Sandblasted Glass

Glass etching is an age-old old method of imprinting images on glass; and one way to do it is by sandblasting. Sandblasting allows for greater variation through the use of different degrees of coarseness in sand, and also for depth blasting, giving the finished product a rich textured appearance.

Sandblasting process

Sandblasting is essentially the process of blasting the surface of glass with grit which peppers the surface, giving it a milky white appearance.

Sandblasting is a general term used to describe the act of propelling very fine bits of material at high-velocity by steam or air to clean or etch a surface. Synthetic particles or small pieces of coconut shell are sometimes used instead of sand in sandblasting applications.

Sandblasting Glass Etching



The sandblasting glass etching process consists of corroding glass by violently projecting sand upon its surface by means of a current of air or steam. The tube conveying the current of air or steam terminates at a nozzle containing a series of fine holes. The sand, is thrown violently against the glass plate or any other body placed within its range, and thus exerts a corroding action. By varying the quantity of the sand, the volume and velocity of the current, as well as the diameter of the jet, the desired effects are obtained.

Bodies much harder than glass have submitted to the action of sand thrown forcibly in this way against their surface, and have been as rapidly worn away. The portions of the glass which are to remain clear are covered with paper, or with an elastic varnish - these substances being sufficiently exempt from the corroding action of the sand.

Sandblasted glass

Sandblasted glass is produced by spraying sand at high velocities over the surface of the glass. This gives the glass a translucent surface, which is usually rougher than that obtained by etching. During sandblasting, only the areas that are to remain transparent are masked for protection. The depth and degree of the translucency of the sand-blasted finishing vary with the force and type of sand used.

The sandblasting technique is used to obscure visibility through glass, but the glass continues to still transmit light as it is diffused through the surface. Patterns and designs can be created using a mask which resists the abrasive force of the grit from the sandblaster. The mask can be hand cut or computer cut depending on the design.

Sand carving is achieved by blasting away the glass for longer periods to get layers of depth. It's necessary to use thicker pieces of glass for this and the various depths are made by cutting away more of the resist each time. This can sometimes be a long winded process but is desirable for its three-dimensional appearance.

If an image is supplied in a vector format, it can be cut directly using a computer aided cutter. Otherwise, the image in the computer needs to be changed to vector lines the cutter can follow, though this can also be a time consuming process if there is tonality to the image. It is better to supply flat graphic images in this case.

Sandblasters

There are two kinds of sandblasters: “Suction” / “Siphon”" & “Pressure” Blast Systems. Pressure systems are ten times faster & much more effective, but also quite a bit more expensive. There are two basic kinds of sand blasters: Blast Cabinets & Portable Blasters
There is a huge variety of abrasive blast media out there each has its purpose. One you want to stay away from is Silica Sand. Blasting with Silica sand causes Silicosis of the lung. Do Not Ever Use It!

If you are looking to blast hand tools, such as saw blades, wrenches, etc., then sandblast cabinet is better. (A “Suction/Siphon” cabinet would probably be sufficient.)

Sandblast Cabinets must have adequate lighting, a dust collector, and two gloves to place your hands inside to blast within the cabinet. One nice part about blasting inside a cabinet is that all the dust is contained, so no respirator is needed. They are also relatively quiet, and some have abrasive separators which allow you to get the maximum life out of the abrasive blast media & consequently save money.

Application

Dividers, doors and shower surrounds are some of the most popular architectural uses of sandblasted glass. Sand-blasted glass can be used in numerous interior design applications in both residential and commercial settings: doors, shower screens, partitions and interior screens, furniture, etc.

Architectural Uses of Sandblasted Glass

Sandblasting effects on shower doors can create wonderfully frosted looks to compliment the appearance of any bathroom. Typical sandblasted shower surround designs include waves or horizontal lines, but some designs are more ornate such as pictorial sea life scenes.

Sandblasted glass panels on front doors are popular and can really add elegance to the front door of a home. Commercial storefronts and doors may feature sandblasted company logos and business names.

Although glass etching is extremely decorative, sandblasting is not done for aesthetics alone. It can be an attractive and practical solution to reduce the appearance of fingerprints on glass. The frosted appearance and/or different textures sandblasting gives glass can make fingerprints and smudges more difficult to see than if the glass was left as is. Sandblasting glass can also help it repel dirt build-up such as on shopping mall doors and shower enclosures.

Some sandblasted glass room divider panels are more like art pieces than just architectural necessities. For example, some upscale hotels or museum lobbies feature large panels of glass with detailed sandblasted etchings that may include figures or animals. Smaller artistic sandblasted glass panels may be used as architectural accents in homes such as in front halls and kitchen sink back splashes.

Even small amounts of sandblasted glass can add interest to any residential or commercial outdoor or indoor space. Designs for architectural sandblasting are created on computer software programs.

Stencils and sandblasting machines are used to transfer the design onto the glass. To create small pieces of etched glass, it's possible to cover a piece of glass with contact paper and then cut out a design from the paper using a utility knife. Sandblasting equipment can then be used to create a sandblasted effect on the areas not covered by the paper and the contrast between the sandblasted and plain glass is revealed after the remaining paper is peeled off the glass.

Body-tinted Glass

Body-tinted glass is normal float glass into whose melt colorants are added for tinting and solar-radiation absorption properties. This tinted glass saves energy and reduces heat penetration into buildings and gives a striking visual effect. Coloured glass is an important architectural element for the exterior appearance of façades.

