<p>You can't infuse glass with colours after it has been produced, and, indeed, coloured acrylic sheets thicker than 8 mm are really hard to find (unless you buy in bulk).<br />
While for coloured glass you won't need (and probably shouldn't get) as thick a sheet as 3/4&quot; (19 mm), most affordable sheets of coloured glass seem to be textured.</p>
<p>The only ways you can achieve something that resembles the acrylic sheets depicted in your question in glass are:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Glass fusion</strong>. A process through which you combine different glasses, usually of different colours. For this you'll need a (large) kiln. It might be easiest to find a glass fusion course near you to get acquainted with the process.<br />
I think this will yield the best results for you, both aesthetically and functionally. It will also be the most complicated and expensive, probably, which in turn might make it more rewarding.</li>
<li><strong>Using coloured sheets</strong> to cover the glass. Your second best option to get the effect you seem to be looking for. There are many types and sizes of sheets readily available, mostly made of vinyl or acrylic. You can find &quot;coloured window film&quot; in many different shades, both plain and textured.<br />
Since you haven't completely made up your mind yet, you could let the final look depend slightly on what you are able to find, either in local stores or online.</li>
<li><strong>Painting the glass</strong>. As <em>ChrisH</em> points out in <a href="https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/11970/i-m-looking-for-process-for-manufacturing-a-piece-of-day-glo-back-painted-glass#comment15657_11970">a comment</a>, this will not yield as clear and arresting an effect as having the entire block be coloured. The thickness of the application <em>will</em> vary along the surface, and this will be very visible. It is also not very abrasion resistant, so you'd have to paint the undersides of the table (or sandwich it between sheets). If, however, you were to look for a more customizable and decorative method, this is still worth considering.</li>
</ul>
 <br/>
<ul>
<li>Just to be thorough, a final option is to scour second hand markets for items that consist of similar surfaces.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-28T15:39:20.790Z
At least painting the back will hide some of the unevenness inherent to painting - though not all the unevenness as I found with the silver paint I used on the glass from the front of a bike light (to block some of the beam)
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-28T17:35:56.987Z
@ChrisH I was thinking more about the OP's colour choice: with translucent paints those differences will be even more obvious.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-28T21:36:12.697Z
I see what you mean. The fluorescent paints I've come across aren't translucent, and I was concentrating of the fluorescent aspect. It may be possible to get a nice even layer though: upside down, temporary walls round the edge, heavily thinned paint so it flows over the surface to give an even layer except at the very edges which might hide in a frame.  Of course the slightest speck of dust would show up terribly
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-29T17:13:48.657Z
FWIW - that hot hot florescent green and pink you see on the corners of the acrylic sheets is a factor of accumulating internal reflections that escape at the edges, light passing through the faces of the panels will not get that punchy.
rebusB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-28T09:49:21.030Z
2023-11-28T09:49:21.030Z
Joachim
<p>I have a project for a small side table where I would like to use a piece of 3/4” thick back painted glass. Ideally I’d like to go for a Day-Glo orange that gives a glow similar to that of the acrylic sheets seen in the image below.</p>
<p>The reason I don’t want to just use acrylic is that</p>
<ol>
<li>It won’t wear as well, and</li>
<li>I can’t find any of it in 3/4”.</li>
</ol>
<p>The photos below are the type of color saturation/glow I’m trying to capture in the project:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Fhj5j.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Fhj5j.jpg" alt="photo of four stacked acrylic boxes of which two are transparent, one is a fluorescent yellow, and one a fluorescent pink" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-25T13:45:00.573Z
Hi Benny. We can't really help with the choice for a colour, because that is ultimately up to your personal preference. If you're also asking after the process (as mentioned in your title), please expand on that in the body of your question.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-25T15:56:07.957Z
The problem is it's going to be quite a different effect. With acrylic the fluorescent dye is dispersed throughout the plastic sheet.  Painting the back face of glass is going to be quite different. I'm having vague thoughts about 1/" acrylic with 1/4" glass on top
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-26T17:49:24.683Z
Thanks Chris H. That is definitely a possibility, maybe a UV glue lamination could work, I wonder if anyone would know if the expansion differential between the two materials would be an issue. That said, my challenge would still be finding a fluorescent acrylic at 3/4” or 1”. Have you ever seen it available?
BennyB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-27T07:08:32.063Z
According to our [help center](https://crafts.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic) *Product and service recommendations ("Where can I get [product]?" or "Where can I find someone who does [service] in [area]?")* are considered off-topic here. We are an international online community. What's available for me (locally or shipping) is probably not available for you, so any answer from any user might be useless to most other users.
Elmy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-27T08:56:15.807Z
@BennyB sorry for the typo, I meant 1/2". For something that's going to be kept around room temperature, thermal mismatch won't be a problem. But you may have to adjust your total thickness to match what you can buy. The best effect will of course come from having the glass quite thin
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-27T21:29:48.953Z
Where are you getting the glass? 3/4" is pretty thick. Depending on how you are sourcing it you could get the color directly from the glass.
rebusB
<material-selection><glass><technique-selection><acrylic-glass><material-making>
How can I get (something similar to) Day-Glo back-painted glass?
BennyB
# How can I get (something similar to) Day-Glo back-painted glass?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-11-25)

I have a project for a small side table where I would like to use a piece of 3/4” thick back painted glass. Ideally I’d like to go for a Day-Glo orange that gives a glow similar to that of the acrylic sheets seen in the image below.

