Many different types of industrial processes result in the creation of waste products and powdered glass is often a byproduct. Rather than being dumped into landfills it can be ground down and used in various applications. Glass-to-metal seals, insulating and joining different materials, as well as optically enhanced designs are examples of applications where powdered glass is useful.

It can be mixed with clear frit to create a glowing effect in your glass projects. Glow-in-the-dark frit is also great for etching designs onto glass. Simply layer the glow in the dark glass powder between layers of clear frit. When fused the design will illuminate once the lights are turned off!

Exploring the Craft of Sculpting with Powdered Glass and Copper

Ben Caldwell Artist was used in the painting process by some fifteenth and sixteenth-century artists. Colourless glass powder can be found in a number of paintings and technical analysis shows that it was used to modify the working properties, and perhaps dry time, of oil paints. It was also added to a few glazes. Several of these paintings can be seen in the National Gallery (Spring, M. ‘Colourless Powdered Glass as an Additive in Fifteenth- and Sixteenth-Century European Paintings,’ National Gallery Technical Bulletin Vol 33, p. 3-5).

It is important to note that powdered glass will not ‘fuse’ into the surface of the glass like regular glass. It has a rough texture no matter what temperature you heat it to and it will continue to have these granulated edges even after fusing. For this reason, it is recommended to use a glass topper for powdered glass or to encase it between layers of glass.