Durham Etched Glass

Founded in 1994, the Leadbitter Glass Studio has been supplying Etched Glass panels to homes and businesses across Durham ever since. We also deliver to every other part of the UK. Durham’s period streets, which grew up in the shadow of one of the finest Norman cathedrals in Europe, are exactly the kind of housing where etched glass has always looked its best.

Etched glass, also known as sandblasted glass, is created by obscuring clear glass while leaving other areas untouched, forming a decorative pattern. We create thousands of bespoke panels each year, and every one is made to your exact glass sizes — we don’t keep any “ready to go” designs. Family crests, favourite trees, and traditional Victorian patterns can all be created by our studio, and almost every panel we make qualifies for free delivery to Durham addresses.

Etched glass is one of the oldest forms of decorative glass, but it also lets in more natural light than other styles — since there’s no colour or lead work to obstruct it. We’ve made glass for a Prime Minister’s home, for Hollywood film sets, and for well-known singers and billionaires, but the vast majority of our work is for homeowners just like you. We also make other styles of Decorative Glass for Durham clients, including Stained Glass, Bevelled Glass, and Fused Glass.

See your glass before we create it!

Our Free Client Pages Design Service

Every order includes free access to our Client Pages design service. Within a few days of ordering, we’ll send you a computer-generated proof showing exactly how your chosen design will look, built to your own glass sizes. You may want a border moving or a house number changed to a different font — we’ll make the requested alterations until you’re 100% happy with the drawing. Production only begins once you’ve approved the final proof.

Perfect For House Names And Numbers

Etched glass is an ideal form of decorative glass for house names and numbers — one of the most popular requests we receive is for etched numbers above a front door. If your Durham home has a top light above the door, we can create a panel with your house number or name. The best results come from etching the background and leaving the text itself clear, so the lettering stands out sharply.

How Our Etched Glass Is Made

Etching begins with a sheet of toughened safety glass covered by a mask, precision-cut to match your chosen pattern. High-pressure grit is then blasted against every unprotected section, wearing a permanent frosted texture into the glass itself.

Once complete, we lift away the mask to expose the finished design. Because the frost is embedded directly in the glass, it can never peel, fade, or wear thin — a real advantage over vinyl “etch-effect” film, which typically discolours and curls at the edges after just a few years.

If you have an old or damaged etched glass panel, our glass artists can often reproduce the original pattern closely, even when the piece itself can’t be repaired — as long as we have a photograph or fragment to work from.

Planning to have Etched Glass or any other decorative glass made for your Durham home or business? Get in touch today for an accurate quote and turnaround time.

Browse Our Etched Glass Galleries

Our website holds one of the largest collections of decorative glass patterns anywhere. Browse hundreds of Etched Glass designs in our main gallery, organised into themed collections and by door style, to help you find the perfect pattern — or simply for inspiration to create your own. Visit the Main Gallery to explore what’s possible.

Notable Etched Glass Commissions from the Durham area…