which is extremely strong. If it is somehow broken, it crumbles safely into large, round chunks instead of splintering into jagged edges like normal glass.

5. Glass-Topped Patio Table

It’s amazing to see how many creative ideas for table bases people can come up with, and there’s no better way to show off a unique table base than with a custom-cut glass top.

Instead of going with a store-bought patio table, make yours one-of-a-kind and special!

We can make a glass table top to lay over an existing table, which helps create more stability for food and drink to sit on, or we can cut an entirely independent glass piece for a completely unique look.

We can also create any glass edge type you’d like to complete your custom glass table.

If you have an idea for a special glass patio feature or enhancement, call Janssen Glass & Door at (913) 677-5727. We serve the entire KC Metro and provide a custom glass shop with experienced craftsmen and designers ready to turn your unique glass visions into reality!

Remodeling Your Bathroom Is a Safe Investment

When remodeling your home, it’s smart to do some research ahead of time to see what offers the best return on investment. When you do this research, consider the most trafficked areas in your home, what rooms need the most attention, and the ROI that could come from upgrading these individual rooms. We have found that no matter the city or market you live in, a few investments can always be made to the home, including new house siding, a new roof, a new hardwood floor or tile floor, a new kitchen and bathroom upgrades.

Invest in Your Bathroom

According to Remodel Magazine, bathroom remodels can return more than 100% of your initial investment. Yes, you read that correctly. More than 100%. As we cannot promise this for all remodeling projects in the future, it is more likely to happen than other projects in the home. It’s important to keep in mind the value of your home and the value of the homes in your neighborhood. When you do this, you will prevent dumping a lot of money into your bathroom when the overall value of your home isn’t very high. Do your homework, make a plan and budget appropriately. Then be very strategic in your updates that offer you the best return.

What to Do and What Not to Do

When it comes to deciding on upgrades or updates, make sure you are picking the right ones that are worth both your money and time. Roughly 10-20 years ago, the biggest trend was adding whirlpool luxury tubs into the master bathroom of your home. Now, this is extremely dated and unnecessary. Most people don’t even have the time available to take baths anymore. Knowing this, you should spare yourself the time and money and instead install a walk-in shower with heavy glass shower doors. These are really showing the best ROI in the remodeling world.

Take Your Desires into Account

Make sure not to forget that you are the one living in the house. Just because the latest market survey tells you that you should remodel part of your home, doesn’t mean you have to. Make sure your remodeling project improves your everyday lifestyle, comfort, and happiness inside your home. These updates should be something you’ll enjoy seeing and will love everyday.

If you have any questions on how you can remodel the bathroom inside your home, give the experts at Janssen Glass and Door a call at (913)677-5727 or schedule an appointment online.

3 Things to Remember When Choosing Your Glass Shower Door

A common misconception is that choosing a glass shower door is an easy decision, but there are many different things to consider before making your final decision. Before this investment is made, read a few tips the experts at Janssen Glass came up with to help you make this decision.

Keep it Custom

If you spent the time and money to make the interior of your shower custom, then the shower door should match. Most homeowners spend lots of money upgrading the inside of their showers and then drop the ball when it comes to the shower door.

A generic door would not only look out of place but will also have a negative effect on the look of your entire bathroom. Choosing the right glass shower door and keeping it custom will raise the level of beauty in your bathroom.

Don’t Cut Corners

Don’t overlook the edges. This is often overlooked and can have a direct impact on the quality of your glass shower doors and your bathroom as a whole. Most assume this won’t matter or is too small of a detail to matter, but you will notice the edges of your shower door.

More times than not, the edges on frameless shower doors tend to be darker the thicker the glass. To ensure you love your final product, make sure to ask your local shower door professionals about your options.

Related Read: Go Frameless & Show Off Your Shower Door

Shower Doors are NOT 110% Water Tight

Glass shower doors are much more efficient when it comes to keeping water in the shower than a curtain, but they aren’t 100% watertight.

When you are installing a glass shower door, you should consider the placement of your shower head. You will want to make sure your shower head is installed and directed away from the opening of the shower to eliminate any possible water getting through and onto your floors.

Thinking of installing a glass shower door? Give Janssen Glass a call at (913) 677-5727, or schedule an appointment online. For more tips from the professionals at Janssen Glass, check out our blog here!

4 Ways to Decorate your Windows for the Holidays

The outside of your house, Christmas tree, and living room shouldn’t be the only things decorated in your home this year. Give your windows some attention too.We took the time to gather a few of the most creative and beautiful window decorations we found on Pinterest. Here they are to share with you!

