Have you been trying to think of a way to bring some cool to your rec room decor?
Here’s an idea that involves ordinary glass blocks and copper flashing that’s tricked out with some under car neon lighting.
That’s right…
It’s a neon-lit glass block wall that’s well worth checking out!
DIY Neon Light Glass Block Wall
This was not an idea that I came up with.
Nope… It’s the handiwork of my aunt and uncle who live in the great state of Ohio.
You see, they have a portion of their basement that they finished in a 50s & 60s-era retro diner motif.
One of the elements that they decided to introduce into the room to get you in the frame of mind of that era is this really cool looking neon back-lit glass block wall that’s a throwback to the good old days of drive-ins and soda jerks.
I’ll let my Uncle Bob describe it to you in his own words:
We used basic PPG glass blocks with a background of copper flashing with neon tube lights made by Street Glow which is an aftermarket automotive product. We purchased the neons at a closeout sale for about 1/3 of their original cost. The colors are violet and pink to try to capture the retro look and an image of a sunset. We probably have about $175 in material and 15 – 20 hours labor, but it was fun!
My kids had a great time checking out some of the authentic 50’s era goods on display.
The glass block wall looks even more impressive in person…trust me.
More Rebuilt Vintage Items For The Rec Room
Here are some of the other authentic and authentically rebuilt items from this retro room that I’ll be featuring in the coming days:
- 1955 Seeburg Model 100 J Jukebox
- Frisch’s Big Boy Retro Diner Booth
- Solotone Entertainer Coin-Operated Jukebox Speaker
- Drive-in Movie Speakers
Here are some glass block projects from Pittsburgh Corning Glass Block, including an island bar that’s similar to Uncle Bob’s.
I started as a home-stalker… visiting brand new homes under construction in the neighborhoods near my house. That inspired me to write about home building and home renovation projects — chronicling homes during different phases of construction from a consumer's point-of-view. Basically, the tips you'll find in my articles are a collection of checklists for what I think should (and should not) go into building or remodeling a quality home.
