Sand carving is most commonly used to etch glass

By blasting through a transfer with "sand" (aluminum oxide) text, logos and even photographs can be etched into glass.

Our range of sand carved products includes

Glass awards
Glass vases
Other glass ware such as decanters, tumblers and flutes.

We can etch logos, text and photographs into glass of almost any size, shape and quantity.

The Sand Carving Process

bottle prepared for sand blasting
bottle in sand blasting unit
bottle after blasting
bottle with sand carved logo

The Sand Carving Process, Stage 1:

The item is cleaned, and an adhesive is applied to it's surface. Using UV light to harden a special transfer material, and water to wash away the soft areas, a transfer is created. This transfer, the blue area in the image, is applied to the item to be blasted. A clear plastic carrier sheet which holds the transfer together during application is then removed. The remaining areas of the bottle are then masked with tape, paper. For delicate items, the glue is applied to the transfer, and the item is wrapped in a plastic bag to keep it dust free.
The Sand Carving Process, Stage 2:

The masked item is placed in a sand blasting unit. A fine "sand" (aluminium oxide) is blasted onto the surface, carving away the area not masked by the transfer. Longer blasting times result in deeper engraving.

The maximum size object that can fit inside a sandblasting unit is approximately 600mm (60cm or approximately 2ft.) square. The 6 litre bottle pictured is 50cm tall.
The Sand Carving Process, Stage 3:

After the item has been sand blasted, it is usually placed in water to soak away the transfer. The transfer is removed and the remaining glue washed away under high pressure water.
The Sand Carving Process, Stage 4:

The item is now finished and ready for delivery to the customer.