Tinted glass refers to any glass that has been treated with a material such as a film or coating, which reduces its ability to transmit light. Glass can be tinted with various types of coating, which block and/or reflect different amounts and types of light, according to the needs and preferences of the consumer. Glare reduction is another important property of tinted glass. Glare

The production process of body-tinted glass is similar to that of float glass. The only variation is in the colorants mixed at the beginning with the standard raw materials. Body-tinted glass is produced when colorants and iron are introduced during the glass manufacturing process. Different additives may produce differently coloured glasses. Bronze, dark grey and green are the commonly used tints.

The end product does not affect the basic structure of the glass itself, but does enhance its performance in relation to the (solar) electromagnetic spectrum. The colour is homogenous throughout the thickness of the glass. The solar energy transmission, shading coefficient and visible light passing through the tinted glass will vary according to the colour selected.

During the float glass melt process, chemical colorants can be added which tint the colour and increase absorption from the sun. This helps minimize the solar radiation that enters a building, keeping it cool from the inside and protecting furniture from fading. As an example of the colorants used - to create a purple exterior, manganese is added, while pinks and reds can be produced from selenium.

Colorants and colors

Some of the most-used colorants and the colours they produce are listed below:

Iron – Green, brown, blue
Manganese – Purple
Chromium – Green, yellow, pink
Vanadium – Green, blue, grey
Copper – blue, green, red
Cobalt – blue, green, pink
Nickel – yellow, purple
Titanium – purple, brown
Cerium – yellow
Selenium – pink, red
Gold – Red
Cadmium-Sulphide – yellow
Carbon & Sulphur – amber, brown

Double-Glazed with High-Performance Tinted Glass

Tinted Glass is intended for universal application. Either as single or double glazing for a basic level of solar control, and even in furniture, interior design, partitions, etc. It is also the base glass for many high performance comfort glasses.

Doubly-glazed tinted glass reduces solar heat gain to below that of bronze or gray tint but has a visible transmittance closer to clear glass. High-performance or spectrally selective tinted glass products are typically light green or light blue. The tint has no effect on the U-factor but reduces solar heat gain. Doubly glazed tinted glass allows 51 percent of solar heat gain and 69 percent transmission of visible light.

Advantages

• Saves energy, controls solar heat and gives a striking visual effect
• Meets the increasing demands for light in workplaces, creates attractive interiors and gives a feeling of spaciousness
• Offers a practical, stylish alternative to traditional materials when used in screens, partitions and furniture at home or in the office
• Gives designers the freedom to create attractive modern environments that are also economical and easy to maintain
  

Body tinted glass gives the added benefit of making a building look unique and contemporary, creating a lasting impression for business HQs.
Applications

The range of available thicknesses enable glass to be used where superior strength, greater spans, reduced deflection, higher daylight transmission and enhanced noise suppression are required.

Automobiles

One of the most common applications of tinted glass is in automobile windows. Almost all cars come with tinting at the top of the windshield to reduce solar glare when the sun is low in the sky. Apart from this, the windows of several cars are tinted either at the factory or as an aftermarket add-on by the consumer, to provide privacy to the car’s occupants, as also to reduce the build-up of heat in a car while it is parked outdoors.

Dwellings

Another popular use of tinted glass is in windows of homes and commercial buildings. Residential glass tinting is much easier to do than automotive tinting. It can even be done by the homeowner himself, with some practice. Tinted glass in homes serves many practical purposes, such as limiting ultraviolet light transmission through windows, and reducing overall heat gain inside the home by reflecting solar heat energy, thereby saving the homeowner money on air-conditioning.

Commercial Buildings

Tinted glass is also used in commercial buildings. Apart from keeping the interiors cooler, it gives the outside of a building a more uniform, aesthetically pleasing appearance. Depending on the creative use of different colours of tinted glass, the building can also take on a unique and interesting appearance while being insulated from the sun at the same time.

R128 – Green in Glass

That all architectural structures are covered by solid opaque walls on all four sides to maintain privacy and security is a given. So, a home with walls of glass that offer a clear view of the inside is bound to create more than just a ripple, and 128 Werner Sobek does just that. This rather novel concept in residential architecture seems to have broken through all conventions and set a new - if not higher - standard in innovative construction.

R128 Werner Sobek is four-storey house, floating high on a hill overlooking the city of Stuttgart, Germany. Inside this curious creation, there are no doors, switches, interior walls or partitions and no closed rooms. But what takes the cake is that the home generates its own energy. The construction material used to create R128 is one hundred percent eco-friendly and recyclable.

R128 has a most attractive glass façade and is devoid of a basement. High quality triple-glazed glass with inert gas filling is in use. The use of a modular design, complete with glass panels and steel frames ensured easy assembly and disassembly of the construction. The insulated glass panels prevent overheating of the interior during summer and loss of energy and warmth during winter. The supporting steel frame comprises of 10 tons of steel.

The ceiling of the Werner Sobek glass house consists of prefabricated panels overlaid by plastic. Beneath the unscrewed floor, aluminium ceiling panels are affixed by clip connections. Lighting, heating and cooling systems are fitted into that layer and this acts as an acoustic absorber pattern.

Sensor controlled doors have been installed on the upper and lower levels of the house. All appliances and environmental systems are also controlled by motion sensors and voice commands. The front door has a voice recognition feature which allows it to open automatically on a voice command. Water faucets in the bathrooms are regulated by sensors. Windows are controlled by touch screen technology.

Every floor has two folding windows each, which allow natural daylight and fresh air to enter the house. During summer, cool water running through the floor elements removes excess heat from the entire house with the help of a heat exchanger. Thus surplus energy is stored for use in winter. This ensures minimal energy consumption. 48 solar powered modules with a total capacity of 6.2 KW are installed on the rooftop, which are responsible for supplying all the power required by the pump system.

This green show-house is expected to go a long way in promoting energy-efficient architecture.