Glass etching is most often performed with the use of hydrofluoric acid and this makes it a very dangerous activity. In fact, any type of glass etching requires the use of acidic, caustic or abrasive substances in order to create glass art. Many enthusiastic DIY-ers are keen on creating their own personal glass art by using glass etching and yet they don’t realise that you have to take rigorous precautions when performing this activity. In fact, hydrofluoric acid is such a strong corrosive chemical that it will cause deep tissue burns if it comes in contact with your skin. When doing any type of glass etching you need proper protective gear which includes safety glasses, PVC or neoprene gloves to protect your hands and some type of coat or apron that is chemical-proof. What’s more, the leftover waste after doing DIY glass etching is considered hazardous waste and you will need tomake sure you legally and responsibly dispose of this waste.
Glass etching includes an abrasive treatment of the glass that damages the surface of the pane.
Glass etching creates frosted art on your glass and a feature of this treatment is that it has a rough surface. Glass etching procedures remove little bits of glass off the surface in the form of a design or pattern. This results in something that looks pretty but your glass has been weakened. Essentially, if you are after a frosted design on the glass in your home you will find that only certain types of glass can be etched. For instance, you can’t have your sliding glass doors etched because they won’t be able to withstand the couple of millimetres removed from the surface. Your doors could easily shatter if they are etched.
Luckily you can achieve a glass etched look without actually having to damage your glass or use dangerous chemicals.
The frosted glass look is very sophisticated and can elevate your home’s style from the norm to something quite beautiful. Achieving the frosted glass look through glass etching is a tiresome and dangerous affair. Even if you call in the services of the professionals you are likely to have them perform the treatment off-site which means you have the discomfort of missing window panes throughout your home. Between the weather and the security risk, your discomfort will be at an all-time high. You can achieve that very same frosted glass etching look with window decals. Window decals are applied to the glass panes and don’t damage the glass in any way whatsoever. In fact, they make the glass shatterproof. Furthermore, window decals can be custom-designed to fit any style or taste and if you decide you would like a style update they can be easily removed or replaced. Frosted window decals replicate glass etching perfectly and are a safer option for you and your family.
To find out more about using frosted window decals in your home please have a look at our catalogue here.
Image Credit: www.bidorbuy.co.za
