Decorative Glass

Decorative glass is a term that can be used to describe an extensive range of glass products. In general, decorative glass is used when the glass is intended to be looked at rather than just looked through, or when the glass is used to create a distinct design feature within a space. Decorative glass can be used to add light and create a feeling of space, to introduce more artistic and expressive details, or to increase privacy.

From virtually the first use of glass as a building product, the potential for glass to be used to create features and decorations was recognized - stained glass windows are recorded in use back as far as the 7th century.

Decorative glass can take many forms, and advances in technology and glass production techniques mean there is virtually no limit on the potential for designers to use decorative glass to create artistic and design features in both interior and exterior applications.

In broad terms, decorative glass can be separated into five main groups/categories: 

  • Mirrored glass
  • Printed & cladding glass
  • Patterned & wired glass
  • Specialty glass

Printed & Cladding Glass

While most people immediately think of windows when glass use in buildings is mentioned, it can also be used (extensively) to create a wide range of finished appearances. Glass cladding panels can be used as a practical, easily maintained, cost-effective alternative to painting, tiling and other forms of “decoration” for both interior and exterior surfaces. Initially used in single colour format, advancements in screen printing and modern digital printing techniques now mean that virtually any image can be created on glass panels.

This decorative process allows the designer flexibility in selecting cladding materials where colour and pattern design are important for visual impact. It also offers creative solutions for controlling solar heat gain, glare and providing privacy.

Typical options for colour coating glass include single coloured (full panel, part panel or edge-banded), screen printed pattern/shapes, grip pattern, or digital print. 

    

Ceramic Frit Colours

The ceramic frit/ink used to produce colour coated glass can be selected from a standard range of Architectural Palette colours, Designer Palette colours, or a custom colour created by utilizing the latest colour matching technology.

Colour matching is highly subjective and care should be taken to ensure satisfactory appearance of colour coated glass in-situ, as different light conditions, glass types or installation methods may affect the final appearance.

Architectural Palette:

The Architectural Palette range contains the most common architectural used to harmonise colour coated panels with tinted vision panels, or conversely to provide a contrasting finish. This range can also be used as decorative colour on patterned panels or slip-resistant floor surfaces.

* The colours shown are an indicative representation only – it is highly recommended to view a physical sample (glass samples are available on request).

Designer Palette:

The Designer Palette range of colours combines the functionality of glass with a range of bold and vibrant colours. Coloured frit coatings can be used on clear or tinted glass for a variety of internal or external applications. This range can also be used as decorative colour on patterned panels or slip-resistant floor surfaces.

* The colours shown are an indicative representation only – it is highly recommended to view a physical sample (glass samples are available on request).

Colour Matching

When the right colour is important and the standard colour palette options aren’t achieving the desired effect, we can colour match to specific requirements.

Typically the colour matching process involves a customer providing a colour identification number or colour sample for matching. A colour-matched glass sample is then prepared and submitted to the customer for approval before manufacture (there can be several iterations of this matching loop to achieve the more difficult colour-match requirements).

Colour identification numbers are recognised from the following colour systems: 

  • Dulux Master Palette.
  • AS 2700.
  • BS 4800.
  • Pantone Matching System.

When colour matching to such a high level, care should be taken to ensure satisfactory appearance of ceramic frit glass in-situ, as different light conditions or installation methods may affect final appearance.

Screen Printing

There are various terms used for what is essentially the same technique for transferring ink to a substrate. Traditionally, the process was called screen printing or silkscreen printing (because silk was used to create the “screens”), and it is also known as serigraphy and serigraph printing.

Screen printing first appeared in a recognizable form in China during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) and was subsequently introduced to Western Europe sometime in the late 18th century. Screen printing did not gain large acceptance or use in Europe until silk mesh was more widely available for and a profitable outlet for the finished products was established.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing

Currently, synthetic threads are commonly used in the screen printing process – polyester is the most popular mesh in general use. There are also special-use mesh materials of nylon and stainless steel, and along with different mesh sizes, these can be used to determine the final look of the finished design on the material (eg smaller aperture mesh would be utilized for a design that requires a higher and more delicate degree of detail).

Metro Glass manufacture screen-printed ceramic frit glasses for architectural and commercial use, screen printing ceramic frit paint onto the glass and fusing it onto the surface during the toughening or heat-strengthening process. The result is a tough decorative glass. 

