1. Introduction

Glass2 is a high‐grade, inorganic material produced by high temperature forging; it is an environmentally friendly material for countertops, bar tops, vanities, cladding and paneling. It can be used for both indoor and outdoor applications. Glass2 is resistant to weathering and it is made from inorganic materials. Glass2 is produced of 99% fused recycled glass and is resin free. This material is easy to clean and 100% non‐porous. Glass2 is available three (3) slab thicknesses: 16mm, 20mm, and 30mm. Glass2 can also be supplied with an integrated wire mesh, which is used typically in flooring installations, and with a glass backing that includes a thin layer of plastic (rupture membrane) in-between, which is best suited for cladding applications.

2. Saw cutting

Every cut must be done using water. The proper blade speed, actual blades, and extremely flat table beds are prerequisites for clean cuts, with no chips. Glass2, the company, is providing special saw blades to our exclusive distributors. Any saw blade used should be tested to find the optimum cutting speed for each bridge saw or CNC. A medium bond diamond blade gives the best cutting results and the type saw blade of choice for cutting Glass2 is a porcelain or ceramic type blade with a maximum thickness of 2.5mm. When making any saw cut, the blade must pass through the Glass2 by a minimum 2mm. In the “Tools Section” of this document you can see the preferred type saw blades and other tooling. Extremely hard blades, such as those used for granite, are not recommended for cutting the Glass2 product as this will cause large chipping and may even cause the slab to fracture. Dull or inappropriate type blades are likely to cause damage to the slab. Always prepare (sharpen) any saw blade before cutting Glass2; this is accomplished by cutting through a piece of fireproof tile or grinding stone which cleans the diamonds. This sharpening process can be and should be repeated if chipping is noticed during the cut. Glass2 should only be cut on a saw table that is made of wood.

When using a stone/concrete saw table, it must be very clean with no stone fragments. If the stone table is not perfectly flat, then it must first be leveled and then a 1-inch plywood sheet placed on top of the saw table, which will provide a level and clean surface. A piece of scrap quartz or marble must be placed adjacent to the Glass2 slab at the end of the saw rip. The cut from the Glass2 slab should continue into the scrap quartz/marble. This allows the blade’s energy to be transferred to the quartz or marble and will help protect the corner of the Glass2 slab. High saw blade rotational speed (4,000 – 4,500 rpm’s), slow cutting speed (1 LF per minute travel), and high water volume should always be used.

The best cutting result is reached by using a water jet and following manufacturer’s guidelines for cutting glass.

3. Hand Cutting

Hand cutting blades should the continuous rim ceramic or porcelain type. Hand cutting should be done utilizing water; never cut completely dry. If water is not available, as on some installation sites, then the Glass2 material must be taken to a location where water is available. The installer can use a wet rag of any type that is fully capable of transferring water easily by keeping it pressed against the saw blade. Cutting the Glass2 material dry will most likely result in large chipping and breakage. Hand cutting should always be done with water when fabricated in the shop. Water fed tools that cool the blade from both sides work best when making any type of cutout (sinks, bowls, cook tops, faucet holes, electrical receptacles, etc). It is necessary to wear safety glasses and a mask to prevent possible injuries, especially to the eyes. Water fed cutting also helps prevent injuries from occurring due to excessive chipping. When performing any cutting of Glass2, never put too much pressure on the blade. The fabricator should allow the blade to perform the work and this will produce a very nice cut. Electrical receptacle cut outs should be handled with ultimate care, especially if 2cm material is used. If the cut outs are performed at the job site, the blade must be fully water-cooled or breakages are likely to occur.

Using plenty of water is the KEY to success in any cutting situation and this is not optional, whether at the shop or the job site.


4. Grinding

For performing the grinding by hand, use aluminum backing cup wheels with medium bond diamonds. Aluminum backed wheels limit vibration and since it is softer than steel backed wheels they allow minor flexing so there’s more control. This type of the wheel gives a very smooth grind and will minimize chipping. You cannot use aggressive diamond tools on Glass2 without great risk of material damage.

When making a sink cutout with a CNC or handheld profiling machine, DO NOT start grinding with Position 1 (coarse). Start grinding with Position 2 and insure that your diamond wheel has holes for the water feed. Before you start grinding, be sure that you put a small bevel on the top and bottom to prevent chipping. Do not use the tool like you would on granite. Grinding has to be slow (let the diamond do the job) and make sure that the water feed is continuous and consistent.

