Back painted glass is a trending choice for many residential and commercial applications. Uses range from shower wall panels to glass backsplash designs and custom bar tops. This glass offers the clean lines, fresh look, and easy maintenance that homeowners and professionals want.

What Is Back Painted Glass?

Quite simply, back painted glass is ultra-clear glass that is painted on one side. It is installed with the unpainted side facing outward to incorporate both the chosen paint color and the sheen and clarity of glass. Low iron glass is used, so the paint shade comes through without distortion or discoloration. The thickness of the glass can range from 1/8” to 1/2”. It can be manufactured from both annealed and tempered glass. Finally, this glass can be adhered to a variety of horizontal and vertical surfaces in home and business settings for a chic, contemporary look paired with high levels of functionality and versatility.

What Can Back Painted Glass Be Used For?

Popular applications for back painted glass include kitchen, bathroom, commercial, and more. It is cropping up in office complexes, custom homes, and living space makeovers as more and more Americans become aware of its beauty and practical benefits. This glass is durable enough for use in family homes with a high end look that makes it equally suitable for corporate board rooms.

Using Back Painted Glass in a Kitchen

Cooks love back painted glass because it’s not stained by spills and splatters and is easy to clean and sanitize. In kitchen settings, it is used to create:

Seamless or nearly seamless backsplashes free of grout lines
Custom glass table tops
Modern bar tops
Kitchen island tops

You can include it in your new or renovated kitchen or use it to freshen up dated space. Replacing your backsplash or a bar/island top with this glass instantly modernizes your kitchen without the expense of a major remodel.

Kitchen Backsplash Features

The glass backsplash is among the most popular of these kitchen applications. Glaziers custom cut one or more large colored glass panels for a seamless or close to seamless backsplash. This look is clean and contemporary and very easy to care for; no more stained grout lines! A back painted glass backsplash is also a vibrant design element. It can preserve a neutral palette or be a vehicle for adding color to your living space.

Back Painted Glass Bathroom Installations

Back painted glass is also a good fit for bathroom installations because it withstands moisture, is easy to sanitize, and looks amazing with the glass, metal, and porcelain often used in bathrooms. Bathroom uses include:

Shower wall panels
Glass backsplash
Bathroom glass wall panels

Integrating this glass into a bathroom can quickly improve its ambiance and take its style from traditional to transitional.

Back Painted Glass Shower Walls

Choose back painted glass for your shower glass panel needs and make your enclosure both trendy and functional. The smooth, seamless appearance of these shower wall panels is the perfect pairing with frameless glass showers. Glass shower wall panels can be ordered in a neutral shade that blends in with the other walls, or they can introduce a vivid burst of color. Remember to avoid installing glass shower walls in areas where you will need to attach hinges, drill holes, etc., as this will cause the glass to crack. One alternative to using glass shower wall panels throughout is to create an accent wall by installing one piece of colored glass in the shower.

Back Painted Glass in Commercial Buildings

In commercial settings, glaziers make table tops, glass wall panels, room dividers, and whiteboards from back painted glass. This glass is ideal for the business world because of its crisp edges, clean lines, and easy to wash surface. Moreover, since color matching is available, glass professionals can even provide glass in a company’s logo colors for office décor that enhances branding.

Back Painted Glass Marker Boards

One use of back painted glass that deserves special mention is a whiteboard. When a white piece of this glass is adhered to a wall, it instantly becomes both a modern wall hanging and an easy to clean whiteboard. This application is perfect for office space, meeting rooms, waiting areas, school rooms, and homes.

Other Uses for Colored Glass Panels

There are tons of possibilities for using back painted glass wall panels. Walls can be completely covered for a bright, futuristic ambiance. Alternatively, different colored glass panels can be tastefully arranged to create modern wall art. Whether its use is primarily practical or aesthetic, back painted glass is a durable wall covering that’s easy to maintain.

What Back Painted Glass Options Are Available?

One reason back painted glass is popular is its ease of customization. Glass customers can typically choose:

Size – Possibilities range from large sheets of glass to small panels.
Color – There is no restriction on the paint colors that can be used to create this glass. For instance, ABC clients can choose stock white back painted glass or request a special order or custom shade. Black and gray glass is available within days. If a custom color is requested, we will ask for the paint manufacturer name, the color name, and the color code to ensure an accurate match.
Edgework – Polished, beveled, and seamed edges are available from ABC. “Polished” refers to an edge that has been machine polished. Beveled glass is cut so that its entire perimeter slants downward and ends in a thin polished edge. A seamed edge is formed by simply sanding down the sharp corners for safe handling. This is usually only used for framed glass.
Thickness – Back painted glass is usually 1/4”, but it can be as thin as 1/8” or as thick as 1/2”.

ABC Glass and Mirror offers these back painted glass variations so that clients can achieve the desired looks for their projects.

