The History of Glass Windows in San Jose

This post was originally published on 06/23/2015 and was revised to include more detail regarding this subject.

How Glass Evolved to San Jose

In today’s day and age it is unusual to see a home or building that does not have glass windows, and yet window companies in San Jose would only have worked for the wealthy in the past. Glass was considered a precious material throughout much of history, so today’s glass doors and bay windows would only be found in the most luxurious of homes. Feel free to keep reading if you would like to learn a bit about the history of glass windows.

The Origins of Glass
Glassmaking has truly come a long way to land where it is today. The first glass panes date back to the third century, and they were created using a technique in which a glass bubble is sliced in half and flattened to form a pane. Glass and pebbles were often combined with wooden frames to form early windowpanes, although these windows were merely translucent and not much like our modern windows. Unfortunately, much innovation and invention ceased throughout the Dark Ages, and glass panes were primarily used to comprise the stained glass windows seen in churches. It was not until the Middle Ages that new techniques started to surface for creating glass window panes.

Middle Ages
The next glassmaking technique, called crown glass, was developed in fourteenth-century France and involved the spinning of a hollow glass bubble into a flat disc. Several of these discs would be used to create a glass windowpane. Other glassmakers were resurrecting the original glassmaking technique at about the same time, so the Middle Ages saw a revitalized production of glass. However, a glass windowpane was still an exclusive commodity that only the top tier of wealth could afford.

Sixteenth Century and On
Glass windows continued to catch on throughout the sixteenth century, but they were only seen in the nicest rooms in the wealthiest individuals’ homes; by the end of the century, however, they were making appearances in middle-class homes. France developed yet another technique in the seventeenth century that led to impressively clear and flat glass, and glassmakers continued to refine their techniques throughout the following centuries. Now, J&M Windows and Glass in San Jose is here to service all of your glass needs.