How Would You Like Windows in Your Sidewalk?

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If you want to build yourself a real unique set of stepping stones or pour a sidewalk that everyone who sees it will talk about, try this. You can use this idea to make a terrific looking hypertufa trough or planter as well.

The first thing you need to do is get a clean empty garbage can or five gallon pail and head down to your local auto glass shops and ask them if you could have the broken glass from the garbage. They have to pay to get rid of it so they will be glad to give it to you. You will be saving them money.

I should add that it would be a good idea to take a good stout pair of gloves and a broom and shovel. You will have to scoop and sort a little and this broken glass can be a little irritating to the skin.

The glass you want is the stuff from rear and side windows. I'm sure you have seen one break at one time or another. They shatter into little cubes about ¼" or so in size. Get as much as you think you will need and take it home. Spread it out and clean out anything that is not glass. Now wash it with a hose and sweep it into a container.

The next batch of concrete you mix use the window glass instead of your normal 1 -2 - 3 mix. Make it 1 cement - 2 sand - 2 aggregate 1 - glass mix. (1 - 2 - 2 - 1) This makes a real interesting looking finish and you will be helping save some space in the landfill.

You can use this mix in stepping stones, walkways, curbs, and just about any place you would use a standard concrete mix. Some of the glass will show on the surface and you can tell your friends that you have windows in the sidewalk.

If you want a bit of color some recycle places crush old bottles. The glass from there has lots of different colors and is a bit finer than the window glass. It is excellent as a sand replacement for ornamental casting. Use a mix of 1 - cement, 2 - sand, 1 - glass for this.