Glass/Film for Privacy

[Carrie]

We have a window which we'd like to screen for privacy reasons but which will also let light through. We're thinking of etched glass or film that can be put onto the glass. Does anybody have experience of this? Thanks. Carrie

 

[Flyfisher]

Signmakers use self-adhesive plastic films with various 'frosting' patterns. I once had a sign made from it that looked like etched glass when applied to a sheet of glass. Can't see why it couldn't be applied to an entire pane of glass.
Might be worth finding a local signmakers and looking at what they have.
Or ask a local glazier.

Found this on the web: http://www.brume.co.uk/asp/sm_etched_glass_window_film.asp

 

[biffvernon]

Trouble with plastic film is that it ends up looking like plastic film. If you want real glass, Pilkingtons do a big range of obscured patterns that should be easily available through any glazier and it doesn't cost very much more than clear glass. For something a bit more special go to Barron Glass.

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

We used some 'frosted glass effect' film to provide privacy in a bathroom. It looked ok when first installed, but after a year it had started to bubble off the surface and now looks awful. It will be replaced with some proper frosted glass when I get round to making a new window for that room.

In summary - use films etc. to experiment, but see them only as a temporary measure.

 

[Cloudscape]

For an even more temporary version, try 'frosted glass spray' (or 'glass frosting spray'). It's not durable, but would allow you to see if you are getting the effect you want.

http://www.paintsprays.co.uk/catalog/glass-frosting-p-227.html

 

[Penners]

We obscured the glass of a downstairs shower room by applying "frosted" film to the clear glass. It's been there for over two years now, and still looks fine.

Obviously it won't last for ever, and I suspect that in another year or two we'll either have to replace the film or fit proper obscured glass.

The trick with the adhesive film is to make sure that the glass is absolutely clean and grease-free before you apply it. I found meths very good as the final degreasant.

 

[Moo]

We used plastic film in the downstairs loo in our first house and had no problem with it bubbling. But it had to go eventually because it shrank (shrunk?), leaving a nasty tell-tale edging of clear glass all the way round.
We were v. hard up at the time so the only solution was replacing like-for-like, knowing that it would have to be done again every few years. Not too much of a burden, because it was only a little window, but I'm not sure we'd have been quite so sanguine if it had been much bigger.

 

[Penners]

Ours shows no sign of shronking, but it's not in direct sunlight very much.

 

[Moo]

Neither was ours.
But I'm talking about the olden days, when we were young, so perhaps things have improved since then.

 

[biffvernon]

It shrank
It has shrunk
It did shrink

Googling for shronking returns a majority of sound related references, such as "There are a few interesting passages, such as the shronking mid-way through "5th Dimensional", but these are too few in between", which also has a Nemesis in it's title.

 

[Penners]

Chaucer, The Pedant's Tale:

"...and wended he damne shronkingly
Unto blake prevy lawe
Afton bene wantoun too alle tha feres?
Wha be tha carl tha riske is hals wolt
Fro is allye leve?"


I think there's a moral there for us all.

 

[MdB]

I think there's a moral there for us all.

Yeah, Chaucer would have received a D- in an English exam. (not that I can claim the higher ground with my English).

Can somebody translate that into something I can understand?

 

[Geoff Flegg]

There's two types of film you can use:-

Self-adhesive, which gives all the problems with airbubbles being trapped.

Or, a non-sticky film where you spray the window with water first using a plant sprayer, then smooth the film on and squeeze the water out with a squeegee.

The second sort works really well - I used it as a temporary measure when I moved into my house 18 months ago, it still looks fine and as with many temporary measures will probably be there for a long time yet!

I can't remember the brand name, but it came from B&Q. It looks just like sand-blasted glass, it really is quite convincing.

Having said all the above, proper frosted glass is still the more permanent option!

 

[biffvernon]

The General Prologue
The Knight's Tale
The Miller's Prologue and Tale
The Reeve's Prologue and Tale
The Cook's Prologue and Tale
The Man of Law's Prologue and Tale
The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
The Friar's Prologue and Tale
The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
The Merchant's Prologue and Tale
The Squire's Prologue and Tale
The Franklin's Prologue and Tale
The Physician's Tale
The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale
The Shipman's Tale
The Prioress' Prologue and Tale
The Tale of Sir Topas
The Tale of Melibee
The Monk's Prologue and Tale
The Nun's Priest's Prologue and Tale
The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale
The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
The Parson's Prologue and Tale
Chaucer's Retraction

Pedant? Sorry, can't find it.

 

[Moo]

Can somebody translate that into something I can understand?

I was about to ask the same question, but on second thoughts I came to the conclusion that it was just Penners showing off, and I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

Then I read Biff's post......

 

[Penners]

I came to the conclusion that it was just Penners showing off, and I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

Always trust your first instinct.

 

[Nemesis]

Alas, David Wright is dead, so a lively translation worthy of all us gap-toothed scholars of MiddleIngish wot reside on PPUK cannot now possibly be achieved... I do, however, feel that Penners may have uneatrhed a missing manuscript there of great interest...



[Open Image] [Hosted by PhotoGalaxy.com]

 

[Penners]

Akshully, Nevill Coghill was my grandfather's cousin.



(But that should not be taken as any kind of stamp of authenticity on the quasi-Chaucerian b*ll*cks that I posted above)

 

[Nemesis]

Hmmmm prefer the Wright translation, although Coghill v scholarly.

 

[Moo]

There now, Penners. I hope that's put you firmly in your place.