Birds of a Feather

Whether you prefer to use an authentic branch or buy one from the store, it doesn’t matter. Take this branch and set it in a glass vase. Fill this glass vase with some artificial snow. Now it’s time to decorate the branches themselves. If you get the artificial branch bedecked with berries, perfect. If not, buy fake berries and strategically place them around the ends of the branches. Finally, attach the cardinals with small wire and add a small nest with another bird to create a cozy woodland scene.

Snow Covered Pines

By far the easiest DIY project to decorate your windows. Simple cut foam boards into tall triangles and use glue to attach them together. This will build a forest scene. One the boards are glued together, string small white pom poms with fishing wire and tape them to the window frame. This will create the illusion of it snowing. If you prefer more color to be involved you can use green triangles and dust the tops of them with fake snow.

Elegant Wreath Duo

If you have a bare double window, this is your best option. Take a tension rod, and slide one end of the red curtain over the rod. Now you can string it through the wreath and then slide the other end of the curtain on the opposite end of the rod. Repeat this step for the second wreath and you’ve got a simple way to make your windows look festive. This idea can be done on both the inside or the outside, that is up to you.

De-Vine Inspiration

Finally, an idea that can only be done to the outside of your house. Weave some lights into some grapevine. With the addition of lights, it will create an enchanting glow. This will look great on any window but it actually made for a window on the front of the house. A window guests will walk by directly as they enter your home.

We hope you enjoy this simple list of ways to decorate the inside and outside of your home this holiday season. If you have any questions, give us a call at (913)677-5727 or schedule an appointment online!

7 Quick and Easy Shower Door Cleaning Tips

While glass shower doors add a sense of elegance and beauty to your home, they are sometimes a pain to regularly maintain. Knowing this, our experts at Janssen Glass threw together a list of 7 tips to keep your glass doors streak and mark free.

1. Squeegee After Showering

Everytime your shower is used, hard water particles have the chance to attach themselves to microscopic pores in the glass shower doors. This can be prevented by investing in a squeegee and regularly using it.

This easy action can effectively remove water droplets from the glass, that would ultimately leave streaks. It’s important to keep in mind squeegeeing must take place directly after you shower. Start top to bottom. Don’t forget nooks and crannies, as they can sometimes store excess water droplets.

2. Use Sprayway Glass Cleaner

Our experts recommend using Sprayway. Sprayway is our favorite glass cleaner because it does more than just cleans your glass, it cares for it too. Sprayway glass cleaners are ammonia free, which means it won’t taint the window tint.

This cleaner is universal. It can be used for pretty much any glass in your home. It will leave a spotless finish on glass windows, glass shower doors, glass cabinet doors, and more! Always start cleaning from the top of the glass and work your way down. This will save you time by keeping clean sections of the window away from parts of the window still needing attention. Bottles of Sprayway can be purchased at Janssen Glass in Overland Park.

Insider cleaning tip: Clean your windows on a cloudy day. If you clean them on a sunny day, the sun’s rays will evaporate the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work its magic.

3. Use the Right Equipment

When it comes to cleaning glass, the right equipment can really make a difference. Sure, old rags seem logical, but they will also leave behind lint, tarnishing the beautiful finish you are trying to achieve.

Stay away from using washrags or paper towels. We recommend using a lint-free cloth or even a newspaper if you have the option. Don’t worry; the ink from the newspaper will not stain the glass. Residue may be left over on your hands but it will leave your glass streak-free.

If you want to be really thorough, use a squeegee like professionals do.

4. Remove Stubborn Debris (or Stickers)

If you find yourself with stickers stuck to your glass give this a try: Wet the window and debris (sticker) with the window cleaner. Then, take a brand new 1” single razor blade and gently scrape the debris.

Before attempting this, make sure your glass is non-coated. Be sure to use the flat edge, and never poke at the window. Doing this will leave long term damage and scratch your window.

5. Use Glass Coatings for Shower Doors

Using glass coatings is one way to make sure your glass stays clearer. We have found two separate coatings to be beneficial. While both effectively serve the same purpose, one just has a longer lasting effect. These coatings seal glass pores and keep minerals like calcium, magnesium, and other elements in hard water from attaching to themselves.

Cardinal 10 or C10, is a spray foam that is applied when your glass shower doors are installed and then buffed. This will come with a 10-year warranty.

