Privacy Glass

Obscure glass

This type of glass is one that reduces the level of visibility through the pane. The upside is you can limit how much is visible through the glass to gain privacy into a bathroom, for example. However, the downside is that light through your windows, in most cases, is also reduced. Privacy is defined on a rating scale of 1 to 5. Level 1 is just above transparent with some visibility through the glass. On the opposite side of the scale, level 5 offers some light transmission through the glass with complete privacy.

Textured glass

Textured glass has the pattern pressed into the glass during manufacture while the glass is still in its molten state on the production line. As a result, there is a wide range of options and styles that enable varying levels of privacy.

Acid-etched

This uses an acid, caustic or abrasive substance to remove a tiny amount of the surface glass creating a slightly rough overlay. It’s used to apply a frost translucent appearance to an entire pane of glass or can be used to create artistic and geometric patterns. It can also enable the application of numbers and words to a glass panel, such as a house name or number. The level of privacy is defined by the amount of decoration added, as the etching makes the glass opaque.