Hannelore, thanks for the links. I appreciate having several brand names that have been created to function as floor tiles, to reference when I go back shopping on Wednesday. The technical pages on installation are also very good. I'm attending a tile installation workshop this Saturday, but it will talk about tiling in general and not just glass or floor.

Louisa, I've never heard of that opal effect in wall paint, but it sounds really lovely, especially the way it changes with the light.

Lola, since this is a once-in-a-lifetime project, I'll pay whatever I need to. I never skimp on household purchases, because aesthetics and durability are so important to me. However, I need to find out if glass floor tiles can support the weight of the toilet.

I'm using Behr paints, which got a very good rating from Consumer Reports.

And I have friends taking bets on when this will all be done

Weight of the toilet, Meredith? I thought you work around it as in cut the tiles to fit then fill with grout. Can't this be done with glass tiles? Gosh, shows you how little I know about DIY.

based on the brand names I got for floor-specific glass tiles, I just got back from another tile store that carries some of those brands. I'm still drooling at the gorgeousness of some of them, but hitting my head over the cost. The floor tiles I've been looking at so far have been $18-22/square' -- these are inching towards $36-48. Youch!

Lola, most DIY projects are on a need-to-know basis. Until I started looking, I had NO IDEA what was involved in choosing glass floor tile. The sturdiness depends on how the glass is made. The more expensive tiles will support a toilet, but the cheaper ones won't.

I've been in 20-30 tile stores this past week, and this is the first one that had glass tile installed on the floor of their showroom. The expensive stuff, natch, but it was so beautiful.

Tomorrow is allegedly my last day looking for tiles. After that, I really need to decide so I can buy the wall paint.

How about some green products - recycled glass. Think it would be as expensive?

recycled green glass:
2x2 $38/sq.'
2x2x2 hexagon $45/sq.'

OUCH! How 'bout recycled plastic?

Meredith,
How far are you from Mexico? Seems like it was somewhere south of Tijuana where I saw the most beautiful glass and clay tiles very cheap.
I took glasses home on the plane from Guadalajara because I saw little children with wagons gathering blue and brown beer bottles to sell to the glass blower who made recycled glasses as I watched. I had to reward that kind of industry somehow. I still love those glasses.

Of course you might need a truck and getting back over the border might be a problem, but it's an idea...

If you do it, I'm sure it will be beautiful.

smile

What a problem? There's a problem getting back and forth across the border? Since when? TEEHEEEEEEEEE....mahahahah...I couldn't resist.

Hey, the problems must be recent, cause I used to cross all the time. Never had a problem. Of course I guess it depends on what you're bringing in.

Even once got across with a half pint of Morphine and a guy with an open IV.

Long scary story, but hilarious. NOW that is.
smile

smile, you going to leave us hanging like that? I want to hear more of that story.