Keeping Glass in Top Condition: A Guide

Glass doors are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Glass, however, is transparent, which may affect the privacy in your home, leaving you paranoid about whether you are being watched. Sure, wooden and steel doors are more reassuring, but glass brings something different, as it opens the room to natural light, is visually pleasing and increases the value of your home. If privacy is a top priority for you, here are three methods you can use to frost your glass front door.

Applying Spray Paint

You can paint the glass on your front door to create a non-transparent finish. To do this:

i. Clean the glass thoroughly, preferably with an ammonia-based cleaner. Remove any fingerprints or dirt that might be on the surface.

ii. Go ahead and apply tape onto the door frame and handles.

iii. Before spraying the paint, ensure that your windows are open to allow the fumes to escape, and put on a gas mask.

iv. Apply a light coating of the frost spray, maintaining an even distribution.

v. Allow the spray to dry for about 24 hours, and then you can remove the stickers or tape with a scraper.

If you get tired of the paint job at any point, it can easily be removed with a scraper as well.

Using A Window Film

You can also frost your front glass door by using a window film. This is a film that attaches to the glass using static electricity. Like spray painting, window films can also be removed easily. To apply a window film:

i. Clean the glass surface thoroughly.

ii. Cut the film to the glass door size.

iii. Mix water with liquid detergent and spray it lightly on the glass to help the film adhere to the surface.

iv. Carefully apply the film onto the glass surface, working from the top downwards and removing the air bubbles with a squeegee as you go along.

Etching

A more permanent result can be achieved by using etching cream. This procedure requires closely following the manufacturer's instructions, as it is irreversible. It basically involves the following:

i. Put on rubber gloves to protect your hands from the cream.

ii. Tape off areas that don't need etching by using tape and stickers. Ensure that the tape sticks securely so that cream does not get lodged in between.

iii. Apply the cream to the remaining surface and distribute it evenly using a brush. Allow the etching cream to sit for some time as directed by the manufacturer.

iv. Wash off the cream using warm water.

Glass doors have become popular in homes today. While the three mentioned techniques are the most used, you can achieve a similar level of transparency using textured, stained glass or sandblasted glass.