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Backpainted glass – should you buy or DIY?

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Backpainted glass – should you buy or DIY?

Backpainted glass – should you buy or DIY?

Backpainted glass is one of the most sought-after looks in interior decorating. Glass is at home in either a residential or commercial setting, and and work into virtually any decorating plan. You can purchase backpainted glass, but should you?

Buying backpainted glass gives you a ready-made solution, but it may not be the best choice for your home or office. Here are a few things to think about before purchasing pre-painted glass.

Backpainted glass is easy to make

Cost. The cost of making your own backpainted glass will be a factor in your decision. When you use Glassprimer™ glass paint, you can get exceptional coverage for about $1 per square foot. At that price, you can make your own glass! The cost of the glass itself depends upon the thickness of the sheet you want to use, but generally, float glass isn’t expensive. For a painted glass project where cost is a factor, DIY is definitely the better option.

Transportation. When you purchase backpainted glass (or any other sheet glass), think about transportation. First, glass doesn’t transport well over long distances. You should be concerned about breakage. If you do end up with a broken panel, you can get a new one, but at that point, color-matching the replacement panel with the existing panels can be an issue. In addition, small panels of glass don’t weigh much, but the weight of glass goes up significantly as the size of the panel increases. Weight is a primary component of the cost of transportation. If the weight of your glass is significant, or you need a lot of glass, DIY is the better option.

Fitting. Every space in your home is unique to your home. Walls have unusual dimensions or contours. You may need to cut a glass laminate to fit the space you’re working with. You can certainly cut prepainted glass, but you run the risk of damaging the paint. It’s easier to fit your unpainted glass first, then paint it before installing it.

Color choice. We can tint Glassprimer™ glass paint to match the color palette of virtually any major paint manufacturer. You can be sure that Glassprimer™ glass paint will match the colors for the rest of your room. When you purchase pre-painted glass, you may need to accept available colors.

Peace of mind. When you purchase prepainted glass, you don’t know what kind of paint the fabricator used. When you apply your own paint, you know exactly what you’ve got. Glassprimer™ glass paint bonds to the surface of the glass. Once the paint cures, it will not fade, chip or peel, even in high-temperature and high-humidity spaces. Glassprimer™ paint is UV resistant, so it can tolerate direct exposure to sunlight. When you purchase prepainted glass, you don’t know whether the paint on the glass can stand up to the challenges of your environment.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint or you’d like to place an order, please visit the rest of our website.

Photo Credit: New York City Department of Transportation, via Flickr

Backpainted Glass Is An Ideal Surface

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Backpainted Glass Is An Ideal Surface

Backpainted Glass Is An Ideal Surface

If you’re looking for a tough yet practical surface for use in a kitchen or bath, consider backpainted glass. Backpainted glass offers the advantages of brilliant color and an easy-to-clean surface that’s ideal for those demanding areas of your home.

Backpainted glass can be used to protect walls and surfaces without compromising on color or style. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be tinted to match the paint palette of virtually any paint manufacturer. Whether you’re looking for neutral tones or a brilliant splash of color, you can find what you’re looking for with Glassprimer™ glass paint.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is easy to apply using ordinary painting tools. We recommend the use of a high-volume, low-pressure paint sprayer for complete and even coverage. Even application ensures the lowest overall drying time between coats, which helps keep your paint project moving forward.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is also economical. You can achieve excellent coverage for about $1 per square foot. With our expert color matching, you can confidently use Glassprimer™ in those areas where it’s needed, and conventional matching paint in areas that are best suited for it.

Mounting backpainted glass is easy. We recommend the use of a neutral cure silicone adhesive or a mirror mastic. Both adhesives dry quickly and they’re strong enough to support the weight of glass. Better still, the adhesives will not show through the paint, so you get a smooth, attractive appearance on the finished product.

Glass works well as a surface in kitchens and bathrooms. Glass can tolerate household cleaners and sanitizers very well, so your surface can be washed regularly with no impact on the paint color or the integrity of the painted surface.

