The doors are finished but the manufactured put plastic over the smooth side not the frosted side.

There are some very minor blobs of stain, shellac and ploy.  

Also my spouse who was scraping them down has removed the frosting on a few panes.

 

I would like to use a solvent or stripper that will not hurt the glass but will remove the finish.

Can you please list the proper solvent or stripper to destroy shellac, stain and water based poly.

 

Also I hear you can resand the glass to get the frosting back.

Any idea what grit and how do you get a uniform roughened finish.

I will try to upload pictures tonight.

Sounds like the "frosting" was add on rather than etching. Sanding glass might require a type of diamond grit or maybe a chemical etching.

None of the finish will soak in like it does with wood. The drops of shellac can be removed with alcohol. For the stain and poly, apply lacquer thinner with a small paint brush and rub gently with an abrasive sponge. Reapply the thinner and wipe with a cloth.

Depending upon how mfr did the "frosting" some solvents, like lacquer thinner, might remove or damage it.   Lacquer thinner is a soup of a number of different ketones, alcohols, and distillates.   The mix can vary based on brand, speed of evaporation, and economics at the time of mixing.  Alcohol will remove the shellac and is least aggressive.  Most to least aggressive: Acetone, lacquer thinner, or xylene (found in Goof-Off) might remove the other finishes, but are more aggressive and risk damage to the frosting.   None will hurt the "glass."  If you need to remove it all aggressively, a single-edge razor blade works well.   I am not sure "sanding" is the way to restore glass frosting.

 

35 years ago or more, I used a spray on frosting for glass.   No idea what it was but we had a clear window on our shower that needed a bit of privacy.   It lasted the 15 years that we lived there.

 

When I took a class in picture framing, the instructor used some sort of paste and a stencil to make an etching. 

 

You might check with a glass shop to see if they have something to re-frost grass.

 

 

https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-frost-glass/

Edited January 25, 20188 yr by kmealy

2 hours ago, Michael Thuman said:

Also I hear you can resand the glass to get the frosting back

Glass is not sanded to obtain the frosting it is "Sand Blasted" to etch the frosting into the glass.

YouTube has a lot of video on the subject with various ways of doing it.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=frost+glass+youtube&form=EDGHPT&qs=PF&cvid=fe589088b8ed4438a16e62e8899341ef&refig=7efd2a1438ba46cca08200f1feb8d96b&cc=US&setlang=en-US&PC=DCTS

 

Edited January 25, 20188 yr by HandyDan

Actually I belive it is sprayed on becuase we were able to scrape it off and Lowes has such a product.

But until I spray on some new stuff we will now know for sure.

May make is worse or better.

Will find out tonight.

Or maybe with elbow grease I may make them both clear.  

Let me invoke Finishing rule #3 When you are using a new product or technique always do trials / samples

 

Get a piece of scrap glass before you start on your door.

Poly will come off with the orange "citrus" stripper (water based) from Home Stores.  I had a French door that was clear glass.  Got frosted adhesive shelf liner, carefully cut to size, applied, glass looked frosted.  Had another benefit:  you couldn't break that glass because plastic coating held it like safety glass.

18 hours ago, kmealy said:

Let me invoke Finishing rule #3 When you are using a new product or technique always do trials / samples

 

Get a piece of scrap glass before you start on your door.

For sure and was planning on doing this but thanks for the reminder.

 

3 hours ago, PeteM said:

Poly will come off with the orange "citrus" stripper (water based) from Home Stores.  I had a French door that was clear glass.  Got frosted adhesive shelf liner, carefully cut to size, applied, glass looked frosted.  Had another benefit:  you couldn't break that glass because plastic coating held it like safety glass.

So far the only thing the will kill dyes is lac thinner.

We will do a spot check to see if it breaks down the frosting.

I like the idea of the shelf liner it would be more consistent and as this is the laundry room door it can can see impacts from the washer and dryer doors.

Maybe the best idea is to remove it all and use the shelf liner.

But I would remove the glass first then line it and reinstall it.

That way the edges are not visible.

Please keep the ideas coming.

 

8 minutes ago, Michael Thuman said:

But I would remove the glass first then line it and reinstall it.

Great idea.  Putting it on will be easier too.

"contact paper":  that was the name of the "shelf" liner.  If you cut it carefully (and don't tug it out of normal shape), you won't see the edge against the frame unless you get really close.  I was applying the frosting to an existing door, so I didn't want to pull out the individual glass pieces.

We decided to spray more frosting on the glass.  Taped everything else off and except where I paused a little long it did a great cover up job.

Then the second coat erased the first coats mistakes.

Thanks for all your help.

 

Picture?

Herb

Sounds like a good save Michael

Pictures as requested.  More direct light shows inconsistent frosting.