To make a straight polish for glass, grinding is not needed if the proper saw blade is used for the initial cut. The polishing should begin from Grit 100 pads and up. The grinding cup wheels will be used only for fabricating non‐straight edges (bevel, round, etc.). The cup wheel of choice has either a smooth surface or is filled between the segments with epoxy resin or some other appropriate material. L‐Shaped countertops require a full 150% radius on all inside corners (1.5 times material thickness = radius dimension). All 90 degree inside corners must be avoided.

Grinding stones are not allowed in the fabrication of Glass2.

5. Filling holes

Similar to other glass materials, Glass2 has some holes on the edges and on the surface. Filling up these holes must be done before polishing. After the saw cut, you have to thoroughly dry the surface and use a high-pressure air nozzle to get out all debris from the holes. After drying, wipe the edge with acetone as this also cleans the smallest of holes. If you use a torch to assist in the drying process, you must monitor the temperature of the glass and not let it get above 90 degrees Celsius (195 degrees Fahrenheit). Glass2 is heat resistant but all glass absorbs heat at least two times faster than stone! Excessive heat will damage all glass, including Glass2.

Three (3) ways to fill holes:

a. Fill up the entire edge to be polished with polyester resin (similar to how you fill up travertine) and then after it is dry, start polishing with Grit 100 polishing pad. In this case, because it is very coarse, this pad will grind away all of the extra glue (resin) so you must be very sure that the water feed is has plenty of pressure, otherwise this pad will “pull out” the glue from the small holes.

b. Fill up only visible holes and then start polishing with Grit 200 polishing pad. This pad will take off any extra polyester resin and will polish all of the desired edge to be finished.

c. After making the saw cut, start polishing with Grit 100 polishing pad and continue to Grit 200 polishing pad. After this is done, then completely “dry out” all edges to be finished and clean the holes. Fill up all holes with polyester resin and let it dry. Do not put too much resin – just enough to cover each hole. Next, continue polishing with Grit 400 polishing pad. Spend a little more time until all of the excess polyester has been removed. Again, continue polishing with Grit 800 polishing pad through Grit 3000 polishing pad. This method gives the best results; the whole process is a little slower than #1 and #2.

In the case that not all holes were filled using one of the above 3 methods, you can also fill up holes after the polishing is done. Just be sure/ that the surface dry before filling up any holes that were missed or that polishing removed the resin. Just before the resin cures (gets hard), cut off any excess with a razor blade and smooth it all with a very fine steel wool (#0000) or use the last two polishing pads again. For all transparent colors (Ash White, Pine Green, Ocean Blue, and Coral Blue) use “water-clear” resin and for dark colors (Azurite and Chorus) create a matching resin color.

6. Polishing

Glass2 has very good polishing qualities; polishing is very simple and very similar to natural stone polishing. The difference is that Glass2 is a consistent material so there are no “soft & hard spots” within the material. Polishing can begin with Grit 100 polishing pads and continue all the way through to Grit 3000. Stepped polishing will achieve a smooth finish without waves or ripples. There is no need for buffing or waxing. Dry polishing MUST be avoided, even on the job site.

7. Drilling

Water must be used for cooling the bit while drilling; this is also true when cutting and polishing. Before buying a special drill bit, test the ones you already use for natural stone drilling. The best drilling results are achieved by using “water fed, medium coarse, continuous rim, bonded diamond” drill bits. Drill bits, like saw blades, must be prepared (sharpened) before use; prepare in the same manner as the saw blade, use a fireproof tile or grinding stone to clean the diamonds. Glass2 will drill very smoothly as long as the proper speed is used (2,000 – 2,500 rpm’s). Avoid twisting and applying extra pressure while drilling; drill slowly, allowing the drill bit to cut steadily. The backside of the Glass2 material must be “supported” with a wood product when drilling a faucet or other type hole. The support should not allow the Glass2 to either flex or move in the slightest. Drilling into the support also avoids “blow out” on the backside and prevents excessive tool penetration, which could result in “high speed tool contact” with the Glass2 surface, an excessive force likely to create damage to the Glass2 countertop.

