I've got a door with a large panel of textured glass in it (sort of like rain glass), and I want to add additional privacy. I've seen translucent films applied to normal glass. The instructions and videos I've looked at use squeegees and assume the glass is flat. Is it possible to apply privacy film to textured glass?
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Often a double glazed obscure glass door (or window) has only one pane as such - no need for both. So one pane may be flat. If not, remove the existing unit, get a more obscure one made to fit. – Tim Jan 10 '23 at 10:54
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@Tim thanks, it's single glazed. One side is flatter than the other, but still rippled overall. It's also the inside side (on the bathroom side) so it will be more exposed to humidity. – Simon Woodside Jan 15 '23 at 18:23
2 Answers
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Generally no.
If one side of the glass has the texture, perhaps the other does not?
Alternatives are
- get it sandblasted, or
- attach a stretched curtain
- apply a second pane, treated as you wish, to the door or on the glass.
- Spray painting one side. You can get translucent paints and "Frosted Glass Spray", but applying them evenly is tricky. (Personally I think it will look very cheap, unless it's used with stencils)
But perhaps you've thought of these already.
Image: https://www.wayfair.ca
P2000
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Just a quick note: If you can attach a privacy film, there are also mock-stained-glass films which are more decorative, though they cost you more light. You could also do a more serious mock-stained-glass treatment with paste "leading" and glass stains. But the texture might already give you more privacy than you think it does. – keshlam Jan 08 '23 at 22:39
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1For #4, are you talking about frosted glass window spray? I haven’t used it, but I’d think you could get an even frosting if you took your time. – Aloysius Defenestrate Jan 08 '23 at 22:56
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@AloysiusDefenestrate yes, that's one of them, and also translucent paints in general. I edited. – P2000 Jan 08 '23 at 23:59
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Option 3B: Lay panel flat, make 1inch border from tyvek tape around, and cover in clear resin, use heatgun to pop bubbles... Now that side is perfectly flat and regular privacy film can be added. – user3445853 Jan 09 '23 at 10:43
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You can also buy etchants for glass in hobby stores, which give it a frosted look. I have always doubted how even the result would be on a large sheet like a door. – spuck Jan 09 '23 at 16:33
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1@spuck yeah, I also think too difficult to work with on a pane, and like the paint, perhaps doable if working with stencils where evenness is less critical. – P2000 Jan 09 '23 at 17:06
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@spuck: If you're talking about the kinds of chemical etchants that I think you are, I'd rather avoid them unless you know _exactly_ what you're doing and how to handle them safely (where "safely" generally means "as little as humanly possible"). Glass is _extremely_ inert chemically (that's why laboratory tools are made of it!) and the kinds of chemicals that can etch it (like [hydrogen fluoride](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_fluoride) and its derivatives) tend to be extremely corrosive and toxic to humans, and also tend to go right through most kinds of simple protective gear. – Ilmari Karonen Jan 10 '23 at 04:55
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@IlmariKaronen, It blew my mind when I first saw something like that sold in the hobby shop to the public rather than an industrial chemical supply house. An example product [here](https://www.armourproducts.com/Item/15-0250) apparently contains "Ammonium/Sodium Biflourides". Safety concerns aside, according to that manufacturer they specifically _do not_ recommend it for anything "larger than 1 inch by 1 inch". I suspect it is very difficult to get even results without serious practice. – spuck Jan 10 '23 at 16:30
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Maybe.
I have successfully applied blackout film to a door with textured glass, but a) the door was subdivided into lots of little panes; b) the glass wasn't very textured (ripples and bubbles internally), and I applied the film to the smoother side.
Martin Bonner supports Monica
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