Thursday, April 3, 2014

[ home ] :: diy frosted security glass

When we moved into our house in 2012, one of the major concerns we had was with the glass on the garage doors. It was completely see-through and really creeped me out! For security reasons, we didn't want someone to be able to peer into the garage and tell if we were home or not, or if we were out of town. Granted, our burglar alarm would alert the police if someone broke in, but there is something unsettling about having a person learn your daily schedule.


We really couldn't afford to replace the clear glass with frosted glass, and we definitely couldn't afford new doors (although they are still on my long-term wish list...I'm dying for some carriage-style doors). I heard about this frosted glass spray from a friend and thought it would be a good alternative for the time being. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it at the hardware store but it is carried on Amazon for just under $10 a can. All in all, we used 2 full cans of Rustoleum Frosted Glass Spray making the total project cost around $20.

Rustoleum Frosted Glass Spray - $9.98, Amazon
Before using the spray, it is very important to clean the glass surface well. I used a mix of 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts water, scrubbed the inside of the glass and the garage door, and let it dry for a few hours. Then, I followed the directions on the can and applied thin, even layers of the spray until it had the desired effect.


We chose to only spray the inside of the garage doors since they are more protected from the elements, and the outside glass is nice and glossy. There are a few pros and cons to this spray, however:

Pros: The spray is inexpensive and gives you the desired effect in just a few minutes. I love that it gives us added security but still lets in plenty of light and looks really nice from a distance.

Cons: This may have been due to user error, but I could not get it to apply evenly! If you look at the door from 10 feet away it looks great, but there is a definite "cloud" effect going on. I think that if it was used on a smaller area then it would go on more evenly.

I absolutely want to use the Rustoleum Frosted Glass spray again, but for crafting! I made a gold-sprayed glass candle holder and I think it would be fun to use the same technique again but with this frosting spray.

- Maggie White

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