What Are the Benefits and Advantages of Back Painted Glass?

Home improvers and commercial developers choose back painted glass for its multiple attractive qualities. It is versatile, coordinating with many décor styles and themes. Upon installation, this glass immediately gives a space fresh, up-to-date vibes. It is a sturdy, cleanable alternative to painted drywall for walls in high use/high traffic areas. Key benefits include:

Unlimited colors: Many glass companies, including ABC, offer custom color matching, so you can literally order your back painted glass in any color you choose.
Hygienic: These glass wall panels do not soak up germs, become saturated with cooking grease, or fall victim to mildew infestations, and they are easy to clean and disinfect.
Durable: Our back painted glass is manufactured to retain its beauty with time and normal use. Unlike wallpaper, it is a wall covering that will not peel or stain.
Pure coloration: The use of low iron glass ensures that your selected color will shine through clearly.
Tailored to customer needs: Back painted glass can be fabricated to various specifications and installed on diverse horizontal and vertical surfaces.

How Is Back Painted Glass Made?

On a basic level, all back painted glass is made by applying paint to one side of a piece of glass. However, careful techniques, special paint, and skilled craftsmanship are needed for the creation of a product that offers the desired appearance, functionality, and durability. Back painted glass from ABC is created through a 5 step process:

Low iron glass is carefully cleaned for a surface free of any foreign particles.
The back of the glass is painted.
The painted glass is placed in a special oven where the heat cures the paint. It is taken out of the oven at just the right time: when the paint is hard enough to resist peeling and flexible enough to resist chipping.
A protective coating is applied to the back, over the paint, to protect the product and ensure the integrity of the coloration.
The finished glass is heat treated again to bond all three layers and eliminate any future outgassing of VOCs.

Can I Make My Own Back Painted Glass?

Homeowners might wonder about making back painted glass a DIY project. To achieve glass that retains its color, has paint that does not chip or peel, and maintains uniform coloring throughout, it is necessary to use special paint, precise techniques, and proper installation practices. Moreover, colored glass panels tend to be heavy and cumbersome, so there is a real risk of breaking them if you do not have the proper tools and transport methods. Bottom line: this is a project that is generally best carried out by glass professionals. The money you invest when you work with a painted glass company gets you glass that is professionally manufactured, fabricated, and installed for a finished product with a high-end look that will last.

How Do You Install Back Painted Glass?

Back painted glass is usually permanently adhered to a wall using an ultra-strong glue known as mastic. The mastic is applied to the wall in globs, and the glass is then pressed onto it. Using suction cups to hold the glass, glaziers slowly and gently adjust the back painted glass panel until it is perfectly positioned. They also carefully work the glass into place so that it is level and plumb. All this becomes a more and more delicate operation when large or awkwardly shaped glass wall panels are involved. Sheets of glass also need to be supported from below. If they do not rest on a floor or counter, L-bar will be installed at the desired height. This is a thin metal track that is basically invisible once the glass is glued in place.

When back painted glass is used for a horizontal surface, there are several installation possibilities. At times, a sheet of glass is simply set atop an existing table top or bar top. It can also be glued down if this is preferred. Additionally, a customer can opt for a back painted glass top that does not sit on another surface but serves as a table, bar, or island top in its own right. In this case, tempered glass will be used and it will be adhered to the legs/base with appropriate fasteners and spacers.

How Much Does Back Painted Glass Cost?

Your back painted glass cost typically depends on the size and number of pieces you need as well as the selected color. With ABC Glass and Mirror, for example, the price point starts at $43+ per square foot for our stock white back painted glass, and this price includes professional installation. Our team can provide price quotes for specific sizes and other color options.

How Do You Clean Back Painted Glass?

Back painted glass should be cleaned regularly, especially if it is used as a backsplash or kitchen surface. In many cases, all you’ll need to do is wipe the glass with a dry or damp paper towel. Hardened food and the like can be carefully removed using a single sided razor blade. Best practices for cleaning your glass without damaging it include:

Avoid using scratchy brushes or pads.
Apply glass cleaner to a cloth, sponge, or paper towel rather than spraying it on the glass directly.
Stay away from harsh cleaning agents that could scratch the surface of the glass.

A seamless glass backsplash makes cleaning easy with no grout lines and an impermeable surface that can be quickly sanitized.

Rely on Professionals for Your Next Back Painted Glass Project in Northern Virginia

If you’re interested in using back painted glass in your residential or commercial project, call ABC Glass and Mirror at (703)257-7150 to learn more. We would be happy to provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation.

About ABC Glass and Mirror

We are a family owned and operated company that will approach your glass project with the diligence and thoughtfulness it deserves. Custom glass installations are our specialty, and we’ll help you integrate glass into your interior design in the way that works for your family or business.

A Guide To Back Painted Glass