ShowerGuard is permanent and is applied during the manufacturing of your glass shower doors. The reason ShowerGuard is permanent is because it’s system seals the glass surface with a patented ion beam process. Unlike the Cardinal 10, this comes with a lifetime warranty.

6. Properly Clean Shower Door Tracks

Door tracks can be gross, unappealing, and flat out plain annoying to clean. They can easily be forgotten. Here’s a quick summary of how you can easily clean all the shower tracks in your home.

Tools You’ll Need for the Homemade Shower Track Cleaner

Vinegar
Paper Towels
Old Toothbrush for Scrubbing
Q-Tips for Tight Spots
Water Spray Bottle for Rinsing

Get Those Shower Tracks Sparkling Clean

Begin by pouring some vinegar onto one of the paper towels. The paper towel needs to be soaked. Then lay this onto the tracks and let it sit for about 30 minutes. You should have enough paper towels to cover the length of your shower tracks. As you leave the room, flip the exhaust fan on so it removes the strong smell of vinegar over time.

Once your 30 minutes is up, remove the paper towels, and take your old toothbrush and rub it along the tracks. The residue should brush right off. For the corners and areas with screws, use the Q-tips. Whenever you are done scrubbing, take the spray bottle and rinse all the vinegar off the tracks.

7. Get Rid of Shower Door Tracks

If you’re sick and tired of cleaning shower door tracks, you should consider installing heavy glass shower doors. These types of shower doors typically swing open, and don’t normally require as much hardware including tracks. Check out our gallery of heavy glass shower doors to see the difference.

DIY: Make Your Own Glass Cleaner

Here are a couple of do-it-yourself solutions from your friends at Janssen Glass & Door. These easy mixtures can save you a little money, and are made with all natural everyday ingredients. You can feel safe using these cleaning solutions around your kids and family.

Scented White Vinegar Glass Cleaner

This cleaning solution takes a little prep time, but it’s worth it. Vinegar is a natural cleaning and detoxifying agent, but it is known for having a strong scent.

Two weeks before you need the solution, soak citrus peels of your choice in a fourth of a cup of vinegar.

After the two weeks are up, strain the citrus from the vinegar, and pour it into a spray bottle. Mix in a gallon of water and stir. Then, spray away!

Vinegar and Dish Soap Glass Cleaner

This cleaner also uses the super cleaning agent, vinegar, but requires less prep time. Mix one cup of vinegar, a tablespoon of dish soap of your choice, and a gallon of warm water. Mix the liquids together, and pour into a spray bottle. That’s it!

Easy Trick for Clean Shower Door Tracks!

Yes, what you’ve been ignoring all year is still there. It’s the gunk in your shower door tracks. You use your shower every day, so it can’t be avoided. Luckily, here at Janssen Glass & Door, we have the recipe for a super simple, homemade natural solution to clean your shower door tracks. You probably already have all the ingredients sitting right at home, so no more excuses!

Shower Track Cleaning Tools:

Vinegar
Paper Towels
Old Toothbrush for Scrubbing
Q-tips for Tight Spots
Spray Bottle with Water (for rinsing)

Let Time and Vinegar Do the Dirty Work

Vinegar is your friend. It may smell strange, but it does a great job of cutting through gunk without harming the finish on the metal tracks. The trick is to give it time. Soak a paper towel with vinegar and lay it on your shower tracks for approximately 30 minutes. Cover the entire expanse of the tracks. (Note: If the smell of vinegar gets too strong, turn on your exhaust fan during the process)

Break Out the Toothbrush

After the 30 minutes are up, remove the paper towels and begin using an old toothbrush to scrub along the tracks. Within minutes, you should see the gunk in your shower tracks start to dislodge and clear with little effort. Once you have gotten the majority of gunk out of your shower tracks, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty.

Use a Q-Tip to Get in the Tight Spots

Take a Q-tip and run it across the tight spots such as corners, screws, and edges for a sparkling-clean finish! Once done scrubbing, use the spray bottle of water to clear away the vinegar. You can also leave the exhaust fan on for a few more minutes to clear the smell of vinegar.

Congratulations, your shower tracks are as good as new! See, wasn’t that easy?

If you really hate this task, contact Janssen Glass & Door today to switch to frameless heavy glass shower doors. They’ll update your bathroom and you’ll never have to clean shower door tracks again! Call us at (913) 677-5727 or contact us online!