While glass is tough enough to use in the most demanding areas of your home, you can also use glass surfaces in virtually any room of your home. Glassprimer™ glass paint is a low-odor, low-VOC preparation, so you can use it comfortably in your home.

If you’d like to learn more about using Glassprimer™ glass paint to decorate surfaces in your home, please visit the rest of our site.
Photo Credit: Design Initiative, via Flickr.com

Backpainted glass a hit for home décor

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Backpainted glass a hit for home décor

Backpainted glass a hit for home décor

If you’re looking for a quick, cost-effective way to update your kitchen, consider backpainted glass or backpainted Plexiglas™. Backpainting does not require special tools, and you can complete backpainted projects in a few hours or days. You’ll want to use Glassprimer™ glass paint because ordinary paint won’t stick to glass.

Backpainted glass is easy to make, install

Backpainted glass makes a great surface for backsplashes, walls and cabinet fronts. If you’re worried about the weight of a glass surface, you can also use Plexiglas™ and achieve a similar effect. Backpainted Plexiglas™ is a great alternative for cabinet fronts because it is very lightweight and will not put extra stress on the hinges. You can use Plexiglas™ to quickly reface existing cabinet fronts that have worn or been damaged.

To backpaint, you’ll need glass or Plexiglas™ that’s been cut to size. If you intend to use glass near a stove, you’ll want to use tempered glass. Consult with a glass shop to be sure you get the exact size glass you need. Once glass has been tempered it can’t be cut, so you need to start with glass that’s ready to go.

Glass and Plexiglas™ require minimal surface preparation before you apply Glassprimer™ glass paint. Surface prep includes washing the surface of the glass with rubbing alcohol and lightly abrading it with fine steel wool. This will remove oils and other surface contaminants that may prevent the paint from adhering to the surface.

Dry the surface with ordinary paper towels. (Don’t use the lint-free kind; the store brand cheapies are ideal here.) That’s it! You’re ready to apply Glassprimer™ glass paint to the glass surface.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is engineered to form a permanent bond to the glass, so once the paint is cured, it won’t come off. The paint dries to the touch in a few hours, and you can recoat once the paint is dry. The easiest paint application method is spraying with a high-volume, low-pressure paint sprayer. You can find these at any home improvement store. An HVLP paint sprayer is ideal because it actually minimizes the amount of paint you need to cover a surface, while providing an even coating of paint. An HVLP paint sprayer works with any kind of paint, so you can add one to your kit and use it for any future paint project. You can also apply paint to glass or Plexiglas™ using a good quality brush or roller.

Once the paint is dry, you can flip the glass and mount it using a neutral cure silicone adhesive, also available at any home improvement store.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Heather Hancock, via Flickr.com

Vibrant Gorilla Glass has arrived

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Vibrant Gorilla Glass has arrived

Vibrant Gorilla Glass has arrived

In April, Corning announced that it had developed a new product, which it calls Vibrant Gorilla Glass, for use in mobile devices. If you’re familiar with Gorilla Glass, you know that it’s widely used in the mobile device industry – there are (literally) about 4 billion mobile devices that use Gorilla Glass today. Gorilla Glass is a specially formulated glass that is exceptionally good at resisting breakage, which is why it’s so heavily used in mobile devices.

Gorilla Glass claims more mobile real estate

Vibrant Gorilla Glass is a bit of a departure from Gorilla Glass. First, it’s not a new and/or improved version of Gorilla Glass. It uses the current version of the product. Second, it’s not meant for the front of a mobile device, where the other 4 billion pieces of Gorilla Glass have gone. Vibrant Gorilla Glass is meant for the cases, covers and backsides of mobile devices.

The company is betting that the value of putting Gorilla Glass on the backside of a device is that it will allow manufacturers to customize their cases and covers in a way that wasn’t possible before. In short, Corning is bringing back painting to mobile device cases. Using specially designed ink that bonds to glass, manufacturers can incorporate low-glare, photorealistic images into their mobile device cases and covers. Because the image is applied to the backside of the glass, the customized images and branding designs won’t chip, wear or fade.

