Beveled glass is normally made from clear sheets of glass which which have had a bevel or slant cut into it. This would normally be done by using a specialist cutting wheel. The edges of the glass would then be smoothed and polished to leave an attractive finish. The size and depth of the bevel will be determined by the design the craftsman is working on and the thickness of the glass itself.

Cutting a bevel onto glass can have an interesting effect on the glass when lit by sunlight, electric light or even candlelight. The bevel will act like a prism giving the impression of multi colours running through the edge of the glass. This is not a finish that can be accomplished by using plain uncut glass.

Beveled glass has many uses. It is used in doors, mirrors and furniture. Its use on doors is common and where a door may have an intricate design etched or cut on it by adding a plain bevel to the edge it leaves an attractive finish all round.

Many mirrors are surrounded by ornamental framework. By the addition of a bevel to the periphery of a mirror it adds detail and can eliminate the need for any further ornamentation.

Glass tables have recently become very popular. They can create a feeling of space in a room. Many have a beveled edge as a design feature. With the addition of clever lighting or a few candles the light will be reflected off the glass creating a spectrum of colours which would be absent if the glass was square cut.

A seamed or “broken” edge is most normally used when the glass is going into a frame, and the edges are going to be covered. Glass edging can be expensive as usually it’s billed out per linear inch. Therefore if the glass is going to be inserted into some type of frame, there’s no reason to pay for the high end polish.

A seamed edge is accomplished by running an aluminum oxide based sanding disc ranging from 80 to 120 grit across the upper and lower edge of the glass.

All glass edgework is not created equally. Any time the edge of the glass is exposed, this is not the option you want. Many companies do not have the equipment necessary to perform a high polished machine edge, so they will seam or hand polish the glass. Though the pricing may be slightly less, the quality of the glass top or mirror will suffer severely.