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How Are Glass Countertops Made?

As you prepare this morning’s breakfast on your beautiful glass countertop, you can’t help but wonder how glass counters are made in the first place.

Allow us to take you on a fascinating journey in today’s post!

Glass technically comes from sand. While that’s the primary ingredient, it’s not the only one. The sand is combined with sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, and recycled glass.

Recycled glass warrants its own brief description. This is glass that comes from demolished buildings as well as recycled materials that people drop off curbside. The glass is sifted through, the most viable pieces are selected, and then they’re combined via a cement or resin binder.

To melt sand and make it into glass, the sand must be exposed to ridiculously hot temperatures of 3,090 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s the melting point of sand, and only at that temperature will the sand linger in the state between a solid and a liquid.

In other words, at this point, the sand is amorphous!

This unique state of sand renders it very malleable, so it’s perfect for making glass. That said, the thickest glass you’ll get out of this production process of using a furnace and the above ingredients is maybe a glass sheet.

More cement or resin binder is often needed to attach large enough pieces of glass together that they can comprise a countertop.

The resulting glass will be translucent and colorless, but it doesn’t always have to be. Chemicals added to the mix can produce subtle but beautiful hues.

Here at CBD Glass, we can backpaint your glass counter to make it more colorful as well. This process involves paint rather than chemicals. The final product is beautiful and vivid.

Backpainting is one of many services we proudly offer as we give you the option to customize your counter exactly the way you want it.

You can select how thick the counter is. You also have the freedom to choose the shape and size of the counter when you work with our team. Whether you like a traditional rectangular shape for a counter or you’d prefer something more unique, our team is ready to make your counter dreams come true.

One of the most popular services that we offer at CBD is texture work for the glass. We can make your glass counter have a texture like wind-blown desert sand, slowly rushing water, ice melting on a stream, or even a peaceful, still galaxy.

The texture adds dimension and appeal to your glass counter. Each time you have company over, they’ll marvel at what an attractive centerpiece you have in your kitchen.

We can also install LED counter lighting so your countertop can come alive at night and glow. The texture of your counter will look especially stunning whether you choose white or colorful LEDs.

Here at CBD Glass, we can also build you a complimentary glass kitchen island that will look great with your new glass counter.

Give us a call today to discuss your project ideas or to request a quote!