Glass blocks are becoming a growing trend in HDB interiors and this homeowner decided to bring this chic design into his home.hazel @lightindwelling We wanted to incorporate some form of glass blocks into our new 5-room resale HDB apartment. But rather than hire an interior designer or contractor to finish the job, he decided to DIY a glass block wall himself to add some personality to his laundry room.
Here's how she saved nearly $800 by taking on this side project herself and ordering all the materials from trusted Taobao.
Purchase all materials from Taobao
Image credit: Hazel/Lightindwelling
It's very common for homeowners to flock to Taobao to purchase the materials they need, and Hazel wasn't one to buck that trend. She found the glass block she wanted, a plain rectangular glass block, and immediately ordered 30 of them. She did a quick search on Taobao and found that there were multiple stores selling these glass blocks, and on average she was paying about $2 per block.
Image credit: Taobao
These Taobao shops also have a wide selection of glass blocks in different designs to suit all kinds of interior themes. Stores you can check out include:
Image credit: Hazel/Lightindwelling
she also had a wooden block From Taobao This could extend to ceiling height and act as side supports for glass block walls, rather than installing drywall in a small space. However, there were logistical issues with transporting such a long piece of wood, so it arrived at her doorstep in two parts.
To make sure everything fit together without falling apart, Hazel also purchased super tacky adhesive and tile adhesive grout from Taobao. She pointed out that the wooden blocks probably have very sticky adhesives to secure them to the floor, ceiling, and walls.
She didn't reveal how much she spent on all the materials, but I'd hazard a guess and say the total cost was probably around $150 to $200, including shipping to Singapore.
Save $800 by doing it yourself without an ID
Image credit: Hazel/Lightindwelling
In a post on Lemon8, Hazel says that by building the glass block wall herself, she saved nearly $800 compared to an interior designer's estimate. Granted, this would have included not only material costs, but also labor and mark-ups from contractors. The truth is, $800 isn't a lot of change, and in the grand scheme of things, it helped bring down the renovation costs significantly.
While measuring and placing the glass blocks in the laundry room, she decided to hire a handyman to take over the project and finish the walls. “Sometimes recognizing your limitations and asking for help is a wise sign!” she said in a Lemon8 post.
Image credit: Hazel/Lightindwelling
Hiring a handyman may have been a blessing in disguise. Intuitively, he secured the blocks with metal rods in between, giving the small wall the stability it needed.
While some may dismiss the notion that this is a true DIY project with the help of a handyman, Hazel still did a lot of the work herself and is more than proud of her efforts. I would argue that there were definitely cost savings. Too.
DIY glass blocks to decorate the walls of HDB apartments
Image credit: Hazel/Lightindwelling
Homeowners in Singapore don't get enough credit for being a resourceful bunch. From building arches in their homes to building glass block walls from scratch themselves, there are plenty of cool projects they've done to spruce up an ordinary man's HDB apartment.
You can follow Hazel Instagram and lemon 8 profile.
Check out other DIY projects for HDB apartments:
Cover image credit: Hazel/Lightindwelling
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