A vacuum insulated glass unit includes a first and a second glass pane and a pane bonding layer. The first and second glass panes each include a vacuum chamber side opposite an outer side. The vacuum chamber side of the first glass pane includes an etched interior surface, a glass pane periphery having a periphery surface, and a plurality of glass spacers each having an end surface. The pane bonding layer is positioned between and engaged with the periphery surface of the glass pane periphery of the first glass pane and the second glass pane and couples the first glass pane to the second glass pane. Each end surface of the plurality of glass spacers and the periphery surface of the glass pane periphery are offset from the etched interior surface such that a vacuum chamber is disposed between the first and the second glass panes.