4 Hacks for Cleaning Up Broken Glass

Here’s the lowdown on cleaning up broken glass. First of all, no one enjoys doing it. Let’s be real: facing the possibility that you’ll be picking shards of glass out of your feet, toes, hands, etc., is not the best way to put a smile on your face and brighten your day. Fortunately, the second thing you should know is that there are some simple hacks using household items that can help you clean up broken glass safely and effectively. Before we get into that, though, here are some things not to do:

Glass Cleanup No-Nos

Don’t use your bare hands to clean up.
Don’t walk around the breakage area in bare feet. Be smart, and protect yourself.
Don’t forget to thoroughly inspect the room where the breakage occurred for remnants of glass. When glass shatters, the force can propel shards further away than you’d think. Be sure to move around pieces of furniture in the vicinity for a more complete inspection.
Don’t use a broom to sweep up glass if you can help it. Pieces of glass can easily get caught in the bristles. If you have to use a broom, be sure to thoroughly clean it afterward so all of the pieces are removed.
Don’t dispose of the glass in the inside trash can. Take it out to the big dumpster. If you do use the inside can, let other household members know so they don’t accidentally cut themselves pressing down the trash with a foot or hand.

4 Simple Hacks for Cleaning Up Broken Glass:

Use a Piece of Bread
Stick the bread against the glass shards & they should cling to it. It’s an easy cleanup solution.
Whip Out the Potatoes
Another way to get the glass pieces to stick is using the fleshy insides of your standard russet potato. Simply cut the potato in half, clean up the glass, and wipe down the floor afterward.
Something Else Duct Tape Can Do!
As with so many other problems, duct tape can be the solution in this case as well. Carefully wrap the tape around your hand, with the sticky side facing outwards. Gently dab up all the glass shards, and carefully discard the tape. Voila!
Vacuum It Up
Using a vacuum cleaner, especially one with flexible extensions can save you a lot of time. It can also keep you safe as you clean up the breakage.

Feel free to use any of these four hacks the next time you have to deal with broken glass cleanup! If you would like to add glass to your home in the form of glass shelves, mirrors, tabletops, or shower doors, give Janssen Glass a call at (913) 677-5727, or contact us online.

Don’t Recaulk Your Shower Until You Read This

DIY recaulking your shower at home

Puddles on your bathroom floor are often the first sign that the shower door caulk needs replacing. Take a closer look. Is the caulk discolored or wearing away? If so, it’s time to recaulk. For handy homeowners, recaulking is a DIY afternoon project.

Note: You won’t be able to use your shower for 24 hours after you recaulk, so plan accordingly.

How to Recaulk a Shower Door

Every day, caulking is exposed to shampoos, soaps, and cleaners. Over time, caulking starts to wear away. Recaulking not only keeps your shower door watertight, but it also keeps your entire bathroom looking fresh and clean.

Recaulking Tools

You’ll need to gather some tools and supplies before you get started:

Utility and putty knives to remove the old caulking.
Sandpaper to clean and smooth the surfaces.
Mold and mildew cleaner for the seams and gaps.
Stiff bristled brush for cleaning.
Mildew resistant caulking that is suitable for the wet, humid conditions in bathrooms.
Caulking gun to push the caulk from the tube.
Lint-free cloths to clean as you go.
A mask to wear to prevent mold inhalation.

Allow Time for Recaulking Your Shower Door

When you’ve got a few hours to spend on this task, go ahead and get started. It generally requires 2-4 hours of time:

Wearing the mask, use the knives to cut and scrape away the old caulking.
Clean the area with the mold and mildew cleaner, and let dry.
Use the sandpaper, if needed, to remove any remaining residue.
Apply the caulk in one fluid line. Moisten your finger to smooth out the caulk and remove any extra.
Let it dry for 24 hours. You shouldn’t use the shower or tub during this time.
Inspect the caulk and do a wet test to ensure that the caulk is airtight.

If you are still experiencing leaks after recaulking, call (913) 677-5727 or contact us online. Your shower door may need to be replaced. At Janssen Glass, we offer both standard and completely customized shower doors in Kansas City. Updating to a frameless shower door will give your bathroom a beautiful, modern look.

3 Genius Hacks for Painting around Windows

Painting around glass in windows frames can be tricky and painstaking. Tape can be tricky to position properly and can leave residue after removal. Since we’re the glass experts, we thought we’d share some tips to make this task a little less daunting. You have more options than you might think. Here are three ways to make it easier.

