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How difficult is it to backpaint glass?

How difficult is it to backpaint glass?

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How difficult is it to backpaint glass?

How difficult is it to backpaint glass?

Home decorating projects can sometimes take on a life of their own. What seems easy or straightforward can often be interrupted by a host of “requirements” that you didn’t foresee. So, when a project like backpainting glass comes along, you might wonder just what you’re getting yourself into!

Backpainting glass is easy. It requires no special tools, no special training, no difficult preparation and it isn’t expensive, either. It’s an ideal project, even if you’re new to home improvement.

Glassprimer™ glass paint can be applied with ordinary painting tools, including brushes, rollers, sponges or a high volume, low pressure paint sprayer. All of these applicators are available at your local home improvement store.

Surface preparation for backpainted glass is straightforward. Ordinary alcohol, fine-grit steel wool, and cheap paper towels round out your list of necessary supplies. Whether you intend to backpaint glass or Plexiglas™, this materials list stays the same. You may want to protect your hands with a pair of rubber gloves, especially if your hands are sensitive to rubbing alcohol.

When you’re ready to paint, prepare your surface by washing it with alcohol. Lay the workpiece on a horizontal surface, and pour alcohol on it. Using the steel wool, remove any surface dirt, adhesives, oil or fingerprints. Dry the surface until it’s “squeaky clean” with the paper towels. Here’s a tip – don’t use really expensive paper towels. The store-brand cheapies actually work best because they’re unlikely to leave “lint” behind on the surface of the glass.

That’s it! Easy!

Apply the paint with the applicator of your choice. We recommend a high-volume, low-pressure sprayer. It’s the most economical way to provide complete, even coverage across the surface of the glass. You can also get great coverage using a roller, brush or sponge. Once you’ve applied the paint, let it dry for about two hours before you attempt to handle the piece. Allow the coat to dry completely before adding extra coats. The thicker the coat of paint, the more drying time you’ll want to allow. Generally, a sprayer provides the thinnest and most even coverage. Rollers and brushes create thicker coats. If you use a brush or roller, allow extra drying time between coats.

Wipe up any drips immediately with a wet cloth. After you’ve finished painting the piece, allow it to dry completely before mounting it. Use a neutral-cure silicone adhesive to mount your masterpiece, and that’s it!

Backpainted glass is one of the easiest, least expensive and most elegant home improvement projects you can create.

Glassprimer™ glass paint is a specialized glass coating that bonds permanently to glass surfaces. GlassPrimer also makes a glass surface molecular activator that is designed to work with UV-inkjet glass printing processes. Glassprimer™ glass paint can be used in both interior and exterior applications and can help reduce solar heat gain in some applications. For 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: Photocapy, via Flickr.com

Backpainted Glass The Easy Way

Backpainted Glass The Easy Way

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Backpainted Glass The Easy Way

Backpainted Glass The Easy Way

Backpainted glass is certainly a trendy look, but having it made and shipped to you can be expensive and frustrating. Shipping glass isn’t easy. In fact, it’s downright hard. Shipped glass can have a breakage rate of as much as 30%. In many cases, breakage is a result of improper packaging or improper handling.

Flat glass can also pick up “stains” when it is shipped. Stains come from dampness that is absorbed by the packaging or deposited on the glass. While stains can be removed, the process of removing them may shorten the life of the glass.

Rather than having glass backpainted and shipped to you, you can make your own backpainted glass. You’ll achieve results that are better, you’ll spend less and your glass can be ready to mount in just a matter of hours.

With Glassprimer™ glass paint, you can also have your paint tinted to match the paint palette of virtually any major paint manufacturer. You can integrate glass paint seamlessly into your decorating plan.

Backpainted glass works well in the kitchen, but you can install backpainted glass in any room in your home. It also works well in commercial spaces and offices.

Each gallon of Glassprimer™ glass paint provides coverage for about 256 square feet of glass. You can apply Glassprimer™ glass paint using a brush or roller, but we recommend that you use a high-volume, low pressure paint sprayer. You’ll get exceptional coverage and use less paint.

Each gallon of Glassprimer™ glass paint is a low-VOC product, so you can safely use it for indoor or outdoor applications. In addition to our oil-based formulation, we also make a water-based formulation that’s environmentally friendly and easy to clean up.

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 .

<9i>Photo Credit: Jean Wang, via Flickr.com

How to create a backpainted glass backsplash

How to create a backpainted glass backsplash

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How to create a backpainted glass backsplash

How to create a backpainted glass backsplash

Glass can add a classic, luxurious look to any room. In the kitchen, glass is among the most practical of surfaces. It stands up to both food and household cleaners, won’t stain, doesn’t retain bacteria and looks great year after year. One way to decorate glass is using a technique called backpainting. Using Glassprimer™ glass paint, you can apply paint permanently to glass, in virtually any color. Because the paint is applied to the back side of the glass, it won’t fade, peel or chip, even in high humidity and direct sunlight.

