Glass matting is a decrease in its light transmittance, which also allows you to decorate the glass surface in an original way and give the interior of the room individuality. There are many methods for making glass frosted. But you can do it yourself in the following ways:
- engraving;
- etching;
- application of matt self-adhesive film.
Self-engraving glass
Engraving - creating an image on a surface by changing its physical structure. This process is quite complicated and requires a special abrasive tool (engraver, burs) and a lot of free time.
To learn engraving, you must:
- devote a little time to this activity every day (from 2 to 3 hours);
- Prepare the workplace qualitatively - it should be well lit, it is advisable to put foam rubber on the surface of the table, and then put the workpiece on it, which will significantly soften the sound when processing it.
Do not forget that this is a dusty and noisy process, so it is not recommended to engage in engraving in residential areas.
The first thing to do on a separate glass is to try to engrave with the available attachments (burs). The image or inscription is transferred to the glass surface using a marker, pencil. You can fix the finished (printed) drawing with adhesive tape on a glass object.
When engraving large images, only move the engraver in one direction. This will give the engraved design a cleaner look.
More details on the video:
Etching the surface of glass
You can make glass frosted by a chemical method, which involves the use of chemically active substances that affect the surface layer of glass. As a result, a silky matt coating forms on the glass.
For etching, you will need:
- a special gel or paste;
- a cutter;
- stencil (self-prepared or purchased);
- soft brush;
- masking tape;
- plastic sheeting;
- Self-adhesive tape.
Before starting work, it is recommended to practice cutting glass. The length of time the etching agent must remain on the glass surface depends on the type of paste (gel) and stencil used. The patterns should be made simpler with a small area, otherwise the glass surface may turn out to be mottled.
The glass must first be washed and wiped dry so that no lint remains on it. To make a stencil, a self-adhesive film is cut out, exceeding the size of the image by 50 mm, and glued to the glass. When the size of the future pattern is greater than its width, the connection is made with an overlap with an overlap of 13-15 mm.
The drawing is superimposed on carbon paper, and together with it on a self-adhesive film, securely fixed with tape and copied onto the “self-adhesive”. With the help of a cutter, the prepared pattern is cut out. In the areas that will be subject to etching, the film is removed, the glass is carefully wiped, the cut edges are firmly pressed against the glass.
All areas of glass that are not covered by the stencil are covered with tape and plastic wrap, the lower edge of which should be placed in a container so that water does not spill when the paste is washed off the glass surface. All work related to the application and removal of the chemical solution is carried out only with rubber gloves.
The entire pattern is covered with a thick layer of etching paste (gel). After some time (indicated in the manufacturer's instructions, as a rule, from 6 to 10 minutes), the paste is washed off with water, sequentially from top to bottom. Use a soft brush to remove it. During the waiting process, the paste must be stirred periodically, which will reduce the likelihood of air bubbles and areas untreated with a solution under it. The stencil is removed only after the etched area is completely dry.
The process can be clearly seen in the video:
Applying a matte self-adhesive film
This method of making glass matte is the least laborious. The process of applying a self-adhesive film is simple, the main thing is to thoroughly clean the glass surface from dust, various stains and other contaminants. The glass is abundantly wetted with soapy water, which is subsequently removed with a rubber spatula. It is recommended to repeat this procedure several times.
The next step is to mark and cut the film in accordance with the dimensions of the surface on which it will be applied. In order to avoid a discrepancy between the dimensions of the "self-adhesive" and the glass along its perimeter, it is necessary to leave an allowance of 5 mm per side. After the end of the work, it can be cut off with a blade or other sharp object.
Before gluing, the prepared surface is treated with soapy water. The protective material is carefully removed from the self-adhesive film and moistened with a spray bottle, which will temporarily neutralize its involuntary adhesion to the glass.
The film is applied starting from the top. With gentle movements of the palm, it is smoothed over the entire plane. To remove moisture and air bubbles, a rubber spatula is used, which must be worked with gentle pressure from the center to the edges. After trimming the allowance, the edges are smoothed again.
All these methods make it possible to uniquely and exquisitely transform the interior, as well as protect the room from prying eyes.
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