Custom glass awards are popular for their sleek and elegant appearance. The glass does an excellent job of capturing and reflecting light, giving the award a pleasing sparkle that any recipient would want to show off. They are also reasonably affordable while offering superior quality.
However, despite their aesthetic appeal, these custom awards are still made of glass. A material that can easily be damaged if carelessly handled. While many people will try to safeguard their glass award by placing it behind a secured cabinet, there are instances when mistakes can happen, and damage occurs.
It could be a child knocked over the trophy or it slipped out of your hands when you took it out for cleaning. Whatever the circumstances, your best bet for repairing any damage would be to take the award to a glass restoration expert.
This is especially true where the damage is serious. However, in some minor cases, you may be able to do the restoration on your own.
Removing scratches from custom glass awards
It is possible to inexpensively remove minor and superficial scratches on custom glass awards on your own. You can tell if a scratch is minor by running your finger over its surface. If you cannot feel a grove, then chances are you carry out a quick fix on your own.
Start by cleaning the glass surface with a window cleaner and dry it with a paper towel. Use a store-bought metal polish like Brasso to smooth the surface using a soft cloth. You should quickly see the scratch disappear. Finish by cleaning the surface with another clean soft cloth.
If you can feel the scratch groove with your finger, then you can try using a special glass scratch repair kit. These can often be found in auto stores that stock them for people wanting to repair scratches on their windshields. Another option would be to apply wax furniture polish. Use it to fill in the grove and allow the surface to dry, you can then try buffing the area with a clean cloth to see if it will reduce the appearance of the scratch and reflect better light.
Engage a professional to fix custom glass awards
If these solutions do not work, or the damage is more severe, then going to a glass restoration expert is the best option. Avoid using glue to reattach broken pieces as it will fail to hold the pieces in place and will make the award appear disfigured. Glass restoration experts have specialist tools and techniques they can often use to make repairs. However, if all fails, you may need to consider simply replacing your glass trophy.