Creating backpainted glass

Tempered glass is a must, if you intend to put backpainted glass near the stove. The rapid temperature changes in a kitchen make ordinary plate glass unsuitable for behind-the-stove applications. Tempered glass is specially treated to help resist impacts and significant changes in temperature. You can purchase tempered glass in custom or standard sizes from a glass shop.

To make a backpainted glass backsplash, paint one side of the glass using the paint color of your choice. Ordinary paints simply won’t work because they cannot bond to the glass. While ordinary paint may dry, it does not stay on the glass, and cannot resist humidity. Using ordinary paint on glass won’t produce a very satisfying result!

Once the Glassprimer™ glass paint has dried and cured, you can mount the backpainted glass in place using mastic or neutral-cure silicone caulk. The adhesive will not be visible through the paint, so your results will be outstanding!

Glass paint is specially formulated to make a permanent bond with the nanosurface of the glass. This permanent bond allows the paint to stand up to humidity, which is handy in the kitchen. In addition to creating a permanent bond with the glass, the paint resist peeling, fading and cracking. That’s essential in the kitchen keep food safe.

No kitchen counter area would be complete without electrical outlets, and you might have noticed that you can’t cut tempered glass. So how do you work around the electrical outlets? The easiest way to manage the electrical outlets is to move them. If you’ve never worked with electricity, consult with an electrician, who can safely move your appliance outlets prior to your backsplash installation.

Angled power strips are exceptionally versatile, especially in areas like the kitchen. They can be installed under countertops or cabinets, and may actually increase the number of outlets in your kitchen. They can also be installed discreetly, giving a clean look to your kitchen counters.

If you’d like some inspiration for your glass paint project, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Backpainted glass on furniture

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Backpainted glass on furniture

Backpainted glass on furniture

Glass is a very durable, versatile protective surface that works just as well on furniture as it does on walls. When you think about backpainted glass, you naturally think about backsplashes, but you can make a variety of improvements to furniture using custom cut, backpainted glass.

Place backpainted glass on just about any furniture surface to update the appearance of your piece. Try this on any table or desk that’s in good structural condition, but has a worn or damaged top.

Glass topped dining room table


Wooden dining table tops are notorious for picking up water damage, heat damage and scratches. Did you find an antique wooden table that you’d love to have in your home, but don’t want to spend the time and effort to refinish the surface? Try this trick instead.
A glass shop can custom-cut and temper a sheet of glass to fit your table. You’ll want to make sure the sheet is heavy enough to resist sliding, changes in temperature, and the occasional dropped dish or glass. Backpaint one side of the glass using your favorite color, or even create a pattern with the paint. When the paint has cured, install the glass on the tabletop. You can secure it with silicone glue, or if the glass is heavy enough, it will sit safely on your table. Clean and sanitize the tabletop using ordinary cleaners and enjoy your table for years to come!

Cover a desk top with glass


Few things are more majestic than a desk with a glass top. Furniture makers rarely make ornate desks anymore, but you can find these old gems in resale and antique shops. The desk is probably still in good shape, but these pieces are often stored improperly and may have a top that has been stained, scratched or even delaminated. Start at the glass shop and have them custom fit a piece of glass to your desk. You can use a sheet of regular glass, but thicker glass will work better in this application. Backpaint the glass top, using a spray applicator. You could also paint with stencils or try a frosted effect. Once the paint has cured, place the backpainted side of the glass on the desk surface and get to work!

Glass topped coffee table


Nothing is more at home than a glass top on a coffee table. You can put your drinks or dishes down on the table without worrying about picking up water rings from glasses, or discolorations from heat. Tempered glass is the best choice for this project. As with the other projects, start with the glass shop and obtain a piece of tempered glass that’s been cut to fit your coffee table. (Tempered glass must be cut before tempering, since you cannot cut tempered glass.) Apply a coat of Glassprimer™ glass paint in your favorite color. The paint will be cured in about 24-72 hours. You can place the glass top directly on the coffee table without attaching it to the surface, but you may want to use a silicone glue or mastic if you have children, pets or just tend to run into the coffee table a lot! A coffee table is small enough that you can redo this project whenever you change the color scheme of your room.

If you’d like more information about glass paint, or would like to purchase glass paint online, please visit our online store at GlassPaint.com.

Photo Credit: Clarence Risher, via FreeImages.com