How to Order Personalized Plates

Trying to find the perfect gift for someone? Do you know what you want it to look like, but not sure how to go about getting it? Well, look NO further! We can laser engrave or sand carve anything you want onto a piece of glass for that loved one, boss, or award recipient! The possibilities are endless with our large selection of different-sized glass. Our team of professionals is dedicated to assisting you with all your custom engraving and sand carving needs.

What's the difference between the two methods we provide?

 

  1. Laser engraving is a method of transferring a design onto a flat surface with a CO2-powered laser. The laser engraving creates precise markings on our glass to create a permanent design. Laser imprints on clear glass will have a frosted appearance. Laser imprints on the colored glass will allow the color of the plate to remain, while the engraved area will be frosted. Laser engraving ensures a beautiful, detailed image that will leave a lasting impression.
  1. Sand Carving is another imprinted technique that we use. Carving the glass with sand gives the design a higher level of precise detail. Sand carving can give a piece of glass extra depth. The chosen design will have a deep frosted look that is obtained through this process, while the clear glass or silkscreened plates will stand out beautifully.

 

To proceed with the ordering process....

 

First, you want to choose the glass that you want to have engraved or carved. You can choose from a plethora of options that are found within our online store.

Choose from our clear flat glass, HERE.

Choose from our bent clear glass plates, HERE.

Choose from our silk-screened colored glass,

Choose from our crystal glass paperweights, HERE.

 

Once you have chosen the glass you wish to have, leave a comment with your order to let us know what you want to be put onto the glass. If you have an image, send it to us through email.

For more complex designs or ideas, please call or email us! Our staff is dedicated to creating a one-of-a-kind glass plate just for you.

Our office phone number: (724) 468-4181 or email us at [email protected]


How to Decoupage

You can make a clear glass plate into a personalized decoupage plate:


6Decoupaged Light House glass tray.


This is a very nice decoupage video showing you how to decoupage on a clear glass plate:

https://vimeo.com/7685071

 They are using clear glass trays from Behrenberg Glass Co. in this video:

Gold Foil Glass Trinket Tray tutorial from Earnest Home Co.

DIY Fathers Day Gifts You Can Make in an Afternoon from Real Simple



Step-by-Step

Behrenberg Glass Co. supplies beautiful pieces of quality clear glass plates, paperweights, and blanks, that are perfect for decoupage and the decoupeur. Allow your imagination to take over. You can find interesting art in old books, gift-wrapping paper, candy papers, one-ply napkins, greeting cards, magazines, or actual decoupage paper. If the paper of your choice is thin, there is a risk that the advertising on the opposite side will show through once the art has been dampened with glue or decoupage medium. You may want to copy your artwork on a laser printer. This will also help the design ink not run.

  1. Make sure the clear glass decoupage blank is clean and dry. Place your paper cutouts over the clear glass piece to be sure you have enough, and to give you an idea of how you want to arrange them.
  2. If using white glue with water (three parts glue to one part water) in a small container. Alternatively, use decoupage medium as instructed on the label.
  3. Let your paper cutout soak in water for a couple of minutes. This will keep the paper from curling when the glue is applied.
  4. Working with one paper cutout at a time, spread a thin coat of glue mixture onto the clear glass piece and then onto the back of the paper cutout, using a sponge paintbrush. Carefully place the paper cutout onto the glued surface, and gently press it flat with your hands. Work out any air bubbles or folds in the paper by smoothing your hand over the paper cutout, being careful not to tear the paper.
  5. Continue adding glue mixture and paper cutouts until the entire glass piece is covered, overlapping the cutouts to create a pleasing appearance. Allow your piece of glass to dry completely before moving onto the next step.
  6. Now you will cover the entire Behrenberg Glass piece with several coats of the glue mixture or decoupage medium. Use a small bristle paintbrush for this step. Apply the first coat gently, being careful not to lift the edges of the cutouts as you brush. Let the project dry between coats and keep applying more coats until you get the overall look you want. Artwork on thin paper is preferable here, if you use a thick picture, you will have to build up quite a number of layers of glue mixture or decoupage medium before you can achieve a smooth shiny surface with no visible bumps. At least three coats are advised.
  7. Add beads, feathers, ribbons, buttons, and trim with a hot glue gun, if desired. This works best on decorative items like Behrenberg Glass Co. clocks, ornaments, and paperweights. Allow your piece of glass to dry completely before the next step.
  8. Once your Behrenberg Glass Co. piece is completely dry, apply a coat (or two or three) of spray acrylic sealant to give it a shiny finish. After the sealant is completely dry, you will have the perfect piece to add to your collection.


Step-by-step instructions for reverse decoupage on glass plates

Behrenberg Glass Co. supplies beautiful pieces of quality clear glass plates, paperweights, and blanks, that are perfect for decoupage and the decoupeur. Allow your imagination to take over. You can find interesting art in old storybooks, gift-wrapping paper, candy papers, greeting cards, one-ply napkins, scrapbook paper, magazines, or actual decoupage paper. If the paper of your choice is thin like magazines, there is a risk that the advertising on the opposite side will show through once the art has been dampened with glue or decoupage medium.

