Bevelled glass is usually made by taking one-quarter inch-thick clear glass and creating a one-inch bevel on one side around the entire periphery. These bevels act as prisms in the sunlight creating an interesting color diffraction which both highlights the glasswork and provides a spectrum of colors which would ordinarily be absent in clear float glass.

"Bevelled glass" can be obtained as clusters which are arranged to create a specific design. These can vary from simple three or four piece designs, often used in top lights of windows and conservatories, to more complex combinations of many pieces, suitable for larger panels such as doors and side screens.