Using glasses as decor items is undoubtedly among the most beautiful and fragile steps. The beauty that these decor items bring to your home is unmatched by others. And we are pretty sure, somewhere in the mind you were thinking to learn the art of sublimation on glass and eventually make it a side business option.
So, here in this article today, we bring to you the details that you will need to start the glass sublimation business right from the sublimation glass photo panels to custom-designed glass photo decors.
Materials You Need:
Sublimating on glass is a risky job. You will have to carefully monitor each step you take or else you will either end up with bad quality or broken glass. Let’s have a look at the materials that you will need to sublimate on glass.
Sublimation Printer:
This is your first requirement for sublimation. Get a sublimation printer that can print both on the right setting and reverse. Also, make sure the printer delivers high-quality prints.
Sublimation Inks And Papers:
Dye-Sublimation on glass requires high-quality sublimation ink and paper. You must go for the same brand of ink to ensure perfect compatibility and quality.
Glass Blanks:
While purchasing glass blanks, you must get a tempered glass with a white opaque background to ensure that you get good reflective quality.
Heat Press Machine For Glass:
Sublimate on glass is not like any other product sublimation. You will need a heat press that is either specially made for glass sublimation or use any heat press with extra caution.
How to sublimate on glass: Step-By-Step
Executing perfect print on the glass is not an easy task as glass is a fragile item and you will need to give utmost care while sublimating. These are the steps that you should follow to execute glass sublimation perfectly-
Ø Step 1:
Get your design printed on the sublimation paper. Make sure that it is printed with the actual picture configuration and not reverse printed.
Ø Step 2:
After printing, tape the printed paper to the glass blank carefully and place it on a Teflon sheet in the heat press to protect it from any wear and tear.
Ø Step 3:
After successfully setting the glass plate, place another thin Teflon sheet on the setup and heat press it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 3 and a half minutes.
Ø Step 4:
After the heat press is completed, remove the Teflon sheet above and let it cool down to room temperature and then remove the sublimation paper.
After you have removed the paper, you will have a beautiful replica of your design on the glass.
Best 5 Place To Buy Blank Glass
You can check out these sites to get the best glass blanks for sublimation.
1. HeatPressNation:
HeatPressNation is a site that is your one-stop solution for purchasing sublimation products. This site will give you products at the lowest price guaranteed on any product you buy. And for the quality, you don’t need to worry much as the top priority of HeatPressNation is quality and fast delivery.
2. Amazon:
For people who want to read the reviews of the products and then decide which product to purchase, they must visit Amazon. This is the greatest marketplace in the world with products delivered directly by Amazon. So, you must visit this site before making any purchase.
3. eBay:
eBay has always been one of the finest marketplaces to purchase products at a very low price. Even though today many sites are much more popular and successful than eBay but still you will find many products of high quality and low price here.
4. Etsy:
Etsy is a site that sells great quality sublimation products. Known for its vintage products, this e-commerce site is the perfect place for people who want to give their room some vintage decor items. You must visit this site for high-quality and fantastic designed glass and blanks.
5. Coastal business:
While purchasing something like glass, the most common thing that we think is the delivery service. And this is what Coastal Business makes easy for you. This e-commerce site is a great site for purchasing sublimation glass blanks. And the most important thing is that this site offers a self-pickup service for customers who do not want to rely on any delivery services.
Tips For Perfect Sublimation Process On Glass Blanks:
- The biggest problem while sublimating on glass is its brittleness. So, to get your design printed without breaking the glass, it is necessary to use Teflon sheets both below and above the glass blank.
- Secondly, understand the settings required to get the print on the glass. You will have to get the perfect settings as more heat and pressure will either break or damage the glass and low settings will ruin the design.
- Lastly, always purchase tempered glass with a white opaque reflecting surface to get an enhanced vibrant finish.
FAQs: Glass sublimation:
1. Can you sublimate on glass?
If you would have asked this question a few decades back, the answer might have been negative but today. Yes, you can sublimate almost any kind of glass.
Glass is a great material to work with when it comes to sublimation because it is non-toxic, transparent, and has a very low thermal expansion rate. Because of these factors, you can create some amazing prints on glass without having to worry about the print quality deteriorating over time. Additionally, the high degree of transparency allows you to see your prints as you are creating them, which helps to keep your workflow streamlined and efficient.
2. Can you do sublimation on glass at home?
If you have a clean and a bit spacious working surface, then you can start your sublimating workstation at home too. The only thing that you must consider while working with glass is that you do not compromise with any safety protocols as sometimes glass sublimation can be both messy and dangerous.
3. Can you sublimate on a mirror?
The sublimation process always uses mirroring the design and then heat-pressing it so that the final result is exactly like the design you want.
4. What temperature do you press sublimation?
Every material has some different settings to sublimate perfectly, as for the temperature in general, you can sublimate with 400 degrees Fahrenheit at 40 psi for about 60 seconds.
5. Can you sublimate on tile?
Sublimation works best on polyester-coated materials. For sublimating on tiles, make sure they are poly-coated as if you directly sublimate on a tile, then it will not work.
Final Words
Sublimation on glass is not that easy we understand it but it is also trendy and enhances the look in your house. And having unique and beautiful designs as your home decor is a must-have item. Sublimation glass photo panels with your design will make you feel closer to your home and loved ones and will give you that positive vibes which is much necessary to start the day. So, get the equipment of glass sublimation home and make your love and passion your next business model.
