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Are there any other materials that are transparent and could be used in replacement of glass?

PS: Is there any other way to cook glass without sand? ( Near my house I have basically no sand :( )

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  • It also depends on what you want to do with it. If you want to walk on it, then fenches, leaves and iron bars are the best you could use. If it's just to make a window, you can use so many materials. Like ferns, sugar cane, saplings (lol sapling windows), vines, cobwebs... These are transparent items like grass you could use. Though I would find it ugly to make a window with a cobweb haha
    – Depado
    May 14, 2012 at 9:16
  • @Depado You'd effectively only be able to make 1x1 windows out of these materials though, since they can be walked through, and your house wouldn't be protected from mobs!
    – fredley
    May 14, 2012 at 9:35
  • @fredley: Indeed but these items are transparent too and since the author didn't say what he wants to do with those materials I can just make suppositions by listing the transparent items. If he/she wants to make a window out of web, it's possible, he just have to make protections around it. To protect from spiders just put some blocks on your walls and they won't be able to climb. If the window is high placed there is no reason it won't be protected ;) (Or if you want to make a house in a tree where spiders can't climb it'll work too)
    – Depado
    May 14, 2012 at 11:35

2 Answers 2

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Leaves are slightly transparent and can be harvested with shears. Unlike "natural" leaves, harvested and replaced leaves will not decay in the absence of logs.

Fences are probably the cheapest alternative, you can stack them as much as you like in recent versions. Nether Brick Fences are harder to obtain, but might go better with your decor :-)

Iron Bars would also work; they function similarly to glass panes.

If you're in a snow biome and patient, Ice would work. Lay down a single layer of water source blocks, expose it to air (vertically), wait for it to freeze and repeat. Be sure not to put torches near it!

That said, I might make a little trip and try to stock up on a ton of sand (4 stacks or so), if you convert it to glass panes you can break and replace them (unlike blocks) so even if you remodel you won't be losing anything.

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  • 3
    Leaves are only transparent in Fancy graphics mode though
    – Ben Brocka
    May 13, 2012 at 16:02
  • 2
    In the next patch ice will be collectible with Silk Touch, so there won't be a need to be in a snow biome.
    – Mr Smooth
    May 13, 2012 at 16:27
  • You forgot the nether alternatives for fences, if he prefers the red ones haha :D
    – Depado
    May 14, 2012 at 8:57
  • @Depado If you notice an answer that's missing some information, add it using the edit button. You'll earn reputation!
    – fredley
    May 14, 2012 at 9:43
  • @fredley changing my creative phrasing :( "for want of a tree"
    – Nick T
    May 14, 2012 at 17:11
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Water is a great alternative. It's easy to find and replicate (it's one of the cheapest resources in the game!), and provides an effective barrier to mobs, as they will automatically 'swim' upwards in water. This means (with a bit of careful engineering) you can actually use your windows as mob traps! It's almost completely transparent unlike other block-based alternatives, and provides a relaxing blue tint to your view :-)

Alternatively, for some nice big picture windows that are mob-safe, a Nether Portal will serve you well.

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  • Did you know that, even if it won't go far, skeletons can shoot at you through water ? :) That's not an effective protection. (It was not the case when I tested it a while ago, I don't think it changed)
    – Depado
    May 14, 2012 at 11:37
  • I tried shooting a skeleton through a water fall the other night, and it had no effect.
    – John
    May 14, 2012 at 11:46
  • It may have changed then. It depends of how many blocks wide is the water fall. On block water fall isn't sufficient to block arrows if I remember.
    – Depado
    May 14, 2012 at 14:42
  • @Depado I believe water will alter the course of arrows, so even though they may be able to pass through water, they will be deflected so shouldn't hit you. You can make other provisions to ward off skeleton attack anyway.
    – fredley
    May 14, 2012 at 14:53
  • @fredley Just sayin it won't stop arrows. It's just that being near the waterfall while there is a skeleton behind is dangerous cause even if the arrow is slow, if it touches you, it'll hit you. The speed of the arrow doesn't matter when a skeleton fire some.
    – Depado
    May 14, 2012 at 14:58

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