Metal coating on glass
Metal coating on glass is perfectly possible. Glass is a suitable substrate for Metalier liquid metal.
Metal coating on glass takes on the fire-retardant characteristics of the substrate. On occasions when a fire-proof substrate is required, glass is an excellent choice. Splashbacks behind gas hobs are a good example of a time when glass comes into its own. Metalier Coatings will not support a flame so matched with fireproof glass together they tick all the safety and code compliance boxes.
Use Glass on one side of a partition
It is possible to use glass as one side of a partition with Metalier liquid metal as the other, provided that the glass is coloured. Metalier relies on sanding and polishing to achieve sheen and finish. It would not be attractive to see unfinished Metalier showing through clear glass. But who needs or wants clear glass when there are so many colour-ways and patterns available now
Preparation is key
Certain basic preparation principles need to be followed, as is the case with all Metalier substrates. No apologies for the pun in the heading – it was intended.
Glass is a smooth and often slippery substrate. The tools in a usual Metalier workshop are often not sufficient to allow the creation of a suitable level of key. Orbital and other hand-held sanders will only scratch the surface rather than create the required key.
Create a key on the glass for optimum adhesion
There are alternative solutions to this issue. The first alternative and the best one is to ask the company manufacturing the glass to key it for you to 180 grit. This way the glass is delivered ready for coating.
The second alternative is to have the glass sandblasted to the required grit. This can be relatively expensive to set up, if you do it through an outside company, and there is always the risk that the sandblasting might damage the glass irreparably.
A third alternative if you do a lot of working with glass is to set up your own sandblasting station. Don’t forget you need to collect all that sand you are spraying around.
Contact us for help and more information about applying Metalier metal coating on glass.