Acid-etched glass is created by a very special manufacturing process.
A secret recipe of hydrofluoric acid is applied to the glass, and then rinsed off. This allows for a smooth surface finish, which has excellent properties in terms of durability, wear and stain resistance. Nothing is added to the glass, meaning it will never fade or wear off. The acid-etch process leads us to create different finishes with varying translucencies. Walker Textures® offers 4 acid-etch finishes, all of which provide different benefits and are suited for countless applications.
One of those project applications could require that vivid colors stand out or that glare be reduced, such as a laminate with a coloured interlayer. Or even an application which needs high resistance to wear or scratching, such as a glass countertop. The Satinlite finish would be best suited as it provides the highest scratch hardness (7 out of 10) based on the MOHs scale, of the 4 finishes. This is the lightest etch, which is perfect for enhancing color and also has excellent resistance to wear and staining. Therefore, it is also ideal for marker boards!
Deciding which type of glass to use for exterior applications can be tricky. There are so many considerations, one of which is crucial to the people inside the building, namely light! Natural light has been proven to enhance human mood and behavior (making them perform better) and not to mention the energy savings. Keeping that in mind, acid-etched glass, more specifically the Velour and Opaque finishes, provide 89% and 90% Haze respectfully, meaning that instead of having the sunlight hit one specific spot, it will “scatter” the light rays over a larger area. This also means no one will be blinded by the glare.
We all know how important privacy is, and how hard it can be to achieve with glass. Whether it be for bathroom windows, office partitions, interior or exterior doors or even shower enclosures we all want to have some discretion and still be able to have light pass through. All 4 acid-etch finishes can provide this. Even the Opaque finish, which is the “darkest” etch, provides the lowest level of translucency yet offers excellent light transmittance properties at 91%, making it ideal for those types of applications. Acid-etched glass can also be done on 2 faces of the glass, creating even more privacy.
What is also fun about the acid-etching process is that it can not only be used on glass, but also on mirror. The Satin finish, which offers a highly polished surface, gives the mirror that optimal combination of reduced reflection and light absorption all the while providing some depth. You may be wondering what the use of having acid-etched mirror may be, well, this is excellent for a wall application or any decorative application in a room. For instance, the Marriott Hotel has used a blue Satin acid-etched mirror for a wall in the restaurant and the M9 Condos have grey Satin acid-etched mirrors in the elevator lobby. The closed pore finish and lighter etch make it easy to clean and maintain, so this is not a preoccupation for high traffic areas.
As you can see, acid-etched glass has many benefits and can be used in numerous applications, inside and outside.