Use Paper Strips
Paper strips are similar to using tape but they are easier to apply and cleaner to remove. Simply cut strips of paper (regular copy paper will do) using a paper cutter or straight edge to ensure straight lines. In a pan of water, wet the paper strips until they are saturated but not falling apart. Squeeze the excess water out, and apply the paper strips flush along the glass.

They will stick nicely and since the “adhesive” is just water, it’s more forgiving than tape. The strips can easily be moved around until they are positioned perfectly. Once you are satisfied with the placement of the strips, run a dry paintbrush over them to make sure they stay in place. After painting, simply peel the paper strips off and -voila!- perfect paint lines with no sticky residue.

2. Brush on Masking Liquid
Using a product like Masking Liquid H2O is also fairly easy. Just brush the liquid on the edges of the glass, let it dry to a gel finish, and paint away. After painting, use a sharp edge of a razor blade to slice the gel away from the glass and the flat edge to scrape the gel off.

3. Plain Old Lip Balm
This method is almost exactly like using masking liquid but doesn’t require a razor blade to remove. It’s also a little cheaper. Apply the lip balm generously around the edges of the glass with your fingers or a cotton swab. After the paint dries, use a clean dry rag to remove the lip balm from the glass. You may need to use a glass cleaner if the lip balm residue leaves a film.

Pro Tip – Cotton Swabs
This is less of a preventative measure, more of an emergency solution because, let’s face it, mistakes can happen to even the most careful crafters. Precision cotton swabs are just the right size for wiping away a stray drop of paint that lands outside of the safety zone. Have these on hand just in case!

The experts at Janssen Glass & Door can provide solutions for all of your glass-related needs, including replacing existing glass or custom-fitting new glass for shelves, tabletops, mirrors and more! We’ve also got a great collection of shower doors and expert installers. Contact us today to turn your project dreams into reality!

Magical Holiday Tablescapes Featuring Mirrors

At Janssen Glass, we make homes more beautiful by adding a touch of glass. Whether it’s a new shower door, glass shelves, a tabletop, or even a mirror, the clean simplicity of glass is an eye-pleasing addition. For the holidays, glass can add a hit of elegance in many places, and what better place than the table where you serve your holiday meal? A beautiful tablescape for your Christmas dinner will make your home feel so festive! We’ve scoured Pinterest to bring you the most magical of tablescapes using, what else?…mirrors.

A Snowy Scene

A simple rectangular mirror surrounded by votive candles lends an upscale feel to any meal. Add a few glass vases filled with faux snow, wintery branches, and some silver ornaments for sparkle. Accent with a touch of greenery, light the votive candles, and your guests will be mesmerized.

Winter Wonderland

Use a dark blue (or even a light blue) tablecloth to create this frosty feast. The contrasting color makes the white placemats, dishes and napkins really pop. Silver candle holders flank an etched glass hurricane lamp surrounded by a wintery wreath. A collection of candles on square mirrors stand like sentinels on either end of the table while small votives in mercury glass add their own light. Don’t forget to dangle snowflakes from your chandelier

Easy as One, Two, Three!

Purchase an inexpensive wall dressing mirror from your local discount store. Paint the frame gold or silver, and then place the mirror in the center of your dining table.
Gather a grouping of glass and crystal candle holders, making sure you have a variety of sizes and styles. Arrange the candle holders along the surface of the mirror.
Add a few flower bunches, placed in decorative vases, along the mirror surface. And you’re done!

Red & White Peppermint Delight

Red and white is always a fun and festive look. Fill a small white garden urn with red and white striped ornaments mixed with solid red. Throw in some swirly white or silver branches or berries and you’ve got a great centerpiece. Place it on a round mirror base with red tulle peeking out from underneath and sprinkled with berries. Add a few clear votives for twinkling light and you’re done. You could even put a peppermint candy on each plate as a sweet, after dinner treat.

Ring in the New Year!

If you’re planning a New Year’s Eve dinner, this tablescape is perfect. It mixes gold and silver elements atop a rectangular mirror. The light from star-shaped glass tealight holders reflects off the mirror. A large glass vase filled with silver ornaments and a pillar candle draws the eye to the center. It is flanked by two other pillar candles. Each place setting is decorated with a party hat and horn.

Whether you plan to actually serve dinner, or you just want your dining room table to look incredible all season long, you can’t go wrong with one of these beautiful tablescapes. You’ll never look at your mirrors the same way again!

If you need help with glass shelves, mirrors, or shower doors, give Janssen Glass a call at (913) 677-5727 or contact us online. We’ll be happy to help measure, create, and install any kind of glass for your home!

Category: Tips for Homeowners