How to Identify Etched Glass

Etched glass is glass with a decorative design that was created by an acid. The design is cut into the surface. The final product can be rough and brittle feeling or smooth, depending on the method used. Etched glass can also be created by sandblasting the design. Nearly any design can be etched into glass. Here's how to identify etched glass.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Examine the piece of glass. Etched glass has a design on the surface that has a frosted appearance. This is in contrast to clear, unetched glass.

2. Run your fingers along the surface. Glass etching is a one-stage blasting method. You should feel the design as well as see it. It usually feels rough like thousands of pieces of sand stuck together.

3. In glass carving the images are deeper and more sculpted. It's basically an extension of the glass etching technique because the images are still made by blasting. But, instead of doing it in one stage, it's done in multiple stages.

4. Look closely to see if there's glass shading. High-quality pieces often have this shading to give it a more dimensional image. You'll notice various shades from gray to white.

Tips & Warnings

• Make etched glass yourself. Craft stores sell etching cream which make an easy craft out of etching glass.
• Buy a battery powered hand-held etching tool that wears away the glass to etch the design.

Resources

• Examples of etched glass.