Glass Etching Tips: 5 Ways to Get a Better Etch

Lots of Silhouette users use their machines to cut stencils to etch glass. But lots of crafters also struggle with getting a consistent and even etch that doesn't come with bubbles which cause bleeds. 

So today as a follow up to my original tutorial on How to Etch Glass 101 I thought I'd share a few tips and tricks that I've picked up along the way to get a better etch.


There are several different brands of etching cream on the market. I use Armor Etch and Etch All.

Shake the Etching Cream... A Lot

No matter what brand you use, before you apply it, you need to make sure you shake that bottle...and then shake some more. Shake until you fear your arm may fall off...and then shake a little more.  Etching cream that's not well mixed can cause major headaches and little etch.

 Flat Surfaces Are Best for Etching

Even before you apply etching cream you need two important things: a glass surface and a stencil.  A flat surface is ALWAYS going to be easier to work on than a round surface - this is especially true when stenciling with etch cream (or even paint).   It's a lot easier to get your stencil flat on the flat on the flat surface than it is on a round one...even if that round surface is just the curve of a drinking glass.

When the stencil isn't completely flat the edges can buckle slightly and even the smallest little pucker can allow etching cream to bleed underneath and all of the sudden you don't have a crisp line.  For this reason, I tend to stay away from rounded mugs and much prefer something with a flat side such as these mason jar mugs.

Shrink the Stencil

It's not impossible to etch rounded surfaces you just have to make sure that your design is the right size. A design that's too large will cause those buckles, but if you can make a smaller design it will more easily fit on the flat area - even of a rounded surface.  (Am I making any sense here?)

Add Pad Around Your Stencil

Speaking of designs...to ensure no etch cream gets outside of the stencil line, make a large border around the design. You can always use painters tape to tape off the edges, but you can skip that step and save yourself some tape and time by adding a little buffer around your design.

I do this in Silhouette Studio by simply drawing a box around my stencil design. Then when I cut my stencil on contact paper or Silhouette Stencil material there's a large enough border that it protects the area of the glass around my design.

Let the Etching Cream Sit

Finally, you want to make sure you leave the etching cream on the glass for a few minutes.  Armor Etch's directions say 1 minute, but I have found that a thick layer of etching cream left on for 4-5 minutes gives a better, deeper, and more defined etch.



What tricks have you found when working with etching cream? Share your tips in the comments below!

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