If you are looking to have windows or glass that still allows light to pass through, and yet is tricky if not impossible to see in through for others, then getting foggy glass may well be the answer you are looking for.
This kind of glass is incredible for privacy and security, as well as decoration and so much more, but what is it actually called and how can you achieve the effect in your home?
Here we will take a look at foggy glass and give you some of the facts you need to decide if it is the right choice for you.
What is foggy glass called?
Foggy glass is another word for frosted glass, also called opaque or translucent glass. The word foggy refers to the outward appearance of the glass, which can look cloudy or obscured to the eye while still allowing light to pass through.
This kind of glass is often found on shower doors, but also bathroom windows, the fronts of restaurants and bars, in offices and homes all over. You can achieve a frosted effect in many ways, and the end results can vary from a sheet of nearly opaque glass, to one that is etched and yet still see-through but impossible to make out clear shapes.
Getting foggy glass is just one of the ways that you can treat your windows to improve them from the standard transparent sheet, but it is one of the best options around. That it is foggy means that you can enjoy all the benefits of keeping your curtains or blinds open, including getting to see more natural light and saving on your energy bills by leaving off the artificial lights for longer.
As well as the money-saving upsides, you can also relax in peace, knowing that people passing by cannot look in, or more seriously that burglars cannot case the place as easily. Privacy and security are two of the top reasons to get foggy glass in your home.
In an office environment, it can be hugely useful for allowing you to have private meetings while still keeping the space looking open and inviting, and help stop people from getting distracted by what they can see through the glass.
Foggy glass is all in all a great term for frosted glass, allowing you to picture what the final result may look like, and some of the benefits it can bring to your home or workspace. You can choose the level of fogginess when you choose the method of installation and what you want from the end product.
How do you make a foggy glass effect?
You can create a foggy glass effect in a number of ways, some of them more difficult than others, and some that you could even try and apply yourself at home. Here are the key ways to get frosted glass on your windows or glass:
- Sandblasting
Sandblasting is when you quite literally blast sand particles at a sheet of glass at high pressure in order to abrade it and cause a pitted surface. You can tape off areas that you don’t want to blast creating more decorative patterns, or do the whole window for more complete coverage.
- Acid etching
Acid etching creates a slightly different look and feel to sandblasting, but also involves eroding the surface of the glass, this time using acid. You can again create patterns by covering parts of the window in acid-resistant substances, but this is a pretty tricky process. Unless you really know what you are doing, it is far better to allow the experts to frost your glass than to attempt it yourself.
- Frosted Film
Arguably the simplest and most effective way to get the foggy effect, frosted glass film comes in all finishes and when applied by a company like SolarGraph Glass Frosting in Sydney, will look incredible and last for years longer than anything that you can do yourself. You can opt for more decorative glass with shapes and patterns, or go for the degree of near opaqueness that you are looking for with ease.
Whichever method you choose, your window should now be nicely foggy, hard or even impossible to see through, and with the kind of finish you desire for your glass.
Is fogged glass translucent or opaque?
Fogged glass is by definition glass that has been treated to obscure your view in some way, but the exact degree to which it is blocked varies from method to method, and is ultimately your own choice.
You can get frosted glass that is still almost transparent, allowing light and even shapes to be visible, but blurring them so that you cannot see the details. When you sandblast or etch glass, you can create a pitted surface that scatters the light so it is not easily seen through, but still is certainly translucent.
On the other hand, certain films and styles of frosted glass look so opaque that you would struggle to see anything at all through them. They are of course still not fully opaque, as that would mean that light cannot pass through either, but offer the highest levels of privacy without shutting your curtains.
In reality, frosted glass is translucent, it does not prevent light from passing through, but you cannot easily and clearly see through it, but you can choose an effect that looks more opaque if you want more privacy and security while still letting light enter through it.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking to improve the aesthetics of your windows, enjoy having your curtains open all the time without strangers gawking at you, or like not having to waste as much money on artificial lighting, foggy or frosted glass is a fantastic option for your windows.
If you are thinking about treating your windows, make sure that you have considered any warranties you might have, decided on the method, and consulted the professionals to get the best end result that you can.