How to Etch Glass Victorian Style on the cheap!
Hello All,
I'm so sorry I've been away for so long from writing. I have been in Italy the past month or so on and off and haven't had any time to write, much less work on the house. I am back home now and have been working on a few smaller projects as of lately. This weekend my latest accomplishment was doing etched glass.
The front doors after I refinished them still had no glass in the window part. It was actually cheap plastic that was broken, drafty and just looked bad. I had wanted to put glass in there for a long time, but wanted to do something etched to add some privacy, and also give that Victorian look.
These were taken before I had the lockset put on, but you get the idea where the ugly plastic was.
Die plastic fake windows!!!
First I purchased some simple sheets of glass for the size of the door I needed. These I got at my local hardware store.
Next I searched the internet for where I could find some Victoria style stencils so I could etch the glass. This was not easy. There were many great businesses that offered to to etched glass, but wanted more than I wanted to spend. Often the only kinds of stencils I could were cheap and inauthentic looking. After weeks of searching I located a place that cut stencils in custom sizes and I ordered them for a very fair price.
Next I set up a work table, got all my supplies together and was ready to go. The stencils need to be burnished first, meaning you have to rub both sides hard to loosen up the stencil. After doing this I cleaned the glass and VERY carefully applied the stencil to the glass. Where the stencil covers will be the clear areas and the current clean areas will be etched.
Next it was time to put the etching cream down over the whole glass. Coat it well and make sure none gets on the back side. Let set for at least 5 minutes. After it has set wash it off with a hose or faucet. Next carefully remove the stencil pattern and you will be left with a beautiful design.
One down one to go
Don't you just love how they turned out? For maybe $150.00 and a days worth of work I think they look well worth it!
I couldn't end this post without showing just a few vacation photos!
Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. Beautiful country!
Me at the cathedral in Milan.
Well that's all for now but I'll be writing more as I get more time. Thanks for following my loyal readers. You are my support! THANK YOU!!
If you like what you read and want to see this blog and projects keep going PLEASE feel free to donate something, even if it's only a little bit. Every little bit helps on this restoration project. Thanks again!
I'm so sorry I've been away for so long from writing. I have been in Italy the past month or so on and off and haven't had any time to write, much less work on the house. I am back home now and have been working on a few smaller projects as of lately. This weekend my latest accomplishment was doing etched glass.
The front doors after I refinished them still had no glass in the window part. It was actually cheap plastic that was broken, drafty and just looked bad. I had wanted to put glass in there for a long time, but wanted to do something etched to add some privacy, and also give that Victorian look.
First I purchased some simple sheets of glass for the size of the door I needed. These I got at my local hardware store.
Next I searched the internet for where I could find some Victoria style stencils so I could etch the glass. This was not easy. There were many great businesses that offered to to etched glass, but wanted more than I wanted to spend. Often the only kinds of stencils I could were cheap and inauthentic looking. After weeks of searching I located a place that cut stencils in custom sizes and I ordered them for a very fair price.
Next I set up a work table, got all my supplies together and was ready to go. The stencils need to be burnished first, meaning you have to rub both sides hard to loosen up the stencil. After doing this I cleaned the glass and VERY carefully applied the stencil to the glass. Where the stencil covers will be the clear areas and the current clean areas will be etched.
Next it was time to put the etching cream down over the whole glass. Coat it well and make sure none gets on the back side. Let set for at least 5 minutes. After it has set wash it off with a hose or faucet. Next carefully remove the stencil pattern and you will be left with a beautiful design.
One down one to go
Don't you just love how they turned out? For maybe $150.00 and a days worth of work I think they look well worth it!
I couldn't end this post without showing just a few vacation photos!
Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. Beautiful country!
Well that's all for now but I'll be writing more as I get more time. Thanks for following my loyal readers. You are my support! THANK YOU!!
If you like what you read and want to see this blog and projects keep going PLEASE feel free to donate something, even if it's only a little bit. Every little bit helps on this restoration project. Thanks again!
This such a great post that I love most for the reason that it talks about etched glass. Thanks for having me here...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Milliscent! I hope you got some good ideas and I'm so very happy you enjoy the website. If you have any ideas you want to see me write about please let me know. Also btw I LOVE the name Milliscent. You don't hear it much these days which makes it unique. Thanks again!