 

Colour Coated Glass

Metro Performance Glass can supply toughened or heat strengthened glass that has one side coated with permanently fused ceramic frit paint (typically applied by screen printing). The standard colour coat offer is a two-coat process, to increase the finish uniformity and decrease the visibility/likelihood of any defects (particularly when compared to a single coat process/offer). Colour coated glass is normally supplied as toughened safety glass, but can also be heat-strengthened glass or custom laminated glass (using toughened or heat-strengthened plies). The ceramic frit coating can be applied to clear, extra clear, and tinted float glasses in thicknesses from 4mm to 19mm. The coating can be a total coverage coating, a partial coating, or in the form of edge banding.

Edgebanding is the common term for the provision of a ceramic frit border (usually black) which obscures visible light and solar radiation from transmitting through the border area. Edgebanding is most common in the automotive and marine industries and is also used in some building glass installations to hide perimeter details (eg IGU units, glass floors, rooflights). Please note that most glass surface coatings require edge deletion (removal of the coating) before the edgebanding is applied.

Fully colour coated glass provides an ideal opaque spandrel panel solution for curtain wall façades (also for column cladding or decorative panels), as it obscures the building spandrel and/or framework from view. Aesthetically, it offers the opportunity (through the use of colour) to either harmonise or contrast the spandrel appearance with the vision panels. While these coloured panels are typically toughened safety glass, heat-strengthened colour coated spandrel panels can be used when it is desirable for the panel to remain in place in the event of breakage (subject to being glazed in a manner where if broken, the glass fragments are likely to be retained in position by either a structural seal/bonding to the framing or an IGU secondary seal along the glass periphery). Alternatively, toughened safety glass colour coated panels can be Heat Soaked to reduce the risk of breakage.

Refer to Ceramic Frit Colours section for colour options

Screen printed/patterned colour coated glass is available from our Auckland and Christchurch sites.

  • For information on stocked glass thickness or maximum sheet sizes, please visit the following link: Glass Sheet Sizes 
  • If your requirements are outside these size ranges, please check with your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct office to discuss options/alternatives for your particular project. 

Screen Printed / Patterned Colour Coated Glass

Metro Performance Glass manufactures screen-printed / patterned ceramic frit glasses for architectural and domestic use. The process involves screen-printing special ceramic frit paint onto the glass and fusing it onto the surface during the toughening or heat strengthening process - the result is a tough, durable, decorative glass.

Screen printed/patterned colour coated glass is normally supplied as toughened safety glass, but can also be heat-strengthened glass or custom laminated glass (using toughened or heat-strengthened plies).

The finished product is both decorative and functional, providing privacy while controlling solar heat gain and glare, and allowing the designer flexibility in selecting finishes where colour and pattern design are important for visual impact.

It is important to note that while the screen-printed/patterned panel may appear to stop vision from a distance, at shorter distances these panels are largely transparent and do not provide total opacity.

Typical uses for screen printed patterned colour coated glass include (but are not limited to):

  • Decorative cladding & spandrel panels.
  • Privacy screens.
  • Signage or graphics.
  • Balustrades (particularly where added privacy is desired).
  • Canopies & sunscreens.
  • Furniture glass
  • Floors and treads (refer to grip rated glass section for additional details).
  • Shower doors and screens (particularly where added privacy is desired).
  • Door motifs.

Refer to Ceramic Frit Colours section for colour options

Screen printed/patterned colour coated glass is available from our Auckland and Christchurch sites.

  • For information on stocked glass thickness or maximum sheet sizes, please visit the following link: Glass Sheet Sizes 
  • If your requirements are outside these size ranges, please check with your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct office to discuss options/alternatives for your particular project.

Grip Rated / Slip Resistant Glass

In some applications, particularly glass floors or glass stair treads, a grip rated/slip-resistant surface is required by the building code or is desirable to reduce the likelihood of an accidental slip and fall.

While there are several ways to achieve the required/desired grip rating on a glass surface, the most common method is to apply a grip-rated glass coating as a screen-printed pattern. Slip-resistant floor surfaces can also be applied to the entire surface of a panel in the form of a frost or colour.

Grip rated / slip-resistant glass is normally supplied as toughened safety glass, but can also be heat-strengthened glass or custom laminated glass (using toughened or heat-strengthened plies, with the slip-resistant surface outwards/exposed).

Metro Performance Glass offers a range of slip-resistant floor surfaces. 

Slip-resistant surfaces for pedestrian use are classified using a letter code from the standards. These classifications are based on a range of test procedures such as wet and dry pendulum friction, dry floor friction, wet barefoot ramp, and oil-wet ramp.