8. Sink Cut Out

Drill holes into each corner of the sink template before cutting the appropriate sink hole. For example, if you have a square or rectangle sink hole, you should drill in all four corners with a drill bit that creates the required radius and then start cutting. This will relieve the stress and will prevent the Glass2 from opening (cracks). Unlike other baked glass materials, Glass2 has a very limited percentage of stress, which allows you to cut holes into any size slab produced. Before making a cut, be sure that the fabrication table is flat with no gaps or spaces at any point-of-contact and that there is no movement of the counter top during the sink cutting process. There must be a minimum of 4” of Glass2 on either side of the kitchen sink hole or the bathroom vanity bowl hole.

The minimum radius of all inside corners is 1.50% times the thickness of the Glass2 –examples
(1) 2cm x 1.5 = 3cm or 1-3/16”
(2) 3cm x 1.5 = 4.5cm or 1-3/4”

This is true whether the corner is in a sink hole, a bowl hole, a stove top, or a countertop.

9. Handling

Handling of Glass2 is one of the most important aspects and these are very significant details. Follow these proven methods:

a. For all aluminum or steel framed fabrication tables, in the shop or outside, use rubber or wood to avoid any contact between Glass2 and the metal. Be 100% sure that the table frames are flat and that the Glass2 contacts all points equally before clamping.

b. When moving slabs, take great care to avoid any contact with any object to maintain the Glass2 integrity.

c. Should cabinets be made of aluminum or steel, these too should have “high density rubber” or wood barrier.

d. Prior to loading, clean the Glass2 slab’s finished surface thoroughly to ensure that there are no bits of glass, stone, dust, dirt or other debris on the surface. During the loading and transportation and unloading, extra caution should be used to prevent any type debris from getting in between the slabs.

e. Since Glass2 has very little flexibility, unlike marble or granite, it is very important to protect against any kind of bending, tension, and stress during the clamping and/or strapping for transportation.

f. Glass2 may never be carried nor transported “flat” on any type vehicle; moving Glass2 either vertical or near vertical is the only accepted method (7 degrees is optimum angle and 11 degrees is the maximum allowable angle).

g. Anytime a hole is to be cut that leaves the minimum allowable stock (4”) of Glass2, be it a sink hole, bowl hole or stove top, the cut is ideally to be done at the job site with the Glass2 placed in proper position and secured. Extra care must be taken to support the entire circumference of any hole that is cut into Glass2.

h. Sink supports are not optional even for lightweight under mount sinks such as stainless steel and copper. Heavy-duty sink supports are required for heavy type under mount and top mount sinks such as cast iron, porcelain, and composite stone types.

i. Glass2 should be kept in a dry and ventilated place. Use spacers between each piece in order to allow moisture to escape as this eliminates mold and mildew in a high humidity environment. If Glass2 is to be stored outside, the cover with either and awning or waterproof cloth; remove the waterproof cloth after the rain which will allow the excessive humidity to escape.

10. Installation

Glass2 seaming requires the same “basic” procedures as used in most solid surfaces, except leveling. Glass2 is currently produced in two types of coloring patterns: dark opaque and semi‐translucent. For dark colors, clear silicone is used as the bonding agent (polyester resin is not required) and installation is performed by leveling the Glass2 pieces from the bottom side with either wood or composite shims; suction-type leveling devices may be used to “pull” the pieces together. For semi‐translucent colors, use only “water clear” silicone. It is very important because other types of silicone will tend to magnify the seams when back lighting or under lighting is utilized. It is important to remember that Glass2 is not very flexible, much less than natural stones or man-made solid surfaces. Therefore, with regards to leveling, pressing one side or edge or corner to achieve a level on the opposite side or edge or corner is never allowed and must be avoided.

Allow for a minimum 3mm gap between the wall and the Glass2 material. This will provide space for Glass2 to expand and contract. This is why only silicone is authorized for use not only as a “seam filler” but as a contact substance for attaching to the cabinet. Silicone may be used to fill the gap next to the wall but this is usually not necessary since coverage will be provided by the backsplash. Thinset, mastic, or cement are never allow with the use of Glass2.

Laminations at widths 9cm or smaller can be attached with polyester resin. Laminations larger than 9cm require both polyester resin and silicone, used in conjunction with each other; both the resin and the silicone must be used on the mating surfaces with each covering 50% of the width for the entire length of the laminated piece.

Cladding applications, whether interior or exterior, must utilize the Glass2 with integrated glass laminated backing that is specially produced by the Glass2 factory only. Special clips and anchors can be provided upon request.

Flooring applications, when Glass2 is to be elevated for lighting or insulation purposes, requires a wire mesh to be integrated into Glass2, which may only be done at the Glass2 factory. A remarkable, positive attribute of Glass2 is that the wire mesh backing is not visible from the surface, even if backlit.