The reason I don’t want to just use acrylic is that

1. It won’t wear as well, and
2. I can’t find any of it in 3/4”.

The photos below are the type of color saturation/glow I’m trying to capture in the project:

[![photo of four stacked acrylic boxes of which two are transparent, one is a fluorescent yellow, and one a fluorescent pink](https://i.sstatic.net/Fhj5j.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Fhj5j.jpg)

**Tags:** material-selection, glass, technique-selection, acrylic-glass, material-making

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Hi Benny. We can't really help with the choice for a colour, because that is ultimately up to your personal preference. If you're also asking after the process (as mentioned in your title), please expand on that in the body of your question.  
> **username_2**: The problem is it's going to be quite a different effect. With acrylic the fluorescent dye is dispersed throughout the plastic sheet.  Painting the back face of glass is going to be quite different. I'm having vague thoughts about 1/" acrylic with 1/4" glass on top  
> **username_0**: Thanks username_2. That is definitely a possibility, maybe a UV glue lamination could work, I wonder if anyone would know if the expansion differential between the two materials would be an issue. That said, my challenge would still be finding a fluorescent acrylic at 3/4” or 1”. Have you ever seen it available?  
> **username_3**: According to our [help center](https://crafts.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic) *Product and service recommendations ("Where can I get [product]?" or "Where can I find someone who does [service] in [area]?")* are considered off-topic here. We are an international online community. What's available for me (locally or shipping) is probably not available for you, so any answer from any user might be useless to most other users.  
> **username_2**: @username_0 sorry for the typo, I meant 1/2". For something that's going to be kept around room temperature, thermal mismatch won't be a problem. But you may have to adjust your total thickness to match what you can buy. The best effect will of course come from having the glass quite thin  
> **username_4**: Where are you getting the glass? 3/4" is pretty thick. Depending on how you are sourcing it you could get the color directly from the glass.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-11-28. Score: 1

You can't infuse glass with colours after it has been produced, and, indeed, coloured acrylic sheets thicker than 8 mm are really hard to find (unless you buy in bulk).  
While for coloured glass you won't need (and probably shouldn't get) as thick a sheet as 3/4" (19 mm), most affordable sheets of coloured glass seem to be textured.

The only ways you can achieve something that resembles the acrylic sheets depicted in your question in glass are:

* **Glass fusion**. A process through which you combine different glasses, usually of different colours. For this you'll need a (large) kiln. It might be easiest to find a glass fusion course near you to get acquainted with the process.  
  I think this will yield the best results for you, both aesthetically and functionally. It will also be the most complicated and expensive, probably, which in turn might make it more rewarding.
* **Using coloured sheets** to cover the glass. Your second best option to get the effect you seem to be looking for. There are many types and sizes of sheets readily available, mostly made of vinyl or acrylic. You can find "coloured window film" in many different shades, both plain and textured.  
  Since you haven't completely made up your mind yet, you could let the final look depend slightly on what you are able to find, either in local stores or online.
* **Painting the glass**. As *ChrisH* points out in [a comment](https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/11970/i-m-looking-for-process-for-manufacturing-a-piece-of-day-glo-back-painted-glass#comment15657_11970), this will not yield as clear and arresting an effect as having the entire block be coloured. The thickness of the application *will* vary along the surface, and this will be very visible. It is also not very abrasion resistant, so you'd have to paint the undersides of the table (or sandwich it between sheets). If, however, you were to look for a more customizable and decorative method, this is still worth considering.

  

* Just to be thorough, a final option is to scour second hand markets for items that consist of similar surfaces.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: At least painting the back will hide some of the unevenness inherent to painting - though not all the unevenness as I found with the silver paint I used on the glass from the front of a bike light (to block some of the beam)  
> **username_1**: @ChrisH I was thinking more about the OP's colour choice: with translucent paints those differences will be even more obvious.  
> **username_2**: I see what you mean. The fluorescent paints I've come across aren't translucent, and I was concentrating of the fluorescent aspect. It may be possible to get a nice even layer though: upside down, temporary walls round the edge, heavily thinned paint so it flows over the surface to give an even layer except at the very edges which might hide in a frame.  Of course the slightest speck of dust would show up terribly  
> **username_4**: FWIW - that hot hot florescent green and pink you see on the corners of the acrylic sheets is a factor of accumulating internal reflections that escape at the edges, light passing through the faces of the panels will not get that punchy.  

---