Please refer to the Glass Floor & Stair Tread Design sections for more specific design requirements for these types of installations.

Digitally Printed Glass

Unlike paper or fabric, glass is non-absorbent and transparent, so digital printing technology for applying to glass had to be adapted to overcome the challenges presented by the glass itself. At the most advanced level, digital glass printers, ceramic inks, and image processing software are fully integrated with one another and each contributes to the overall advancements in the digital printing on glass process.

The digital printing system allows for control and flexibility over the application of ceramic inks. Transparency and levels of translucency and opacity can be precisely manipulated, and there is a high level of control over color matching.

Unlike screen printing, digital ceramic printing on glass does not require physical screens (as the files are stored digitally) and multiple colors can be printed simultaneously. This enables printing of all sizes and replacement of any panel images comparatively simple.

Digital glass printers are typically a flatbed format, designed with print heads to jet ceramic inks directly onto the glass. The ceramic ink is dried after the initial application (to prevent drop gain/expansion) and once the printing is complete the ink is fused to the glass in the tempering process.

The high-resolution print quality - up to 720 dpi - and the precision of the printers allow glass processors to print anything from fine, sharp, small elements to complex full-colour images on glass from 4-19mm thickness and up to 6000mm by 2800mm (maximum size may vary with glass thickness and other manufacturing constraints).

Digital printing solutions from Metro Performance Glass offer deep durable colour options for designers looking for innovative decorative solutions in a wide range of glass applications (building facades, spandrel panels, sunscreens, balustrades, splashbacks, internal glass partitions, decorative glass panels, glass furniture, artwork & displays, glass showers, tabletop, or almost any application requiring creativity with glass).

Please note that Metro Performance Glass uses only non-toxic ceramic inks, due to this bright reds and purples can be more difficult to achieve. 

If your requirements are outside these size ranges or you require bright red & purples, please check with your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct office to discuss options/alternatives for your particular project.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_ceramic_printing_on_glass

Considerations for Screen Printed & Cladding Glass

While printed and cladding glasses are very versatile, there are some important considerations when specifying these types of products:

  • The high-temperature fusing of the frit to the glass provides a permanent, non-porous surface with excellent scratch resistance - removal of the colour is not possible without sustaining damage to the glass substrate.
  • When used on the exterior of buildings, panels must be glazed with the printed surface inside (surface 2). When used in shower doors or screens the printed surface must be outside the shower. When used as exterior canopies, balustrades or screens, the printed surface should be to the interior or less exposed side, to protect it from the elements.
  • The ceramic frit can exhibit discolouration when exposed to hydrogen sulphide gas (such as in geothermal areas) for long periods.
  • The coating is substantially opaque, but care should be taken if coated panels are to be subjected to back-lighting as an orange peel effect can manifest itself.
  • Cleaning of the glass and printed surface is essential to maintain aesthetics and durability. Dirt and grime left on the coating may cause it to stain. For normal cleaning use soft, clean, and grit-free cloths or squeegees with mild soapy water or use proprietary cleaning products (refer to Cleaning & Maintenance section for more details).

It is important to note that most types of coated glass will require the surface coating to be deleted before the digital print or ceramic frit is applied (this is most commonly required for edge-banding).  One exception to this is TEA ceramic frit applied to Climaguard N70 Low-E glass – the TEA frit effectively dissolves the glass coating during the fusing process and offers a finished surface suitable for structural bonding (without the additional time and cost of the edge deletion process).

Reflection & Distortion:

The application of colour coating can give the appearance of increased reflectivity on the exterior surface of the glass. Under certain daylight conditions, the roller wave (which is inherent in all horizontally heat-treated products) may become more apparent on colour-coated glass. To minimise the appearance of roller wave, the glass should be manufactured and installed with the roller wave horizontal - this must be advised at the time the glass order is placed.

Colour Matching & Consistency:

To ensure colour consistency it is recommended that the full project be manufactured using glass from one batch, and ceramic frit colour also from one batch. To avoid disappointment from batch differences, any future requirements must be advised with the initial order. While substantially opaque, individual ceramic frit coatings are not recommended if viewed with back-light. Care should be taken to ensure satisfactory appearance of ceramic frit glass in-situ, as different light conditions or installation methods may affect final appearance – for critical applications mock-up testing is advisable.

Due to the green hue from the iron content on clear float glass, some lighter shade colours can be difficult to achieve. In those situations, extra clear low iron glass is recommended (or often necessary) as the base glass.