Under mount sink installations must not utilize under mount sink clips that require drilling into the Glass2 material. Silicone is the only adhesive approved to attach an under mount sink rim to the Glass2 bottom side. If a garbage disposal is installed to the sink, the garbage disposal must be supported from the bottom side. It is acceptable to put polyester resin on a wood or composite shim, then to place the resin at each corner and at mid-points of the longest sections of the under mount sink for added security.

During faucet fixture installation, extra care must be taken to not over tighten any of the parts that come in contact with Glass2.

11. End User Guidelines

When Glass2 is being used as a countertop, it must not come into direct contact with any object that has a temperature in excess of 205 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Temperatures up to 90 degrees Celsius (195 degrees Fahrenheit) may stay on the surface of Glass2 for ten (10) minutes or less.

Glass2 has great transparent effect but do not use any large “heat producing” type lighting when establishing a light source to make Glass2 looks transparent.

a. Example: Incandescent lamps need to be 200 watts or less and a minimum of 150mm (5.9”) from the Glass2.

b. Example: “Cold” light sources (fiber optic, neon, LED) and energy conservation light sources (60 watts or less) cannot be glued or otherwise attached to Glass2. There must be a minimum distance of 100mm (3.9”) between the light source and the Glass2 material.

c. All light sources must have a heat dissipation space to keep the temperature below 90 degrees Celsius (195 degrees Fahrenheit). Only testing of the specific light being used can determine the “reality” of the heat being generated as manufacturing processes may produce the same amount of light that is generated (and regulated) but not the amount of heat that is dissipated.

Once installed, Glass2 will be very strong and durable. Due to its non-porous nature, sealing or waxing is not required.

12. Repairs

Glass2 is a very durable produce yet scratches or chipping may occur during fabrication, transportation, or installation. Both scratches and chips can be repaired by the following method:

a. Scratches ‐ Acquire Cerium Oxide (a standard powder utilized in glass industry), mix with water to form a thin paste, apply to the scratch, and buff out using a high-density cotton buffing wheel at 2,000 rpm’s or less.

b. Chips ‐ Chips on the surface or an edge can be filled with clear liquid polyester resin or clear knife grade polyester resin. If a color tinted resin is desired for the damaged edge or surface, applying the resin is done in the same manner as natural stone or a manmade solid surface (such as quartzite). Chips on a polished surface are more difficult to repair than edge chips. Water Clear polyester resin MUST be properly mixed and applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions; once completely cured, razor off any excess and buff out using a high-density cotton buffing wheel.

c. Note – if Glass2 takes an impact from a heavy item (such as cooking pot, large bow, or skillet), the Glass2 material is likely to not shatter but, depending on the impact, a scratch or chip could occur.

d. Warning … any material (natural stone, man-made solid surface that imitates stone, or Glass2) can be severely damaged or destroyed, including a shattering effect, if a large enough force is applied.


13. Tooling List of Commercially Available Items

a. Bridge Saw Blade, 14” continuous rim, porcelain type
Diarex Terminator or equivalent

b. Hand Saw Blade, 4” up to 8”, continuous rim
Diarex Pro Series or equivalent

c. Grinding (cup) Wheel with aluminum backing - 4”, medium diamond grit
Diarex Legend or equivalent

d. Drill Bit, diameter as per job requirements, continuous rim, medium diamond grit
Diarex Pro Series Thin Wall or equivalent

e. Rotor Bit (Hand Held or CNC)
Consolidated #2 or equivalent

f. Polishing Pads, high quality as if using on granite – 4”, #50 - #3000
Pearl Abrasive or equivalent

g. Silicone, water clear
C R Laurence

h. Epoxy or polyester resin, flowing clear
Touchstone (epoxy) or Akemi Platinum (polyester)

Notes
• The use of any item not on the above list is done at customer’s risk and full responsibility should damage occur or undesirable results obtained.
• Glass2 has developed its own proprietary brand of bridge saw blades, small hand cutting saw blades for both circular saws and grinders, cup wheels, drill bits, router bits, and polishing pads. These are used exclusively at the Glass2 factory for all cut-to-size projects. These items are proven to cut, grind, drill, and polish Glass2 not only without adverse affect but performs to the highest level of fabrication perfection. These items are available upon request and usually fast less expensive than those similar items available on the open U.S. market.

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