Working with recycled glass

Glass is one of the most common – and most versatile – decorating materials available today. Glass hasn’t always been abundant; initially, all functional glass was crafted by hand, and formulations sometimes contained materials (like lead) that aren’t suitable for daily use. Today, most glass is mass produced. Only a small fraction of total glass production is hand-crafted. Because it is so commonly available, glass is frequently discarded after use and ends up in the landfill.

Recycled glass is strong, versatile

That’s unfortunate, because glass is easy to recycle and reuse. Glass recycling is an environmentally friendly process because glass can be recycled endlessly, and introducing crushed glass into the manufacturing mixture allows glass manufacturers to use less energy what’s required to manufacture brand new glass.

Recycled glass possesses the same strength that new glass does, which means that the recycling process does not degrade the glass in any way. In addition, recycling makes economic sense, since it costs less to recycle existing glass than it does to create new glass. Recycling glass into glass manufacturing allows the glass to be created at a lower temperature, and extends the life of the glass-making equipment. As you can see, there’s very little downside to recycling glass!

You can use recycled glass as a decorating medium throughout your home, as well as in commercial applications. Glass can combined with other materials including resin and cement to create surfaces like countertops, or it can be reformed into 100% glass. Typically, glass countertops are custom fabricated and are at least 1″ thick, but can be fabricated at a thickness of 4″ or more.

Using glass as a countertop material opens up a number of decorating possibilities. Glass countertops can be backpainted with Glassprimer™ glass paint in virtually any color. They can also be illuminated with LED lights to create dramatic effects.

Custom glass applications aren’t limited to kitchens. You can also use glass countertops in the bathroom, the bar or in outdoor entertainment areas. Glassprimer™ glass paint offers superior durability and UV-resistance, meaning that it won’t fade, peel or delaminate, even in the toughest environments.

Glass is an exceptional, versatile decorating surface that remains beautiful, even with everyday use. If you’d like more information about working with glass paint, please check out the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .
Photo Credit: Nancy Hugo, via Flickr.com