Although it’s not an official industry term, many people have started referring to the edges of a piece of glass as its ‘lip’. There are several different types of lipped edges that you might need to smooth. Each type requires a slightly different technique for smoothing them. Whether you’re working with double-edge lipped glass, standard lipped edge glass, or even fluted lipped edge glass, these tips will get your edges silky smooth in no time. There are lots of ways to smooth edges on a piece of glass. The main objective is to perform some type of friction between two pieces of the same or similar type of material in order to create a smoother surface without leaving any marks behind. Of course, there are many ways this can be done and each has its own benefits and drawbacks. Here are the best tips for how to smooth those pesky glass edges!
How To Smooth Glass Edges?
1. Sanded Edges
The first method for smooth glass edges is sanded edges. This is by far the easiest method to use and it doesn’t require any type of special tools or equipment. The main objective of this method is to sand the glass edge until it’s smooth. You can use a hand-held drill or even a Dremel rotary tool for this process. If you don’t own either of these, then you can always just grab some sandpaper and do it the old-fashioned way.
2. Scraped Edges
This method is great for creating a smooth edge on any piece of lipped glass that has been cut with a bevel rather than an angle grind. The idea behind this technique is to scrape the edge in order to get rid of all the jaggedness left behind after cutting it with a bevel. To start, simply take your scraper and gently drag it along the outside edge of your piece of glass in one direction only (typically from left to right). After you have scraped one side, flip over your piece and repeat on the other side as well. This will create a much smoother edge on whatever type of lipped glass you may be working with!
3. Diamond Edges
Diamond edges are one of the most popular methods used by professionals today when they want to create an ultra-smooth-edged piece of glass that will look like crystal when finished! This process requires two separate pieces of diamond-edged glass and a special tool called a diamond edge straightener. This tool is basically just a piece of metal that has diamond dust embedded in it. You can find these tools at any number of glass supply stores or online.
4. Sandblast Edges
Another great way to smooth your edges on glass is with a sandblast machine. This method will require you to invest in a sandblast machine and some type of abrasive material, such as silicon carbide or aluminum oxide, that can be used for blasting purposes. The process is fairly easy and only takes about 5 minutes to complete once you get the hang of it!
5. Wet Edges
The last (and most time-consuming) method for smooth glass edges is wet edges. This process is done by placing the edge under water and then gently rubbing it with your hands or with an ultra-fine grit material such as sandpaper until the edges are completely smooth! This is the best method for smoothing edges, but it does take a long time to complete.
6. Sanding
Instead of using a wet method, you can also sand your edges down with sandpaper or an abrasive material! This is typically done after the piece has been wet to remove all the watermarks and color that may have been left behind.
Double-Edge Lipped Glass
- Use a sanding block. If you’re working with double-edge lipped glass, the easiest way to smooth your edges is by using a sanding block. You can buy sanding blocks at home improvement stores for around $10. They’re easy to use and require little to no experience.
- Sand the edges with a hand sander. If you don’t want to spend money on a sanding block, try using a hand sander instead. It’s not quite as effective as the block, but it will still get the job done well enough.
- Buff the edges with an electric buffer. Buffing your glass edges with an electric buffer is an excellent way to smooth them and it only takes about 10 minutes or so if you do it right! One thing that makes this method so effective is that you can actually see the progress you make while doing it, unlike some other methods that are more difficult or time-consuming.
- Use an edger tool or scuff pad. This is one of my personal favorite methods for smoothing out glass edges because it’s quick and easy, but also very effective and leaves no marks behind on your piece of glass!
- Use a belt sander. This method requires some experience and good technique in order for it to be effective, but if you have both of these things down pat then this will work great for getting your glass edges nice and smooth!
- Use a grinding wheel. If you have experience using a grinding wheel then this is another effective way to smooth your glass edges. One thing that makes this method so effective is that it allows you to use different grades of sandpaper on the same piece of glass, which means that you can go from coarse to fine grades in order to get the best possible results.
- Use elbow grease! Have some patience and determination? Then simply rubbing two pieces of glass together with your hands can be very effective for getting those pesky sharp edges nice and smooth!
- Use a hand file. This method is more time-consuming than some of the others, but it’s still an easy and affordable way to get your edges smooth if you don’t mind putting in a little elbow grease! Use a hand file like this one from Uline to get perfect results every time!
Fluted Lipped Edge Glass
1. Use a sanding block
If you’re working with fluted lipped edge glass, you’ll want to make sure that your sanding block is large enough to accommodate the width of the glass. You can use a standard sanding block or even one of those foam blocks that you find in hardware stores. If you don’t have one, you can always create your own using a piece of wood and some sandpaper. Make sure that the sandpaper is thick enough to handle the glass but thin enough to give it a smooth finish. Place your glass on top of the block and begin rubbing it back and forth in an up-and-down motion.
2. Use a belt sander
If you have access to a belt sander, this will be your best bet for smoothing out those fluted edges quickly and effectively. Simply place your piece of glass on top of the belt sander and run it back and forth in an up-and-down motion until smooth. This is definitely one of the best ways to get those edges silky smooth in no time at all!
3. Use a rotary tool with a sanding disc
If you have access to a rotary tool and a sanding disc, this will be your best bet for getting those edges silky smooth in no time at all. Simply place your piece of glass on top of the sanding disk and run it back and forth in an up-and-down motion until smooth. This method works especially well for small pieces of glass that can’t fit inside of a belt sander or won’t fit on top of a block made for smoothing glass edges.
4. Use a hand sander
If you have access to a small hand sander, this will be your best bet for getting those edges silky smooth in no time at all! Simply place your piece of glass on top of the sandpaper and run it back and forth in an up-and-down motion until smooth. This method works especially well for small pieces of glass that can’t fit inside of a belt sander or won’t fit on top of a block made for smoothing glass edges.
How To Smoothly Sand Fluted Lipped Glass
- Sanding Discs – Sanding discs are a great way to smooth out the edges of the fluted lipped glass. The sandpaper that is used with these discs can be found at your local hardware store. Sanding discs are particularly good for smoothing out the rough spots that you can get when you’re cutting glass with a diamond saw or other type of glass cutting tool.
- Sandpaper – Using sandpaper is another great way to smooth the edges of the fluted-lipped glass. Some people prefer using wet/dry sandpaper while others prefer using dry sandpaper, so it really comes down to personal preference here.
- Micro-Mesh – Micro-Mesh is one of the most popular choices for smoothing fluted lipped edge glasses, and it’s easy to see why! Micro-Mesh is made from an incredibly soft material that will not leave any scratches on your piece of glass when used properly and will result in a very smooth finish on your edges.
- Steel Wool – Steel Wool is often used when working with fluted lipped edge glasses because it’s very easy to find and inexpensive too! You might want to wear gloves when working with steel wool because it’s very sharp but other than that it’s an excellent choice for smoothing out those rough edges on your piece of glass!
Summary
The edges of a piece of glass are arguably the most important part because they are the first thing people see. It’s important to make sure that you know the best ways how to smooth the edges of your glass because a poorly-smoothed edge can really take away from a piece of glassware. Follow these tips for how to smoothly sand your edges and you’ll be well on your way to making your glassware look great! There are a lot of ways to smooth edges on glass, but these tips will help you do it the right way. Double-edge lipped edges, standard lipped edges, and fluted lipped edges each come with their own challenges when it comes to smoothing them out. Make sure you know which type of edge you’re dealing with so you can use the best technique for how to smooth that particular edge!