Acer has already announced that it intends to offer Vibrant Gorilla Glass as an option on its new Chromebook 14 for Work, but also says that a minimum order of 1,000 units is required for customized orders. Ultimately, that means that highly customized images won’t be filtering down to the individual level anytime soon, but Acer may still offer a range of cover options for individuals that include the Vibrant Gorilla Glass product.

Corning also says that it is in talks with a number of other manufacturers who are interested in offering a Vibrant Gorilla Glass cover or case. The company is also considering extending the technology to after-market cases that are designed to slip over ordinary device covers.

Backpainting is nothing new, but it does point to a rise in interest in backpainted displays. You can make your own backpainted designs, using Glassprimer™ glass paint on glass surfaces around your home. You can also use Glassprimer™ glass surface molecular activator to improve the results of digital printing on glass surfaces.

For more information about our glass surface coatings, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: , via FreeImages.com

The trick to transporting glass

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The trick to transporting glass

The trick to transporting glass

Glass is a pretty durable material – once it’s installed – but transporting glass can be tricky, especially if you need to transport large panes of glass for a decorating project. Here are a few tips for handling large pieces of glass.

Transporting glass accounts for the higher cost of prepainted glass!

Backpainted glass has become very popular as a home decorating material. Prepainted glass is available, but at significantly higher cost than you’d pay if you paint the glass yourself. Transporting glass accounts for some of the cost involved. Anytime you move glass, you run the risk of breakage and surface scratches, so the increased cost of prepainted glass reflects the risks and precautions associated with transporting a “finished” product.

If you choose to create your own backpainted glass, transportation of the glass will be the first order of business. Ordinary “float” glass should be handled with extreme care, not only because it’s fragile, but also because the edges of the glass may be rough cut, and can cause some nasty injuries.

For smaller pieces of glass, cover the edges gently with masking tape before transporting it. Don’t worry about pressing the tape securely to the glass. (That’s a good way to get cut!) Even loosely applied tape will help protect against injuries.

Cover the surface of the glass with cloth or thin foam packing sheets, which you can find at office supply stores and package-shipping services. This will provide some protection against surface scratches. It will not prevent breakage, but it will contain the mess should something unfortunate occur!

Glass needs support, so covering the glass on both sides with something with a little rigidity will help. Smaller panes of glass are often transported in a cardboard “sandwich,” which will offer some protection from breakage.

It seems counterintuitive, but the safest way to move glass is by putting it in an upright position. You’ll need to brace the glass to keep it rigid and upright while it’s being moved. You will only be able to use a standard vehicle to transport small panes of glass. Most passenger vehicles won’t accommodate an upright sheet of glass that’s more than about 2 feet high and a few feet in length.

If the pane you’re moving is large or long, consider having the glass shop deliver your piece. In addition to being awkward, large sheets of glass are heavy! A glass shop will have vehicles that are specially designed to support large glass sheets during transport. If the glass breaks during transport, the glass shop will replace it. On the other hand, if you’re transporting glass yourself and it breaks, replacement will be up to you!

One of the benefits of using Glassprimer™ glass paint is that you apply the paint after the glass has been transported. Glass is most vulnerable to damage when it’s being moved. By creating your own backpainted glass, you avoid the risk of transportation-related scratches and breakage.

If you’d like more information about working with Glassprimer™ glass paint, please check out the rest of our website. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Patrick Moore, via FreeImages.com

Backpainted glass in the kitchen

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Backpainted glass in the kitchen

Backpainted glass in the kitchen

Remodeling the kitchen isn’t a lightweight commitment, so designs, materials and colors all take on added importance. The look you create in the kitchen needs to have a timeless quality about it because redoing the kitchen doesn’t happen often! Glass is an excellent material choice. With it, you can create an elegant, enduring look that will stand the test of time.

Many creative uses for backpainted glass

Glass is easy to work with and can be used on a variety of surfaces, including walls, cabinets and countertops. It’s versatile, easy to clean and resistant to chemicals. It’s also easy to decorate. Using Glassprimer™ glass paint, you can backpaint any glass surface with virtually any color.

