Glass blocks and glass mosaic from China
Glass blocks and bricks for building, glass mosaic tiles, leaded lights and other pressed or moulded glass for construction from China pay 0% UK duty with no anti-dumping duty. Glass blocks are made to BS EN 1051, and any fire resistance claim needs a test for the whole wall. Breakage and size variation are the main risks. Cambridge China Bridge sources them.
Glass blocks and bricks, glass pavers, glass mosaic tiles and leaded lights from China pay 0% UK duty. Standards, fire claims, breakage and a worked example.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, paving blocks, slabs, bricks, squares, tiles and other articles of pressed or moulded glass for building, glass cubes and smallwares for mosaics, and leaded lights, heading 7016, carried 0% on goods from China on all four lines, with no anti-dumping measure.
Flat glass sheets fall under other headings (see our float glass guide), and glass beads under 7018. Confirm the commodity code from the product form.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass cubes and smallwares for mosaics, on a backing or not | 7016 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Leaded lights and the like | 7016 90 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Blocks and bricks for building or construction | 7016 90 40 00 | 0% | None |
| Other (such as glass paving and multicellular glass) | 7016 90 70 00 | 0% | None |
Standards and building use
Glass blocks and glass pavers are specified to BS EN 1051, which covers definitions, dimensions and the evaluation of conformity. Ask whether the maker issues a declaration of performance under the retained Construction Products Regulation for the block you are buying, and for its test reports.
A fire-resisting glass block wall is rated as a tested system of blocks, mortar or frame and reinforcement, not block by block, so a fire rating claim needs a test report for the whole construction, for example to BS EN 1364-1.
Specifying blocks
Specify size and thickness, pattern (clear, wave, frosted, coloured), edge coating for mortar bond, whether solid or hollow, compressive strength if blocks carry load, and the installation system the blocks must fit. For mosaic, specify tile size, sheet size, backing (mesh or paper face) and whether the tiles are suitable for wet areas or pools.
Worked duty example
Suppose, purely for illustration, you import 6,000 clear glass blocks of 190 mm under 7016 90 40 00. At £9,000 free on board and £2,500 to ship and insure, the customs value is £11,500. With 0% duty on glass blocks, the only charge is import VAT: 20% of £11,500, or £2,300. VAT-registered businesses usually recover that in their next return. The method is set out in how UK import duty and VAT work.
Inspection checklist
Size and squareness: measure length, width and thickness of sampled blocks against BS EN 1051 tolerances and the installation system, and check faces are flat so joints stay even.
Glass quality: check for bubbles, stones, cracks, cold seams at the weld of the two halves and uneven edge coating, and check pattern and colour against the approved sample in daylight.
Packing: check blocks are packed in cartons with dividers and cartons are stacked and strapped on pallets, and open cartons at loading to count breakage.
What goes wrong
Glass blocks fail on size, seals and breakage. Blocks vary by a millimetre or two so joints wander, the seam between the two pressed halves leaks and blocks fog inside, edge coatings are thin so mortar does not bond, and blocks break when cartons are stacked too high.
Measure samples against the installation system, check the seams, and check packing before loading. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources glass blocks and mosaic for merchants, bathroom suppliers and contractors, and can start with a first order in a few patterns. See small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on glass blocks from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, glass blocks and bricks for building (7016 90 40 00) carried 0% from China.
What standard covers glass blocks?
BS EN 1051 covers glass blocks and glass pavers.
Can I buy fire-rated glass blocks?
Only with a test report for the whole wall system, blocks, mortar or frame and reinforcement together.
Is glass mosaic the same heading?
Yes. Glass cubes and smallwares for mosaics are 7016 10 00 00, also at 0%.