Clear Vs Frosted Glass

Have you ever wondered how panel and door manufacturers get glass to look cloudy or opaque? There are a lot of uses for doors with this type of glass, but first let’s learn how these doors are made and what makes them different from clear glass.

There are two primary ways that glass is made more opaque: acid etching or sandblasting. Etched glass usually has an intricate design that blocks the view through the glass. The glass may not be cloudy, but you still can’t clearly see what is on the other side.

Frosted glass is made by sandblasting the surface to wear it away, giving the glass a cloudy look like frosty winter glass. Sandblasting is done using either silicone carbide or aluminum oxide. Both of these materials can be reused again and again, making them more eco-friendly and affordable, keeping costs low for consumers.

Read on to learn the many ways you can use this beautiful and effective glass barrier.

Frosted Glass Door

Commercial Uses of Frosted Glass Panels and Doors

There are so many uses for frosted glass in commercial or nonprofit facilities that we have broken them up into three different categories. It offers the ability to see if someone is using a room at a glance, without being able to see enough detail to know who is inside.

Frosted Glass Exterior Doors

These entry doors don’t just look elegant, they can actually be a fairly wise investment. The glass offers another insulated barrier to the interior of your facility or office, which can give you energy savings as well as privacy. Allow natural light to come in while still keeping your clientele private.

Some of the most common examples of frosted glass exterior doors are:

  • Smaller healthcare practices in which you enter the reception area immediately from the exterior doors.
  • Hair and nail salons
  • Boutiques and other unique services that want to add a measure of elegance to their entry way.

Frosted Glass for Facilities

All buildings have bathrooms, even if they are only available for employees. If the bathroom opens onto a sitting room or an open area with sinks and mirrors, an opaque door could be appropriate. The biggest draw to using these doors on bathrooms is to just add a bit of elegance while still maintaining modesty.

If your building is large enough to have a kitchen or breakroom, you might want to improve the look and feel with frosted glass partitions. You can also use partitions to direct traffic through your facility. Restaurants often use cloudy or etched glass partitions or doors to hide server stations.

Some larger buildings, gyms, and healthcare facilities offer more amenities, such as showers. It is common to use glass partitions to separate the shower area from the rest of the restroom. Stand alone showers might use custom frosted glass so that others can tell it is occupied without sacrificing modesty.

Residential Uses for Frosted Glass

The two most common places you’ll see cloudy glass in homes is exterior doors of different types and shower doors. But there are several other residential uses for glass.

Frosted Glass Shower Doors

The most common place you will see frosted doors is in residential showers. You have a lot of options for the barrier you choose for your standing shower or shower/tub combo. A frosted glass shower door is the easiest to keep clean and sanitized while still offering privacy.

Having a frosted door is a huge blessing in a home with lots of people and few showers or bathrooms. When you have a frosted glass shower door, someone can be in the shower while another person is using the toilet, brushing their teeth, or otherwise grooming.

If you have children and a busy work and social life, you probably don’t have a lot of time to clean either. The frosted look of these shower doors hides the soap scum and hard water stains that typically form on shower doors. That means even if you don’t have time to clean your shower, you don’t really have to worry about guests using your restroom without notice.

We offer custom frosted glass shower doors, exterior and interior doors, and partitions for both homes and businesses. Contact us today to discuss your needs and find solutions together.

Frosted glass shower door

Home Frosted Glass Entry Doors

Glass entry doors are most commonly seen on kitchen back doors, front doors, or outdoor pool or cabana doors. Using opalescent glass has a lot of advantages in these applications, including:

  • Added insulation
  • Reduce daytime heat coming through the glass
  • Allow sunlight to filter through into your home, providing soft natural light
  • Block UV rays to protect your furniture, collections, and other belongings prone to fading

Most back doors are solid, but having a door with glass panels in the kitchen can make it seem more cheery and inviting. The soft natural light that comes through the frosted glass will make the kitchen seem cozier.

If you have an outdoor pool, sauna, or hot tub, you might benefit from installing a cabana or pool house, if you haven’t already done so. You can install frosted glass exterior doors on this outdoor building to give it some elegance and more light.

Call the Glass Experts at Century Glass

Century Glass is the glass company you can count on. We have a team of glass professionals who can assist you with your windshield, shower door, and home glass needs. We understand reliability and convenience are key. Our customers enjoy not just clearer glass, but see life’s moments more clearly.

Call us today at:
Columbia: 803-256-8134
Northeast Columbia: 803-699-2342
Charleston: 843-614-4628

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