Exact colour matches are unlikely between colour coated and reflective glass, but the contrast of colour coated with reflective glass can be advantageous to the overall design. 

Standards / Safety Glass:

Coloured coated, screen printed and digitally printed glass is normally supplied as toughened safety glass. They can also be incorporated into laminated safety glass panels, or supplied as heat strengthened glass – please note that heat strengthened glass is not a safety glazing material for buildings as defined in AS/NZS 2208, and must be combined in a laminated glass panel to qualify as safety glass.

Coloured coated, screen printed and digitally printed glass can also be supplied to comply with automotive glass and marine glass standards.

Decorative & Wired Glass

Patterned & Obscured Glass

Patterned and obscured glass is manufactured in many different thicknesses with a variety of patterns available.  Please note that only selected patterns can be toughened due to the variation in the depth of the pattern. Refer to the chart below for a list of what thicknesses are available and which options can be toughened. For the types that cannot be toughened use the laminate option to achieve an approved safety glass.  Patterned and obscured glass can be laminated as long as one glass surface is plain/flat i.e. not patterned. 

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Wired Glass

Wired glass has square electrically welded steel wire mesh sandwiched in during the manufacturing process and is a type B safety glass in accordance with NZS4223.3:2006.  . It was formerly known as Georgian Wired Glass, and is commonly used in fire-rated windows and doors to the maximum sizes and FRR times as tested by the door manufacturers (FFR is based on testing of glazing systems as a whole, not just the relevant glass type).

Note: Wired glass cannot be toughened but it can be laminated to clear glass. 

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Etched Glass

Etchlite is a float glass on which one side has been treated with acid to produce a fine grain, satiny finish. The soft, satiny look is in harmony with current trends towards minimalist pure forms and glass with a neutral appearance.

The Etchlite surface treatment results in light filtering properties that soften, contour, and produce enthralling silhouettes in a wide range of interior and exterior glazing applications. If sprayed with water, the matte appearance will be less visible but will be restored once the glass is dry.

Etchlite is easier to clean than sandblasted glass and the surface can be polished gently to remove any marks. Normal proprietary glass cleaners can be used.

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Typical applications for Etchlite glass include furniture, bathrooms, cabinets, shelves, lighting, partitions, shower doors and screens, doors, windows, façade glass or balustrades.

Etchlite can essentially be processed in the same manner as standard float glass. Etchlite can be toughened, laminated, used in insulated glazing units (IGU), painted, bevelled, drilled, and edge-worked. It is important to note that the etched side must be outwards when laminated (surface 1 or surface 4), the etched surface is not suitable for applying ceramic frit coatings, and the beveling and edge treatments will remove the etch effect and give the appearance of standard float glass. 

When glazing Etchlite glass, it is advisable to have the etched surface to the inside of the building or to the side easiest to clean. In shower applications, the etched surface should not be inside the shower. The glazing procedure for Etchlite is as per normal glass, but care must be taken with putty and sealants as the etched surface is harder to prepare and adhere to than the normal float glass surface.

 

Translucent Laminated Glass

Translucent laminates are becoming more widely used for decorative and screening purposes. They have the appearance of sandblasted glass or frosted film but are purer in colour. They can form laminated safety glass and have the added benefit of easier cleaning as the translucent film is contained within the two plies of glass.  They are an excellent choice for privacy in bathroom windows as they have high light transmission while the opal interlayer disperses light evenly to give a pleasant glow effect in lighting the room.

There are two types available from Metro Performance Glass: 

  • Opalucent Laminate (also known as translucent opal laminate).
  • Soft White Laminate (a softer higher-visibility opal).

Please contact your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct branch for assistance.

Shattered Laminated Glass

The versatility of glass, particularly when combined in laminated form, has led to many interesting products being available. One of these is the shattered glass laminate – a laminated glass panel that contains an intentionally broken layer captured between two intact layers. This is done to achieve a very unique aesthetic but maintain structural integrity - the effect can be particularly striking when combined with edge or backlighting.

For more information follow this link to the Laminated Glass section.

ColourBak Glass

For interior glass applications ColourBak glass (glass with the back surface painted) provides a versatile, vibrant, and durable option for surfaces such as kitchen splashbacks, cupboard doors, kick plates, countertops, or feature panels.

The ColourBak range comprises eight “Express” colours designed to match and coordinate with New Zealand’s favourite colours.

In addition to the express colour range, Metro Performance Glass can offer a range of custom colours and colour match to specific requirements.

For all large projects, it is recommended that a sample be prepared for review and approval, to ensure the end result is as desired/intended, and that the full project be manufactured using glass from one batch.

