One of my latest projects is laser-etching away the top surface of some ceramic tiles – these tiles have both a color glaze and a clear coat, and I’m removing both with the laser to reveal the white core material underneath. I’m pretty happy with the result, but a bit concerned about protecting it, especially since these particular tiles are intended to live outdoors.
So, in short: anyone know a material and/or technique that might work to apply a new protective clear coat on top of the engraved tiles? I know nothing about actual ceramic glazing and don’t have access to a proper kiln, but I’m wondering if there might be some option that will both stick to the existing surface and cure either at low temperature or maybe in a normal oven?
I’m willing to try something like varnish or spar urethane, but I’m just assuming that purpose-formulated ceramic glazes might be better suited. Thoughts?
Tarkin nis very different in that has an intensely fast rise time and high beam intensity that can “drill” very tiny but deep holes in ceramic tile at blazingly high speed. At first it doesn’t even show, but you can apply paint or powders that fills in the holes but wipes off everywhere else and gives a really crisp, detailed thing. You can even use glow-in-the-dark powder in the holes and seal with urethane or whatever.
Ceramic glaze would be able to re-glaze the surface of tile. However, by definition glaze needs to be fired in a kiln. It’s silicate particles that need to fuse together.
It’s actually possible to do this on a small scale in a microwave oven with a special carbon-lined ceramic kiln.
@okyeron has a neighbor with a kiln. You could check about renting kiln time.
I have been laser rastering clay tiles. The surface of the raster after many passes is sort of charred. I filled the raster with a bake on enamel. After some durability testing. I have scraped the char away to expose new surface for the bake on enamel to adhere to. My latest iteration is adding oromask so I can abrasive blast the charred raster after. Just my 2 cents.
