How do I redo this glass tabletop?

Bonnie Boyce
by Bonnie Boyce

Hi there. I have a round glass dining room table. Am thinking of etching the glass or using frosted paint. Any suggestions or opinions about what would be the easiest way of achieving a translucent finish from the underside of the table. Its a larger surface say about 48" radius.

  9 answers
  • William William on Feb 10, 2019

    Etching would be best. Frosted paint can scratch and peel.

  • Lynn Sorrell Lynn Sorrell on Feb 10, 2019

    here's some 60" wide frosted window film you could use on underside thatway you could remove if you decide to return to clear or other pattern https://www.decorativefilm.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SXWF-WF&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwdu6uNmy4AIVkeNkCh0bgQVSEAQYAyABEgJ_yfD_BwE they also sell many kinds,patterns and cut to size

  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 10, 2019

    Just remember that etching is permanent. Also if you mess up while etching you most likely will have to live with the goof unless you can incorporate the boo boo into the design somehow.

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Feb 11, 2019

    I like the idea of the window film the best, there are so many to choose from as far as patterns. You can change them when you want a different look and being on the underside, they will be protected from daily wear and tear.

  • Lindy Lindy on Feb 11, 2019

    Window film is a great idea BUT what you will see from the table top is the underside (sticky part) of the film so make sure you do a sample before doing the whole top. Unless you are a pro and have a very large space to etch the top in (acid applied to glass for a period of time then washed off) it seems pretty iffy for a good idea. Frosted paint can be scraped off if you don't like it and wear should be minimal since it is on the underside of the table

  • Beth Beth on Feb 11, 2019

    Bonnie,

    I have a different take on this. The reason you have a glass top in the first place is so you can appreciate the unique base of the table. I would update that, rather than updating the glass. Refinish the wood to a silvery tone, if that would go in your home, or paint it a vibrant color, or decoupage it with a pretty paper, or ??, but do the base, not the top.

  • Kara Marie Fuselier Kara Marie Fuselier on Feb 11, 2019

    Epoxy pour the glass top to look marble or wood with wood faker done on your color choices of dye added into epoxy or a just small amount of craft paint in your choice from walmart added into it will do the same as dye or show examples and how to...you can go with transparent and it has a stained glass look i like when 3 or more colors are used on glass and with both opaque and transparent colors it creates dimension

  • Phaedra Phaedra on Feb 11, 2019

    There is an old technique called reverse painting on glass. You can do a simpler version using stencils. Or you could do a marble pattern or sparkles or whatever. And if you don't like it or you want a change you can scrape it off just like you would any regular paint on glass.


    This design might be interesting on your table top.


    http://paintandpattern.com/reverse-stencil-glass/

  • Lifestyles Homes Lifestyles Homes on Feb 12, 2019

    I’ve used the spray frosted paint and it scratches off very easily. I think your table base would scratch it.


    Window film will likely have air bubbles that you’ll have to pin prick and squeegee out.


    Another option is to use frosted “sticky back”, which is made to run through one’s printer. I would print the pattern pieces on the sticky back, then cut them out, and then apply them, based on my design. You can mark your installation guides with a grease pencil on the top side.