What Is Obscure Glass?
Obscure glass covers a type of glass that includes frosted glass, patterned glass, textured glass and privacy glass that all have reduced transparency. Visibility through the pane of glass is limited and this is most often used in bathrooms and homes for privacy.
Frosted, or privacy glass, is opaque so that light can transmit, but you can't see through the glass. Patterned and textured glass obscures the view so that it's transparent in varying degrees.
Types of Obscure Glass
Frosted Glass
Glass can be given an opaque or frosted translucent appearance by acid-etching to produce fine detailed patterns.
Textured Glass
Glass can be obscured by creating a textured pattern into glass.
How Obscure Glass Is Made
Obscure glass is created from standard annealed glass, or it can be created from toughened or laminated glass if safety standards are also required.
Acid-etched
To apply a frosted and translucent finish to glass, an acid or caustic substance is applied that eats into and removes the surface glass creating a slightly rough imprint. This process is applied after the glass has been manufactured.
Glass can have a solid frosting for maximum translucency and privacy, or be used to create artistic and geometric patterns. Acid-etching is also popular on door glazing for the application of numbers and words, such as a house name or number.
Glass that has been acid etched has an even surface.
Textured Glass
Patterned or textured glass has the pattern pressed into the glass while the glass is still in its molten state on the production line.
During manufacturing, a molten sheet of glass is passed through rollers with a pattern mould, this imprints into the glass and then the glass is quickly cooled for the pattern to remain. Patterned glass has an uneven and textured surface in varying degrees and can be textured on one or both sides.