  1. Wash your Behrenberg Glass Co. plate(s) with soap and hot water. Dry thoroughly.
  2. Apply the decoupage medium of your choice in even brushstrokes over the back surface of your Behrenberg Glass piece.
  3. Lay decorative paper face down onto your surface. Turn the plate over to see if you need to reposition the paper, moving gently.
  4. Adhere paper to the tray by pressing gently at the center and working out towards the edges; leave the corners for last. Use a squeegee or your fingers to smooth out any air bubbles and creases. If you can’t seem to get the bubbles out, put a coat of decoupage medium over the back and work more at sliding those bubbles towards the edge of the glass piece. Be careful not to tear the paper.
  5. Let your plate dry completely.
  6. Apply a second coat of decoupage medium.
  7. After everything is dry, trim excess paper from the edges with a sharp craft knife or razor blade.
  8. Paint the back of the tray with white or light color acrylic paint to keep the original look of your artwork. A dark color may darken your image.
  9. After the paint is dry, then finish with a coat of acrylic paint, your choice of color.
  10. You may line the edge of the plate with a paint pen.
  11. Don’t forget to sign and date your artwork.
  12. Once your Behrenberg Glass Co. piece is completely dry, apply a coat (or two or three) of spray acrylic sealant to give it a shiny finish. After the sealant is completely dry, you will have the perfect piece to add to your collection.
  13. You may also want to add a piece of felt to the back of your item to make sure the back won’t get marked up.

** All of the instructions and advice above are from our experience. There are many ways to decoupage, many decoupage mediums that work differently. Have fun experimenting and finding your way of making your special art projects.

Common problems and solutions:

Q. Why am I getting shiny spots and streaks between the paper and the glass?
A. You may need more or less glue between the paper and glass. Try to get an even layer between. Do not try to remove all the glue between the paper and glass.

Q. Why is the ink on my image running?
A. Try spraying the image with clear acrylic. It may take 2 or 3 coats to seal the image to keep the ink from running, copy your image with a laser copier or print the image from a laser printer.

Q. Why are there are shiny spots on my decoupage piece?
A. Sometimes the shiny spots are places where the glue is too thick.


How to Paint Glass Plates

Behrenberg Glass Co. supplies beautiful pieces of quality clear glass plates and textured glass plates that are perfect for hand painting, one-stroke painting, and decorating.

You can easily change a clear plate into a hand-painted piece of artwork:

Monkey Dish texture serving trayPainted Glass Tray - Monkey DishBehrenberg Glass clear textured glass monkey bowl was painted to create the snowman plate above.

Painting on a Behrenberg Glass plate
  1. Wash your Behrenberg Glass Co. plate with soap and hot water. Dry thoroughly.
  2. Clean the plate with alcohol to remove any oils. Do not touch or handle the plate on the surface you are going to paint.
  3. Use enamel paint made especially for glass.
  4. Hand paint on the backside of the plate, if you are going to use it for food, by the reverse paint method.
    • Paint the face and let it dry
    • Paint the berries around the edge and let it dry
    • Bake these plates in the oven according to the directions on the enamel paint
    • Paint the wreath over the berries and let it dry
    • Paint the white for the snowman's face and let it dry
    • Bake the plate for a 2nd time to adhere the paint to the glass

If you bake all the colors at one time, the colors will fade together and you will get a more antique look to the glass. To keep the colors from "bleeding" through each other, bake the plate multiple times. Especially when white is used over reds.

Behrenberg Glass Co's clear or textured clear glass plates are excellent for hand painting. The textured plates give the color a "shimmer" when painted on the bottom over the texture. You can decorate all year long with the hand-painted glass that you have created.


How to Apply Decals

Did you know glass decals can be used on ceramic surfaces and glass to create matching ware? The shelf shown on has spaces designed to hold the tile. Glazed tiles work great as message boards when using dry-erase markers. Plain glass plates, bowls, vases, and other decorative ware can be made more colorful and pleasing to the eye with the addition of glass decals. Special molds, cutting utensils, and glass supplies are not needed for this technique because you start with pre-formed ware.

  1. Clean the tiles and glass with denatured alcohol.
  2. Dip the decals in water until they curl up. Place the wet decals face down on a towel and allow them to sit for about 30 seconds.
  3. Place the decal (still on the paper) on the tile or glass so the decal is facing up. Place a finger on the edge of the decal and gently pull the paper out from under the decal until the decal is on the tile or glass.
  4. Position the decal and use a squeegee to remove all moisture and air bubbles from the decal. Remove moisture with a towel or paper towel.
  5. Allow drying for 24 hours and fire to cone 022.
  6. Position the tiles in the spaces provided on the shelf and glue them into place
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