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Edge lighting glass

| Posted in General Discussion on December 19, 2001 03:05am

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Anybody know how one may go about edge lighting glass shelves and such.I’m working on a handrail/kneewall that I would like to edge light.Thanks!

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  1. Don_Papenburg | Dec 18, 2001 06:43am | #1

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    Put a small lampon each edge of the glass. It would help if you had boxed ends on the shelf supports so the glass could fit inmortises on each end . I did a sandblast picture on three panes of glass and used a round tube type bulb on each side ,the light deminishes as it reaches the center . Also the small scratches that I did not see show up when lit.

    1. GT_Colo | Dec 18, 2001 05:07pm | #2

      *Ken,A friend of mine got a great reault by putting a rope lite along the back edge of a 3/4" thick vanity top. The sink hole was cut out and one of the carved granite bowls set under. The light glows the top and makes it to the front edge everywhere except right in front of the sink cutout. There it lights the back side of the cutout. Looks very nice.My experience with glass shelving and this vanity top has made me aware of the surprises that glass yields. Shelves allow you to see inside the walls(look how it is notched into the stud)and see the ragged layers of plaster or drywall. The polish or sanded back edge makes a difference in the appearance and the thickness affects things too. So my suggestion is to get a small piece of glass the same thickness that you intend to use and experiment with it. Try tape, paint, sandblasting or sanding the back edge and the burried portion of the face to obscure things you don't want to see. Have fun with this project, you'll get alot of positive comments by including this intersting feature.

      1. Treetalk_ | Dec 19, 2001 03:05am | #3

        *Thanks for the tips so far! I also thought of using rope lites but they seem pretty adamant about leaving them some ventilation room.Is heat build up going to adversly affect the fixtures if theyre buried or capped?

  2. Treetalk_ | Dec 19, 2001 03:05am | #4

    *
    Anybody know how one may go about edge lighting glass shelves and such.I'm working on a handrail/kneewall that I would like to edge light.Thanks!

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