How Colored Glass is Made

There are a few different ways that colored glass is made, but the most common method is by adding minerals to the melted glass. Different colors require different minerals, and the specific recipe for each color must be carefully followed in order to achieve the desired result.

The Process

1. Gathering Minerals: First, the appropriate minerals must be gathered. For example, cobalt oxide is used to create blue glass.
2. Heating: Once all of the necessary ingredients have been collected, they are placed into a furnace and heated to a very high temperature, around 2200 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Adding Minerals: The next step is to slowly add the melted minerals to the glass while it is still in liquid form. The amount of each mineral added will determine the final color of the glass. For example, adding more cobalt oxide will create a darker shade of blue.
4. Cooling and Reheating: After all of the minerals have been added, the glass is cooled down and then reheated again so that it becomes uniform throughout.
5. Final Cooling and Shaping: Finally, it is cooled one last time and can then be cut and shaped into whatever form is desired.

Variations

It should be noted that this process can vary slightly depending on what type of colored glass is being made (for example, there are special considerations for making stained glass). However, following these general steps should result in a beautiful piece of colored glassware.