Glass chipping is the process used to add texture to glass.
Often used on decorative doors, cabinets, signs or windows, glass chipping is accomplished by roughing up a glass surface, covering it with hide glue, and allowing the glue to dry and chip away at the glass. This process leaves a unique and beautiful design on the glass surface.
Step 1: The clean glass must be etched or sand blasted first to roughen the surface. This can be done with a light sandblaster, or a diamond etch for smaller pieces of glass. If the glass is not first roughened, the glue will not properly chip the glass.
Step 2: Create your glue mixture of granulated hide glue and water.
Angel Gilding recommends using 3 fluid ounces (90 ml) of water and 1.5 oz (45 g) of hide glue to cover 1 square foot of glass. Make sure that glue and water are properly mixed and the mixture is smooth.
Step 3: The hide glue mixture should be heated in a glue pot to 140-150° F. Make sure not to go above this temperature, as the glue could begin to burn.
Step 4: The hot glue mixture can now be poured onto glass at approximately 1/16" thickness. If the glue film is too thin, the glass will not chip. If the glue film is too thick, it will take much longer for the glass to chip.
Step 5: Let it cool. The glue-covered glass should be left to dry until hard. This can be dried at room temperature and humidity.
Step 6: As the glue cools it will attach to the rough glass. Once the glue is completely hard, place the glass is a warm, dry environment (about 90°F and 20% humidity). The hardened hide glue will begin to shrink and crack off and the glass underneath will be chipped away.
Glue chipping is a slow process, and can take 24 hours or more to be complete. Be careful during this process, as the hard glue and glass shards may pop with high pressure.
Eco-friendly hide glue (animal glue) plays a major role in the glass chipping process. Learn more about hide glue today.