- 1). Cut the glass for the bottom layer and any additional accent layers of the glass tile and grind the edges briefly if needed to shape the glass pieces and make them safer to handle.
- 2). Wash the glass pieces carefully with soap and water to remove any oil from the glass cutter or your fingers and handle the glass with gloves after this to avoid getting fingerprints on the glass. Oils can leave dark shadows on the glass when it is fused.
- 3). Dry the glass with the lint-free cloth or paper towels.
- 4). Place a layer of kiln shelf paper on the kiln shelf so that it covers the entire shelf.
- 5). Set the piece of glass you are using for the bottom layer of the glass tile on the kiln shelf paper. Place a piece of fiber paper under this to help air escape if bubbles are a problem.
- 6). Set the other pieces of glass used as accent colors on the bottom piece of glass to match your pattern. Use the glass frit or glass stringers to enhance or delineate your planned design. Use kiln glue to hold these items in place as needed. You can use these materials in combination as long as they have the same thermal coefficient of expansion (COE).
- 7). Set the kiln shelf containing the glass tile pieces into the kiln and program it for a full-fuse schedule, following the kiln manufacturer's instructions or your own tested full-fuse schedule. Full-fuse occurs at approximately 1450 degrees Fahrenheit but it varies for each kiln. According to Brenda Griffith, who wrote "A Beginner's Guide to Kiln-Formed Glass," you should stop short of a full flat fuse so the molten glass doesn't slosh over the sides of the base piece and deform the tile's edges.
- 8). Allow the kiln and its contents to cool all the way to room temperature before removing the fused glass tile from the kiln.
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