ColourBak is typically applied to Extra Clear low iron glass as the green hue of normal float glass can affect the colour rendition. ColourBak can be applied on all clear float, tinted float, patterned and wired glass, some coated and reflective glasses, and in combination with Etchlite, and colour coated / screen printed products for special effects. 

ColourBak products can be glazed by dry glazing using gaskets, wet glazing using sealants (approved sealants only), mechanical fixing (mirror screws, countersunk fixings, button head standoffs), or adhesive fixing (double-sided tape and Mirrocol).

 

Special Glass Products

Table Tops & Shelves

There are several factors to consider when dealing with tabletops and glass shelves and their supports:

  • A glass shelf must overlap all supports by at least 4mm when moved to its extreme position.
  • When glass is supported on cushioning pads, the minimum horizontal area of each support should be 36mm2.
  • There should be no contact between glass and glass, metal surfaces, stone, etc. Plastic protectors, bump-ons, or other suitable spacers should be used.

The maximum evenly distributed safe load that a shelf can support depends on the glass type, thickness, and distance between supports.

In order to obtain the working load for a particular shelf, the shelf depth and the distance between supports are required.

 

Picture Framing Glass

Special glass types are available for picture framing applications. These are typically thinner than standard window glass and can be specially coated products to reduce reflections and transmission of UV rays (which can damage art & images).

Please contact your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct branch for assistance.

 

Anti Reflection Glass

Reflections on ordinary glass can impede the view of shopfronts, view windows, display cases, information displays and picture frames. Anti Reflection glass has a special coating on one or both sides of the glass which reduces the reflections from the normal 8% for clear glass to 1%.

Anti-reflection glass is available by special order only.

Please contact your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct branch for assistance.

 

Heat Resistant Glass

With relatively poor tensile strength and a relatively high rate of expansion, float glass will crack comparatively easily when subjected to temperature changes of 40ºC or more. This occurs because the glass surface heats up disproportionately, causing tensile stresses to build up around cold edges and eventually causing thermal breakage.

Toughened safety glass can tolerate a temperature differential of 250ºC on one side and ambient air temperature on the other. However, once the temperature exceeds this, or the nonheated surface is rapidly reduced in temperature, toughened safety glass will fracture in the normal manner. Toughened safety glass is generally used in oven doors, cooktops and splashbacks.

Metro Performance Glass can supply specialized heat-resistant glass for higher temperature applications. These special glass types typically have a very low coefficient of thermal expansion and are typically capable of withstanding temperatures up to 500ºC.

Please contact your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct branch for further assistance.

 

Fire-Rated Glass

Metro Performance Glass can supply specialized fire-rated glass for fire door and fire window applications.

Please note that fire rating requirements typically refer to the full system – the glass, the framing, and the fixing to the main structure. For this reason, we recommend that fire-rated partition enquiries (doors and/or windows) be directed to one of the specialist suppliers who can offer a full package solution for your application.

 

X-Ray Radiation Glass

Available by special order only.

Please contact your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct branch for assistance.

 

Switchable Glass

Available by special order only.

Please contact your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct branch for assistance.

Self-Cleaning (EzyClean) Glass:

EzyClean is an optically clear protective coating that chemically bonds to the glass surface, creating a non-stick barrier resistant to corrosion, etching, and staining. Treated glass becomes both water and oil-repellent (hydrophobic and oleophobic) increasing protection against most forms of dirt and grime, reducing (but not eliminating) the frequency and effort required to clean the glass. The EzyClean molecule is highly resistant to chemical breakdown by UV light giving it long-term stability.

 The EzyClean coating bonds to the microscopic hills and valleys of the glass (Fig. 2) as opposed to filling them in like some competitive products (Fig. 1), and does not require edge deletion. An advantage is that the glass is less slippery and easier to handle (silicone, seals, clamps, and suction lifting devices are able to adhere to the surface).

EzyClean can be applied to all types of smooth glass, including annealed or tempered glass (for tempered glass, the coating is applied after the tempering process).

EzyClean comes standard with a 10-year performance warranty for professional (factory, OEM, and certified applicators) application. The glass only needs to be cleaned periodically and will never require a booster product as long as the maintenance instructions are followed. EzyClean’s 10-year warranty also commits to a minimum level of performance. This is based on the accepted industry standard for water repellent, which is directly related to ease of cleaning.

For more details, please refer to the EzyClean product page, or contact your local Metro Performance Glass or Metro Direct office.