A question we get asked all the time is what is fused glass? So we thought the best way to answer is with a simple blog post!
Fused glass, also referred to as kiln-formed glass, is a medium that involves melting and fusing pieces of glass together in a kiln. This art form is extremely versatile and can be used to create a variety of products, such as jewellery, home decor, and functional objects like bowls and vases. At Fused Glass Design, we specialise in creating large functional art pieces like splashbacks (commonly referred to in America as a backsplash), worktops (countertops), doors, and wall art. We use a variety of glass manufacturing techniques, including casting, fusing, and slumping, to create our unique pieces.
The process of creating our fused glass begins with hand-carving your unique design into a plaster mould. The glass sheet is the cast on top of this mould and fired in the kiln at 820ºC. As the glass is heated, it begins to soften and melt, allowing the glass to conform to the shape of the mould. The exact amount of time the glass is left to be heated depends on the thickness of the glass.
Fused glass is a versatile material that can enhance the appearance of other materials like ceramic and metal, creating a range of visual effects. The use of coloured powders also enables us to incorporate metallic elements into our designs, something that is not possible with printed or painted glass. Moreover, glass is non-porous and does not stain, and when fired in a kiln, it can withstand temperatures up to 500ºC. These properties make fused glass a great choice for a variety of projects.
So what are the benefits of kiln-formed glass vs standard flat glass? Kiln-formed glass, also known as fused or cast glass, offers a number of benefits over standard flat glass. While toughened glass is renowned for its superior strength, kiln-formed glass has a strength and durability comparable to that of quartz or marble. In fact, our kiln-formed glass products are so strong that they can withstand significant weight without breaking - as demonstrated in our process video, where one of our 8mm toughened fused glass doors is suspended between two pallets with two team members standing in the centre, causing the glass to simply bend inward.
In addition to its impressive strength, kiln-formed glass also has a more scratch-resistant surface and allows for the creation of smooth, tactile textures. Standard toughened glass, on the other hand, must be polished to maintain its edges, whereas our kiln-formed glass can be left with unpolished edges for a "melted" effect that adds character to the already unique piece. Overall, kiln-formed glass offers a combination of strength, durability, and aesthetic appeal that makes it a superior choice for a wide range of applications.
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