Etched glass.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Time to freshen up the front of the house.

There is a plain glass top light above the front door - and I'd like an etched glass one with the house number on it.

The panelled front door was at one time all wood panels, but had the top ones replaced with rather naff ribbed glass before I bought the house. They have half round tops. And I'd like to replace them too with a etched design of my own.

Is it possible to have etched (or sandblasted) toughened glass?

Any rough idea of costs and a recommendation who to use?

[Brian Gaff]

Chuckle, I recall many years ago being impressed by what I thought waetching on the inside of a double glased panel over somebodys front door. However after close inspection it appears it was something glued onto the inside of the inside pane in the unit. Looked convincing though. Brian

[Andy Burns]

Yes, I have an etched, laminated, toughened, edge-polished pane as the balustrade on my landing.

The place I used took ages and required several chase phone calls, so I won't bother digging through emails to see who they were!

Have you considered the stick on "frost effect" sheet? you could cut be able to get the house name/number cut out by a CNC plotter ...

[Oh, just re-read the paragraph about ribbed glass, so probably a no go]

[Martin Brown]

If memory serves it is possible but you have to do it in the order of etch pattern and then toughen. I'll ask my tame glass man next time.

He did a cake stand for the VH to celebrate the Millenium this way.

Someone whose work looks like the sort of thing you want done.

[Adrian Brentnall]

Yes - it's possible. If d-i-y then you can buy a specialist etching cream, but it's nasty stuff to use, and, on larger areas, it's difficult to get a consistently even etch. Most often used with a stick-on vinyl stencil (vinyl cutter)

Most of the commercial (i.e shop / bank / office) 'etch-looking' windows are done with 'frosted' stick-on vinyl - which looks good, but isn't the easiest thing to get stuck down square & wrinkle-free. Our local signmakers will do the whole thing for you, including cutting & fitting.

If doing it 'properly' then go for sandblasting first (requires a stencil of some sort) followed by toughening. Best subbed out to a local glass supplier, who will have contacts who can do it all.

Adrian

[Dave Plowman (News)]

OK. My local place rather cocked up in my last dealings with them - for a variety of toughened glass shelves, etc. Despite being given crystal clear drawings. Didn't cost me any extra - only in time waiting for it to be corrected.

I was rather hoping I could find somewhere that could take a CAD file of what I want and produced it automatically from that.

[John Rumm]

You could have it cut onto a frosted self adhesive vinyl, and then stick it onto ordinary clear glass. If stuck cleanly with no bubbles etc would probably look ok.

[Adrian Brentnall]

Don't know of anywhere.... but it's the sort of thing that a signmaker couple probably do, to produce a 'vinyl etch'. It's a fiddle to get stuck down without bubbles though!

A

[DerbyBorn]

Try this:

[DerbyBorn]

[spuorgelgoog]

"These etched / sandblasted glass fanlights can be supplied in 4mm or 6mm toughened glass or as a toughened double glazed unit."

No idea on price but they will send an estimate if you email them dimensions etc. I've not used them.

Vinyl however is a lot more affordable, and versatile as you can include 'paint' or 'gilded' effects as well as 'etch'

Depends if you want something that will last 10 years or 100.

Owain

[DerbyBorn]

DerbyBorn wrote in news:XnsA74EB5F259B33TrainJPlantntlworldc@81.171.92.222:

Soapy water is the key to success.

[Bert Coules]

Thanks for that. I've been wondering about using something on those lines, and there's a lot of useful information on that site.

Interesting that it says "easily applied using hot soapy water".

[DerbyBorn]

"Bert Coules" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

That is the secret - clean glass - then soapy water to float it into position and squeegee out the water.

[DerbyBorn]

"Bert Coules" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Another firm here:

[John Rumm]

Alternatively you could use the vinyl as a mask, and do a chemical etch of the glass rather like it were a large PCB!

(although glass etching often seems to involve HFL and other nasty agents)

You could possibly sand blast it as well.

[T i m]

I obscured (mostly, just left a 5mm gap round the edge) a couple of office doors for a mate with some shop cut vinyl.

As has been mentioned elsewhere, I floated them on with a hand water sprayer filled with some very dilute soap in water (just to break the surface tension I think) and a soft rubber edged squeegee. Working from the middle outward it didn't take too long and not a bubble in sight. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

What *exactly* is wrong with you OOI, assuming you have actually had it medically diagnosed and does nurse know you are using her PC again?

Whatever it is I'm pleased we can be part of your 'care in the community'. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Clive Arthur]

I used similar to improve some fairly large clear glass cupboard doors and was pleasantly surprised just how easy it was. It looks good, too.

Cheers