Glass makes the ideal material for backsplashes. You can use relatively thin, lightweight glass to protect walls above countertops and behind sinks. You can also use glass to protect walls around the stove, but for this application, you should use tempered glass.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially designed to make a permanent bond with glass. In addition, it is resistant to heat up to 350° F, and is resistant to UV light exposure. That means you can use it around the stove, and near windows. Glassprimer™ glass paint resists fading, delaminating, and cracking. When applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions, the paint is also backed by a 10-year warranty.

Beyond backsplashes, you can also use glass to resurface the door fronts for cupboards and cabinets. This is an ideal application for lightweight glass, but you can also use super-light Plexiglas™ to laminate door and drawer fronts. Glassprimer™ glass paint bonds permanently with Plexiglas™ to create a modern, lightweight and strong glass-like appearance.

You don’t often think of glass as a good material for countertops, but it actually is! You can purchase glass in a variety of thicknesses – up to 4″ or greater. You can use low-iron glass, which gives a pure white look, or standard glass, which has a green cast. In addition to backpainting glass for use on walls, cabinets and countertops, you can also use a variety of LED lighting to create different effects.

If you’d like more information about creating backpainted glass in the kitchen, please check out the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Yuichi Shiraishi , via FreeImages.com

Neutral-cure silicone adhesives

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Neutral-cure silicone adhesives

Neutral-cure silicone adhesives

In my last post, I discussed different methods of installing a backpainted glass project. One option is to use a neutral-cure silicone adhesive. When you’re looking for adhesives at the store, you’ll be presented with a number of silicone adhesives, so it’s important to know the difference between them.

Why use neutral-cure silicone adhesives?

What is a “neutral cure silicone adhesive, anyway? A neutral-cure silicone adhesive is a silicone based compound that can adhere to a number of different surfaces. Silicone is a good choice for mounting backpainted glass because it cures at room temperature, and doesn’t require additional mixing. It can be applied in a controlled fashion and provides adhesion in any orientation.

It is flexible and durable, and is highly stable in low-heat and high heat conditions. It also maintains its adhesive properties in high humidity, which makes it ideal for use in places like the kitchen and bathroom.

Neutral-cure silicones don’t release volatile organic compounds (VOC) as they cure, which means they don’t have the unpleasant odor that’s sometimes associated with silicone adhesives and caulks. Because they don’t release VOCs, they’re also environmentally friendly and work well in closed spaces, like homes and offices.

Neutral-silicone cure adhesives are widely available and inexpensive. They offer water-tight and air-tight adhesion, and won’t shrink, crumble or crack when exposed to UV light or variable temperatures and humidity.

Don’t attempt to substitute acrylic adhesives, or acrylic-blend adhesives. Acrylic adhesives are not waterproof – they will deteriorate in water over time. Keep in mind that humidity in the air is water, so acrylic adhesive will perform poorly in high-humidity environments like kitchens and bathrooms.

Acrylic adhesives aren’t flexible after curing, so they will crack, shrink and even freeze at low temperatures! They’ll also harden and discolor when exposed to high heat or UV light. Exposure to low temperatures can cause the acrylic adhesive to fail even faster, and could result in unrepairable damage to your backpainted glass.

GE sells a silicone adhesive branded as GE Silicone II Household Glue, which works well for mounting backpainted glass. The GE Silicone II product line is available at many home improvement stores, hardware stores and general-merchandise retailers.

If you’d like more information about mounting backpainted glass, please check out the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: GE.

Put a backpainted glass backsplash in your kitchen

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Put a backpainted glass backsplash in your kitchenWhether you’re trying to protect the wall around your sink or stove, a backpainted glass backsplash can help protect your walls and add a dash of color at the same time. Glass is a great medium to use in the kitchen because it’s impervious, easy to clean and looks great year after year! Unlike ordinary paint, a backpainted glass backsplash won’t stain, fade or peel over time.

