New Developments in Glass Restoration
Glass Door and Window Restoration Improvements
In 2005, when we originally developed our scratched glass restoration process, it was not designed for glass resurfacing of large windows and doors. However, in a short amount of time, we started seeing that the need for complete glass resurfacing was necessary for large glass windows and doors. The glass restoring products we had developed (and sold) up to that point would tend to leave swirls and haze pretty much all over the areas we had worked on.
This is because those tools were only designed for isolated restoring light glass scratches and graffiti glass scratch repairs but definitely confined to a finite area. It wasn’t until we took over a project for a window cleaner turned glass resurfacing company in Chicago, IL. This occurred after he gave up on resurfacing the 8′ x 8′ windows after he noticed the windows were still covered with swirls and haze. The haze and swirls in glass were especially noticeable once the afternoon sun came around to those windows. So it was on this job that we actually discovered the steps and secrets involved in flawless glass resurfacing.
Move Ahead or Get Left Behind – With Glass Restoration
Since then we have consistently improved this proprietary glass resurfacing process in both speed and quality. It seems that almost every other glass resurfacing project we find ourselves on, we discover some aspect of the glass restoration process that can be improved in some way.
So, what exactly is glass restoration? Having a background in Biology and Chemistry certainly helps. Whenever polishing scratched glass with any kind of cerium oxide-based polishing compounds, there are chemical and physical properties involved. Many have noticed that, after a few days to a few weeks after the glass has been polished with any kind of cerium oxide, a haze will reappear on the glass. It can be removed by thoroughly cleaning the glass with an aggressive non – scratching pad but still may appear for a while.
This is from the chemical reaction that continues to occur with the cerium oxide and the silica in the glass. We have now discovered a way to neutralize the chemical reaction as soon as we have completed the polishing process, thereby eliminating the recurring haze that all others invariably do see when they complete their polishing. Part of this haze is also due to the fact that most others are polishing on speed too low to get a highly polished finish on a glass surface that has had its surface molecules ripped apart.
Anyone understanding the polishing process would know that abraded glass must be polished on a higher speed so the glass molecules can actually be “slid” back together, thereby giving the glass it’s sheen and reducing any future haze from returning. If someone leaves swirls and visible haze upon completion, further haze is guaranteed to soon return.
We have recently developed some new improvements to a hand held machine polishing glass resurfacing system . The improvements have led to a significant decrease in glass resurfacing time and scratch removal rates. For example, our test window was tempered and completely scratched. The size was approximate 3′ x 6′ or 18 sq. ft. One man was able to remove all the glass scratches and completely polish on high speed until the glass was actually quite slippery and smooth within 35 minutes or about .5 sq. ft/ minute!
That equates to about 30 sq. ft. per hour with one person doing all the glass resurfacing steps involved. Now with 2 people working together, the rate of glass scratch removal increases, not by 100% but by about 125-150%! Truly a dramatic increase.
Now jobs that used to be a 2 man job have suddenly become a one man job, even though they involve complete tempered window resurfacing. This resurfacing job in Newport Beach, CA was actually a 4 man job whereas now it would only require 2. Suddenly scratched glass repair has just become considerably easier. Additionally one of the other scratched glass repair improvements involves the flatness of the finished glass resurfacing process. Whereas in the past, we had noticed occasionally one of the newer guys would be able to get the scratched glass polished back to clear, it would have a certain “bumpy” appearance to it.
We also noticed this same appearance on other glass restoration jobs. We solved this problem too with the advent of our new polishing pads and newest polishing formula. Therefore, we look forward to perfectly restoring and resurfacing many more scratched glass windows and doors in the future, buy just in less time! And as they say, “time is money” so we don’t have to charge nearly as much as the other scratched glass guys out there and still deliver a far superior result.
Improvements Removing Hard Water Stains on Glass
An area we have seen vast improvements has been in hard water (hardwater) spot removal from glass. These spots can from from rapid drying of water with high solids content. When the moisture evaporates, the minerals will dry and etch to the glass surface if not removed.
Some new developments can remove light hardwater stains faster. We have made a hybrid polishing formula that works to chemically and mechanically polish the glass while buffing it to a brilliant shine. The cerium oxide chemically polishes the glass while a proprietary abrasive removes the actual calcium carbonate and other minerals that were etched to the glass. Free tip : Some companies use 4F pumice flour to expedite the hardwater stain removal. While this does work on lighter limescale, we found something a bit more structured and high tech.
However, in some extreme hardwater buildup cases, the glass still needs to be sanded and resurfaced before buffing and polishing. If only cerium is used to polish, the etching from the minerals will still be visible even after the white residue is removed. Sometimes, this is acceptable for clients. When the hardwater spot stained glass needs to be completely resurfaced, it’s best to sand extensively BEFORE polishing.
Please contact Unscratch the Surface Inc whenever you discover large areas of scratched tempered glass on your large commercial construction project or your beautiful house with its amazing views. We are one of the only companies capable of true glass resurfacing and flawlessly restoring your glass to a better than new condition in a fraction of the time the other guys will need to even get close to the quality we can deliver. And to save even more money over replacing your scratched windows, ask us about window restoration consulting! “When Your View Matters – Call Unscratch The Surface Inc!” The meticulous perfectionists of glass restoration! For scratch removal and restoration service in Ventura County and surrounding areas, call 805-295-9020
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