Matte Etching Soda-Lime Glass: Soda-Lime Glass (CTE 9.0 x 10^-6 /K, 360 nm – 2.0 um); gloss 60 – 110 GU, haze 2 – 25%. Single-piece prototypes to production volumes, quoted from your drawing.
Specify matte etching soda-lime glass when the bare substrate falls short: acid-etched anti-glare texture, processed by controlled HF immersion, brings Soda-Lime Glass to gloss 60 – 110 GU, haze 2 – 25%.
The numbers
| Material | Soda-Lime Glass (Float per ASTM C1036, low-iron option) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 9.0 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 350 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 360 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.50 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 585 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.52 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.40 – 19 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 1,000 x 800 mm |
| Treatment | Matte Etching – acid-etched anti-glare texture |
| Specification | gloss 60 – 110 GU, haze 2 – 25% |
| Deposition / method | controlled HF immersion |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Specification advice
The shop-floor rules that matter here:
- Material note: higher CTE means edge chips propagate under thermal load, so edge finishing quality drives reliability.
- Sequence matters: all machining happens before matte etching; post-coating rework is not economical.
- Over-specification is the quiet budget killer: a 20/10 scratch-dig face costs roughly three times an 80/50 face, so grade each surface individually.
For the complete framework, see the tolerance design guide and the holes and edges design guide.
What the process holds
Beyond this page, Soda-Lime Glass routinely runs through ultrasonic machining, polishing, drilling, laser cutting in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Typical applications
Orders for matte etching soda-lime glass cluster in led packaging (groove covers, phosphor carriers, package windows); industrial displays (touch covers, gauge windows, printed bezels). Background reading on the underlying material science: ASTM C1036 flat glass standard.
The fastest route to a quote is geometry: use the 3D builder below, draw a dimensioned 2D drawing from it, or open the site-wide custom glass machining 3D + 2D builder for fully custom parts.
Related reading on this site: glass sandblasting, fused silica wafers 2-12 inch, 4 inch Borofloat wafers.
Frequently asked questions
How does Soda-Lime Glass behave under heat?
CTE is 9.0 x 10^-6 /K and continuous service reaches 350 C continuous, which is what drives its use where lowest cost per square meter matters.
What does matte etching add?
Anti-glare diffusion without coating adhesion risk. Applied by controlled HF immersion to gloss 60 – 110 GU, haze 2 – 25%.
Is there a minimum order for matte etching soda-lime glass?
No. Single prototypes are accepted, and pricing steps down at 10, 100 and 1,000 pieces.
How fast can prototypes ship?
Machined prototypes ship in 5 – 10 working days. Coated or bonded parts add 1 – 2 weeks depending on queue slots.
What files do you need for a quote?
A dimensioned PDF plus DXF or STEP geometry. If only a sketch exists, our drawing review service formalizes it before quoting.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in August 2026.