Working with backpainted glass

Glass is easy to work with in the kitchen, which gives you another reason to consider it as a decorative and functional element. There are some considerations you should be aware of, however. If you intend to put glass behind or beside your stove, you’ll want to use tempered glass. Tempered glass resists impacts and shattering. More importantly, it can withstand the wide, rapid changes in temperature around the stove. You can purchase tempered glass in custom or standard sizes.

Paint the tempered glass on one side, using the color(s) of your choice. You can choose paints that offer an opaque, translucent or transparent effect. Using glass paint will give you a few advantages. First, once glass paint has cured, you can safely use mastic to attach the glass to the wall without worrying that the glue will show through the paint. Second, glass paint will resist humidity, which is typically in abundance in the kitchen!

Ordinary paint never truly cures on glass, so it will peel, crack and bubble, virtually right away. Glass paint forms a permanent bond with the glass, so your backpainted glass backsplash will look like new for years to come.
If the area you intend to cover with a backpainted glass panel currently has electrical outlets, you’ll need to move the outlets before you install the glass. You cannot cover outlets with glass, and you can’t cut tempered glass, so you’ll need to move the outlets before undertaking your project.

It sounds daunting, especially if you’re not skilled in electrical work, but moving the outlets isn’t as complicated as it might seem. Angled power strips can allow you to place electrical outlets wherever you need them without having to recess them into a wall. You can use angled power strips under cabinets, on your countertops or underneath your countertops. You may even find that angled power strips allow you to add power exactly where you need it.

If you’d like more information about working with glass paint, or creating a backpainted glass backsplash for your kitchen, please check out the rest of our site!

Photo Credit: , via FreeImages.com

Using glass paint in the kitchen

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Using glass paint in the kitchen

Using glass paint in the kitchen

If you’re looking for decorating ideas, look no farther than your kitchen! Glass paint makes a great decorating medium for the kitchen because it’s durable, and can stand up to what’s likely to be the toughest environment in your home. As a surface, glass is ideal in the kitchen because it’s tough, impervious and easy to clean.

Glass paint projects for the kitchen

Backpainted glass works well as a backsplash material, and also works well around the stove. Glassprimer™ glass paint works with the catalyst to create a fast, permanent bond to the glass surface. This is ideal because once the Glassprimer™ paint has cured (24-48 hours) the paint will stick to the glass under even the most challenging conditions.

The kitchen – especially around the sink and stove – is often filled with moist air. Moisture in the air will cause most paints to peel, regardless of what surface they’re applied to. Glassprimer™ paint is different. It is specially engineered to resist humidity, and will never peel or chip.

The permanent bond also means that you can safely attach glass to the wall using mastics or glues that will not seep through the paint – immediately or over time. A backsplash decorated with glass paint will retain its good looks and true color for years to come. And because the backsplash is made of glass, it can be cleaned and sanitized with common household cleaners.

If you intend to install a backsplash that uses glass paint and you intend to use it around the stove, be sure to use tempered glass. Tempered glass is specially heat treated (or chemical-treated) to make it stronger and better able to withstand “insults” that would break untreated glass.

Tempered glass is more expensive, and it cannot be cut once the glass is finished. This is because the outer surface of the glass is compressed, which places the inner surface of the glass under tension. The balance of compression and tension makes the glass stronger, but means that the glass will shatter once the outer surface has been breached. One more note of caution: you can’t cover existing electrical outlets with glass or any other material. You’ll need to move above-the-counter electrical outlets before mounting your backsplash.

Backpainted glass cabinet doors also make a stunning addition to a kitchen. Whether you’re aiming for clear glass, frosted glass or backpainted glass bonded to existing cabinet doors, glass cabinet fronts lend an air of sophistication to your kitchen. Using Glassprimer™ paint, you can apply any color under the rainbow and give your kitchen cabinets an immediate facelift!

If you’d like more information about using Glassprimer™ to decorate your kitchen, or would like to buy Glassprimer™ glass paint, visit our online store to place your order!

Photo Credit: Marmit, via FreeImages.com