Material Tips: Glass Engraving

Glass: One of the most common problems customers have when engraving glassware, such as wine glasses, mugs, and similar items, is an apparent lack of resilience in the etching. What this means is, over time, the etching begins to chip away, fade, and lose its definition. The most common cause of this problem is when the glass is engraved, the laser is removing a thin layer of glass, which damages the edges of that layer around the etching and results in the glass “flaking.” A simple method to resolve this is to treat the glass with a solution of dish soap and water, or common glass cleaners such as Windex, and after engraving, wipe down the engraved/etched area with a towel to remove the flaked glass. Another method to prevent deterioration is to clean the engravement and surrounding area with a wire brush or razor blade to cleanly remove the damaged layer of glass that will eventually flake off.  Like wood, glass quality can vary from product to product. As an example, tempered glass is not recommended as it is a type of safety glass processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength compared with normal glass.