DeleteThe etched glass (and the pattern) are beautiful and they look like the real thing. I don't know that I'd consider 150.00$ to be "on the cheap" though. That's about 3x what I'd want to spend if I were doing it myself from scratch.
ReplyDeleteJC Good point! The stencils I used were fairly complex so they did cost a bit more. One could make their own stencils or purchase simpler ones to cut down on costs. Also the etching cream is a bit expensive to do on larger surfaces. Your need to ensure you use enough cream to make and even coating. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find a less expensive way to purchase the etching cream. There two items are where most of the expense came from. Best of luck on your project!
DeleteI love the stencil can you tell me where you got it from?
ReplyDeleteI ordered it from http://modellodesigns.com/ . Depending on the size of glass you wish to etch make sure you tell them you want it as detailed at that size as possible. They often have their patterns made for a larger size so you want to make sure you don't get just a small segment of the larger design. Good luck with your project and share with us so photos if/when you do it!
DeleteHello Matt - I can't tell you enough how much I love your blog. You do great work! I feel like we're all part of the same club and only people who do this sort of thing can truly understand. I am planning on building a door based upon yours. That's how much I like it. I am only doing one single door though so my dimensions are different. I want to use the same etching for my glass. My rough opening is 20 high x 21 wide. I noticed on the modello design site that the smallest template is 45 x 68. Doing some quick proportional math with my photo app, It appears that you had your template custom sized? When I did my guesstimates, it looks like the pattern at that 45 x 68 size is too big. I need the pattern design to be smaller. Would you mind telling me the rough dimensions of your glass? And did they customize the template for you at all? Thank you and much appreciated.
DeleteJason from Detroit, MI.
Hi Jason.
DeleteSo glad you like the blog! You'll have to show me how yours turned out. I am sorry for my delay in getting back to you. I just measured the glass of my front door windows and they measure 20" x 22" so rather small. I believe that I selected the design I liked and then contacted Modello about shrinking it down to fit my needs. I believe if I am not mistaken they also sent me a proof of what it would look like at that size. Their designs are very large if you just purchase them off the shelf I found so it was fairly easy for them to shrink the design on my project. Good luck and can't wait to hear how it turns out!
It sounds like you installed the glass into the doors as well -
ReplyDeleteCan you write about that project?
Hey Kendall,
DeleteI did install the glass into the doors myself. The doors originally had glass panels in them that had been removed at some point and installed was some awful plexi-glass. I simply removed the plastic to reveal there was a thin channel for the glass to sit in. Actually the very center had a thin strip of wood to hold the glass and then the trip around the window held the other side in. This small piece of wood actually allowed me to put 2 panels of glass in the door. The interior pane of glass is the etched and an exterior piece of clear glass sealed with clear silicone actually makes these a double pane window. Does that help or do you want more clarification?
Thanks for this, I'm debating tackling a similar project myself.
DeleteDid you have the glass cut professionally, or no?
We bought a condemmed 1902 American Foursquare in Denver, 5000 sqft., and painstackingly restoring it as close to original as possible.
It's been the hardest thing I've ever done!
I just went to the hardware store when I had removed the trim piece and measured the size of the plastic insert that was there. So that was pretty simple. The glass etching took some time, especially with a more detailed pattern as the one I used. I hadn't etched glass since I was a kid before doing this project. I would say it depends on the size of the glass panel in your door. If it is a very large panel it might look better to have it professionally done. Your could always do a little trial and error before doing the real deal.
DeleteSounds like a beautiful project. I'm sure you're doing the building justice and just think that what you do to that house, like the original builders, will live on forever. You are giving future owners of your house the gift of something that is a one of a kind jewel. Keep plugging away and let me know if I can help any!
Wow! This looks like a project that requires meticulous planning and a great attention to detail. You’ve only touched a small area, but had completely improved the overall look! Keep up the great work, and I look forward to more of your projects. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteLynne Hollaran @ Suburban Glass Service, Inc
that looks just amazing!!! Kudos to you for sticking to high standards - it paid off!
ReplyDeleteHi Alicia. Thanks for your nice words!
Delete