Frosted Glass

When it comes to building and interior design, frosted glass is quickly replacing many traditional materials, like sheetrock, wood, paneling, and carpeted cubicles, due to its clean and modern look. Frosted glass also adds a decorative element to glass surfaces while providing privacy and natural light.

Whether you want to alter your glass permanently or you’re looking for a temporary option with frosted window graphics, SpeedPro’s expert frosted glass solutions will transform your space.

What Is Frosted Glass?

Frosted glass is glass specially treated to render it opaque. This effect is achieved by treating the pane of glass with a specific type of acid or by sandblasting.

Both of these techniques remove a microscopic layer from the surface of the glass, leaving a matte finish that allows plenty of light to shine through while figures and shapes on the other side remain indistinct and blurred.

Is Frosted Glass The Same As Acid Etching And Sandblasting?

There is some overlap in the terminology, but both acid etching and sandblasting produce a frosted effect, albeit using different techniques. The end product has a slightly different finish depending on the method used.

Acid etching is when the surface of the glass is eroded using hydrofluoric acid, resulting in an opaque glass surface and a blurred visual effect.

Patterns can be produced by covering the glass with an acid-resistant substance such as wax and then etching the desired design, logo or pattern into the wax before applying an acid solution to the exposed areas. The covered areas will remain clear and smooth, while the treated areas will have a slightly bumpy texture and a cloudy finish. This process is most suited to creating delicate, intricate patterns or logos.

Sandblasting is when the surface of the glass is abraded with sand particles at high pressure, leaving a rough surface texture and matte finish. Tape is used to block off the areas to remain transparent and smooth. Sandblasting is typically used for fully-frosted glass panes or more simple, geometric designs or branding.

Features & Benefits Of Privacy Glass

When glass undergoes either of the above techniques, it loses its transparent quality yet still allows lots of natural light to shine through. It’s this light-suffusing opacity that provides a sense of privacy. Frosted glass is also known as privacy glass.

Privacy

Open-plan offices are aesthetically pleasing, and a bright, spacious workspace is a pleasure to be in. However, they can also be noisy, distracting and lack privacy. Frosted glass panels are a practical solution.

Frosted glass dividers maintain that same bright, airy ambiance that helps employees feel connected to the rest of the team while also allowing them to concentrate more easily. In an office environment, for example, a fully or partially frosted wall can keep a conference room accessible while muting the visual hustle and bustle of the office.

Light Filtering

The abraded surface scatters direct light and helps protect merchandise or furnishings from fading. It also lends a softer, pearly glow to natural light, reducing glare on the eyes.

Durable and easy to maintain

One drawback of using glass in balustrades, railings or partition walls in high-traffic areas is the cleaning and upkeep. The frosted effect doesn’t trap dirt easily, so everyday grime and fingerprints don’t stand out as much.

Aesthetics

With its clean lines and neutral, elegant look, frosted glass lends a timeless yet modern atmosphere to offices and commercial spaces. It fits almost any interior design style, so it’s versatile enough to withstand style changes and modernizations without looking out of place or dated.

Where Can Frosted Glass Be Used?

One benefit of frosted glass is its versatility. It’s not just for windows! Check out some of these unique applications for frosted glass:

Interior doors: A frosted panel or a fully frosted interior glass door avoids dark or dreary corridors. A repeating logo stencil etched into the glass doors and panels along a bright corridor can reinforce brand awareness.

Pantry doors and closet doors: Cafés, bistros and restaurants can conceal nonaesthetic areas of the kitchen without sacrificing their interior design vision.

Sliding doors and french windows:  Businesses can maintain privacy and avoid employees being distracted by passersby by frosting large, ground-floor windows or sliding doors.

Bathroom doors: Saunas and shower doors in the gym and spa often use frosted glass to preserve privacy while ensuring the area remains fully lit and visible to avoid accidents on slippery floors.

Some other popular uses for frosted glass:

Dividing glass partitions: Glass panels in offices, retail and other commercial spaces organize large spaces without making them feel dark and closed in. The frosted effect can even highlight separate functions of each area, such as separate bar and dining areas in restaurants, different departments within the same office space or a visual break between the reception area and the rest of the business space.

Stair railings: Elegantly textured stair railings or balustrades are a stylish addition to most commercial and office spaces. Frosted glass is a sleek, affordable choice of material for handrails as it doesn’t have the heavy quality of wood or the high cost of steel.

How To Achieve A Frosted Look Without Permanently Altering The Glass

You don’t have to shoulder the cost and stress of getting your existing glass windows, doors and panels permanently altered. SpeedPro’s range of frosted window films can temporarily transform any workspace or business premises at a fraction of the cost.

Frosted films mimic acid-etched or sandblasted glass’s upscale, opaque effect perfectly. We help you select the desired style, opacity and finish to create just the right atmosphere for your business.

SpeedPro’s range of frosted glass films are made from high-quality, durable vinyl and are quick and easy to install — and just as easy to remove when you want a new look.

How To Use Privacy Glass In Your Business

Both external and internal windows with clear glass can cause privacy concerns for businesses.

Offices and commercial premises: Employees can often feel as if they are on display and feel uncomfortable with the lack of privacy. This can lower productivity and lead to employee dissatisfaction. Opaque glass can solve the problem of passersby looking in while allowing lots of natural light into the workspace. Frosted glass also gives office spaces a modern, minimalist look that is difficult to achieve with traditional cubicle materials.

Health Care:  Opaque glass enhances patient confidentiality during doctor and dentist visits. It’s also easier to maintain a higher level of hygiene as glass is easier to keep sanitized than window blinds and other coverings.

Beauty and Wellness: Beauty clinics and spas rely on soft lighting to create a relaxed atmosphere and a sense of privacy. Frosted panels in reception areas, treatment rooms and changing rooms can create an illusion of space while reducing harsh lighting.

Eateries: Frosted glass tabletops are popular in restaurants, coffee shops and even break rooms for good reason. They work well with any decor and contribute to a spacious, clean look, while the textured surface reduces fingerprints and water rings that make clear glass tables look grubby so quickly.

Why Work With A Professional 

SpeedPro has years of experience using frosted glass to help our customers achieve their vision. Whether your goal is to create privacy or transform your windows into a work of art, we can’t wait to show you how to use frosted glass in your space.

Check out your nearest SpeedPro location to make a free consultation to get started with our experts.