How to Build With Wine Bottles
Wine was first found in ceramic jars from 5400-5000 B.C. in Asia Minor, or present day Iran. In ancient Egypt, grape cultivation began in 3000 B.C., and wine, also in ceramic jars, was used in religious ceremonies. Today, Americans throw away 12.2 million tons of glass a year, with drinking containers like wine bottles comprising the majority of this waste. Only 23 percent is recycled, but you can creatively reuse wine bottles to build glass walls. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Used wine bottles
- Paper
- Pencil
- Cement mix
- Mortar mix
- Gravel
- Gloves
- Safety glasses
- Entrenching tool
- Trowel
- Stakes
- Concrete reinforcing screen
- Wire cutters
- Cinder blocks
- Hammer
- Nails
- Two 2 foot by 4 foot boards
- Cap blocks
Instructions
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Collect and clean out as many old wine bottles as you have. Ask your friends and neighbors for theirs, if you are planning on a creating large wall.
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2
Design the bottle wall according to color, shapes, and sizes. Plan on where you will be making the wall too.
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3
Clear the area where the wall will go. Wear safety glasses and gloves for this job. Dig a trench 6 inches deeper and 3 inches wider than your planned wall, and then fill the trench 4 inches deep with gravel.
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4
Build a frame at the footing of the wall with the 2 foot by 4 foot boards. The wall should be at least 16 inches thick to compensate for the bottles. Use stakes to secure and support the frame.
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5
Cut concrete reinforcing screen to the size of your trench and place inside. Mix a small amount of cement, and pour it into your framed footing. Smooth out with a trowel, and let it cure for 2 or 3 days.
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6
Stack cinder blocks as columns at each end of your wall, at the height you want the wall to be. This will provide extra strength.
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7
Mix the mortar mix. Lay your bottles down, and put the mortar around them, leaving at least 2 inches of space around each bottle. Lay two more rows with the mortar mix.
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8
Lay concrete reinforcing screen again after the third row of wine bottles to ensure your wall is strong. Repeat three rows of bottles and then lay screen again. When you have completed your last row, use your trowel to smooth the top and lay cap blocks as a finishing touch.
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Tips & Warnings
Adding other glass elements, like glass beads, would enhance your wine bottle wall. Wine bottle walls do not need to be filled if used outside. If you are using them inside your home, you may want to fill them with water for insulation.
Always wear safety glasses and gloves when working with cements and glass. Use caution around broken glass. Keep pets and children a safe distance when working with glass.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Javier Pierini/Photodisc/Getty Images
