Laser engraving on glass produces a striking frosted effect that feels both professional and personal — perfect for awards, trophies, classroom projects, and even fundraising items. With a CO₂ laser, students and educators can create customized designs that celebrate achievement or support school programs. And when done correctly, glass engraving is completely safe, clean, and classroom-friendly.
Understanding How Glass Reacts to Laser Engraving
Unlike wood or acrylic, glass doesn’t vaporize when exposed to a laser beam. Instead, the CO₂ laser’s heat micro-fractures the surface, creating the familiar frosted look. Because each type of glass — from drinking glasses and ornaments to mirrors and plaques — has its own composition, the results will vary slightly. That’s why understanding what to look for is just as important as knowing the starting settings.
Boss Laser provides recommended power and speed settings for glass, but fine-tuning them helps students learn the science behind light, heat, and material reactions. It’s a hands-on STEM lesson built into a creative art project.
Recognizing When to Adjust Settings
If the Engraving Is Too Light or Hard to See
- Cause: Laser power is too low or the head is moving too fast.
- Try: Slowing the speed slightly or increasing power in small steps (about 5–10%).
- Lesson Opportunity: Have students test and record how different settings affect the appearance — a great applied science experiment.
If the Glass Looks Rough, Cracked, or Chipped
- Cause: Too much power or too slow of a speed, which overheats the surface.
- Try: Increasing the speed or lowering power to reduce surface stress.
- Safety Tip: Always wear protective eyewear and ensure good ventilation when engraving.
If the Surface Feels Gritty or Over-Textured
- Cause: Overlapping lines (DPI too high).
- Try: Lowering the resolution to around 300–400 DPI for a smoother finish.
If There’s Cloudiness Around the Design
- Cause: Heat spreading beyond the engraving area.
- Try: Placing damp paper towels or masking tape over the surface to absorb excess heat and prevent spreading.
Classroom & Fundraising Ideas
Awards and Recognition Projects
Create glass plaques or etched nameplates for student achievements, art shows, or robotics competitions. They look professional but can be produced affordably in-house.
Fundraising with a Personal Touch
Students can engrave customized glassware — ornaments, keychains, or glass tumblers — to sell at school events. Parents love items that are both useful and made by students.
Science and Engineering Tie-Ins
Encourage students to experiment with variables: power, speed, DPI, and focus height. They’ll see how light and heat interact with different materials in real time — a great example of applied physics.
Safety and Equipment Care
When performed properly, engraving glass with a Boss CO₂ laser is safe and reliable. Always:
- Use appropriate laser safety glasses.
- Keep the lid closed during operation.
- Make sure ventilation or fume extraction (like the FiltraBox) is active.
- Clean the lens regularly with the optical cleaning kit included in Boss’s Educational Starter Bundle to ensure consistent quality.
Partnering with Boss Laser
Boss Laser’s educational bundles and training options are designed to make classroom laser use safe, engaging, and sustainable. Whether it’s your first year introducing laser technology or you’re expanding your STEM or CTE curriculum, Boss is here to help you unlock your students’ creativity — and inspire the next generation of makers, designers, and engineers.
- More Material Tips & Tricks - 
