Glass doors darkening
Crystal clear white glass, opaque frosted glass or dark smoked glass: Glass doors are made of different types of glass. But Glass doors can also be darkened quite easily.
Opaque glass types for glass doors
Depending on the use of space, it is advantageous or disadvantageous to have Glass doors transparent or opaque. Glass doors are made of different types of glass. They have different levels of opacity and are colored differently due to the way they are made. Depending on the substances added during the manufacturing process, Glass doors tend to be white, green or brown in color.
Frosted glass for Glass doors
Therefore, rooms where you want to be undisturbed, are better equipped with opaque Glass doors. For example, a bathroom glass door is then made of opaque frosted glass . This is opaque and keeps out unwanted glances. Frosted glass is made by reworking transparent Flint glass. It is sandblasted, acid-processed or laser-processed to give it its white, milky appearance.
Smoked glass for Glass doors
Smoked glass is darkened glass. It is brown, Anthracite or Grey. During the manufacturing process, various metal oxides or dyes are added to the glass mass. In most cases, smoked glass is not completely opaque. With this type of glass, the optical aspect is in the foreground.
Glass doors retrofit darkening
Transparent Flint glass can be easily darkened. A film in frosted glass look can be cut to the glass pane and glued to it. It turns the transparent glass pane into an opaque glass door. No films to darken glass panes are available in different optics. There are also films with smoked glass optics. Both films are available in different designs. No films are an inexpensive way of darkening glass panes at a later date. To apply, first clean the glass surface thoroughly - it must be smooth and clean for bonding: Avoid grease stains or dust. Then wet the glass surface with a little water, apply the No film and press it on with a squeegee. Use the squeegee to brush moisture and air bubbles to the outside. Wipe off any remaining water. Done.
Smart glass panels for Glass doors
A more costly alternative to darkening glass panels are glass panels that can be darkened at the touch of a button. New technologies turn transparent glass into darkened glass. Even the degree of transparency of the glass pane is divided into several levels and adjustable. Some glass pane systems are controllable via an app on a smartphone.
Switchable glass works by means of electronic particles in the glass that influence the incidence of light through voltage, giving the glass a light to dark gray tint.
In "Liquid Crystal" glass, there is a layer of liquid crystal that changes color and transparency when a DC voltage is applied.
There is also thermal glass, which transmits more or less light depending on the temperature. However, this is less suitable for privacy than for shading and energy saving.
If you don't want to replace the glass completely, you can use switchable films. You simply stick these onto the glass and control them in the same way as the "real" switchable glass by applying voltage.
Replace the glass panes of the Glass door
If you decide to completely replace the glass right away, you need to consider what kind of glass is best suited. As a rule, almost all glass panes of Glass doors are made of special Safety glass. The glass is tempered during the manufacturing process and is particularly resistant. In case of breakage, the glass pane breaks into small rounded pieces. There is Tempered safety glass (Tempered safety glass) made of a hardened glass pane or Laminated safety glass (Laminated glass), in which an additional film is incorporated. Completely opaque or only discolored: Frosted glass or smoked glass are available with different opacities.