3 Types of Privacy Glass for Front Glass Door, Window, Frosted Shower Doors

If you’re looking for privacy glass for a front door, interior door or a privacy glass frosted shower door, whether you need a little privacy or a lot, you can get just the amount you need through beautiful carved, and frosted glass art, by Sans Soucie. When you browse our products it doesn’t take long to see that we have lots of different ways we can sandblast (and even paint), the same design. All these wonderful options make it possible to offer our beautiful art glass in a wide range of price and privacy levels.

Watch our Privacy Glass Video!

3 Levels of Privacy: Our Glass Finish (a.k.a. Background) Options

While there’s lots of options to see and consider, when it comes to PRIVACY we have 3 basic types of backgrounds that create different levels of privacy. We call these our “Glass Finishes”, and they are:  Clear Glass, Gluechipped Glass, and a Frosted Glass Background. Let’s take a look at each of these and learn more about them, starting with Clear Glass.

Clear Glass

A Clear Glass Background will always be considered semi-private at best, and in some cases not private at all. That’s because no matter how much each design covers the glass, there will always be SOME clear areas that can be seen through. The amount of frosted coverage vs. clear glass areas, will vary by design. Certain designs such as “Metacurl” will cover large portions of the glass, blocking or obscuring the view through those areas. However, there’s also large sections of Clear Glass at both the top – and bottom, and smaller areas of Clear Glass throughout the design that can be seen through.

Here’s our “Cranes”, “Lake Arrowhead”, and “Palm Sunset” designs, also on Clear Glass. Each design has different amounts of frosted coverage, and provide SOME degree of obscurity. But given the amount of Clear Glass or lightly frosted areas, each of these would be considered semi private.

Then there are designs like “Wispy Tree”, “Iris Hummingbird”, and “Cranes and Cattails” that have very LOW amounts of sandblast coverage. These designs leave the majority of the glass clear, which therefore, makes these pieces not private at all.

Gluechip Glass

Next, we have our Gluechip Glass Background. Gluechip is a beautiful, sparkling, fern-like texture that creates random patterns in the glass. A natural occurring process believed to have originated in Europe, during the 19th century. Glue-chipping involves applying a thin layer of a special glue to a sandblast etched surface. As the glue dries over many hours it shrinks, cracks, and peels up into small random shapes, and pieces. As it does it takes a thin layer of glass with it, leaving behind a unique – textured, pattern. The Gluechip pattern not only creates obscurity, but adds another element of beauty and lustre to the glass.

Objects behind a Gluechip background will become blurred when 10-12” away from the glass. Design elements and the Gluechip Glass, are separated by an 1/8” clear pinstripe. Objects can be seen when they’re held right up against the glass. And, if you approach the glass and peer through it, you can see through the 1/8” clear pinstripes. It’s for this reason this glass is considered semi private.

Frosted Glass

Next, we have our Frosted Glass Background. We have a number of effects that fall into our Frosted background category:

1. Pinstripe (semi-private)
2. Negative (semi-private)
3. 100% Private

Pinstripe means the design elements are made up of thin, clear pinstripes, and are approximately an-eighth-of an-inch thick. This effect is considered semi-private. Because, while the majority of the glass is frosted and obscure, you’ll still be able to peer through those thin pinstripes, and see what’s on the other side when you get right up against the glass. From a distance however the view is obscured.

With a Negative effect, the design elements are clear and the background is frosted. And, once again, the degree of privacy will vary by design. This will depend on how much frosted vs. clear areas the design will create.

Private glass means just that: The glass- will be private. The background will be completely frosted, leaving no clear areas and creating 100% obscurity in the glass. Objects are only visible when it’s pressed right up against the glass. But, once you’re a few inches away from the glass, objects can’t be seen at all. This makes it the perfect solution, for the areas where you need privacy without blocking light.

So, once again whether you want a little privacy or a lot, you can get just the amount you need through beautiful carved, and frosted glass art by Sans Soucie. If you need assistance selecting the right type of privacy glass for your front door, interior door or frosted shower door, don’t hesitate to contact us!