How to Cover a Glass Door for Privacy

Last Updated: March 1, 2023 References

Glass doors are a beautiful addition to your home that can be especially useful on sunny days. But sometimes a bit of privacy is nice. While there are plenty of options for covering glass doors for privacy, frosting your glass, applying window film, and installing curtains and all simple, affordable options that provide plenty of flexibility.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Frosting the Glass

1
Clean your glass door with water and vinegar. Pour 4 parts water and 1 part vinegar into a spray bottle. Afterward, spray the glass windows with the solution. Wipe the windows in circular motions with a clean cloth. Once you've wiped them down, wipe them again with vertical strokes, followed by horizontal strokes.
2
Cover your doors using blue painter's tape. Start by applying horizontal and vertical pieces along the outside edge of the glass to cover the frame of the door. Continue laying the tape onto your door until all the wood is adequately covered.^{[1]
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- If you're not experienced with spray paint, cover as much of the door with tape as you can.
- You can also cover the door with plastic sheeting and attach it with painter's tape.
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3
Spray on the frosted glass spray paint. Shake the spray can well before using it. Start from the top of each glass pane and make short horizontal sprays. Alternate between spraying from left to right and right to left. Steadily move the can down the glass as you spray.^{[2]
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- Hold a piece of cardboard next to your door to cover any exposed area not covered by tape.
4
Leave the window to sit for 10 minutes to let it dry. This will allow the frosting to take effect. Afterward, check the opacity of the frosting layer. If it's not to your liking, apply another coat. The more coats, the more opaque your glass will be and the more privacy you will have.^{[3]
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- Don't apply a second layer immediately after the first—frosting takes a bit of time to take effect.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Applying Window Film

1
Dry-fit the window film to the glass and cut it to size. Wet the glass you plan to cover with 4 to 5 sprays of water. Mount the film vertically or horizontally onto the glass—whichever direction makes the most efficient use of the film. The water will hold the film in place. Trim it about 1 inch (2.5 cm) larger than the glass size using an utility knife.^{[4]
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- Measure each door before purchasing your window film. Most films are either 36 or 48 inches (91 or 122 cm) wide—select the most suitable size.
2
Stick the film to a nearby window with water. Apply another 4 to 5 sprays of water to a nearby window. Stick the film to the window and gently pat it down with your hands. Make sure that the release liner is facing you.^{[5]
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- Rub the 2 sides of the window film together to determine the adhesive side. Be careful not to crease the film. One side is slippery when rubbed against itself. The other grabs and doesn't slip easily. The slippery side is the release liner.
- If you have a friend with you, have them hold up the film instead.
3
Fill a spray bottle with water and baby shampoo. Pour water into a ¹⁄₄ gallon (0.95 L) spray bottle until it's ¾ of the way full. Add 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of baby shampoo. Plain water makes the film stick too quickly, while too much soap prevents it from sticking at all.^{[6]
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- After screwing the top back on, gently turn the bottle upside down and back repeatedly to mix the soap.
4
Clean the glass using a window scraper and squeegee. Wet the entire glass surface with your cleaning solution and wipe it down with a sponge. Afterward, press the squeegee firmly against the glass and drag it horizontally across the surface beginning at the top and working your way toward the bottom. At the end of each squeegee pass, wipe the blade with a lint-free towel or microfiber towel.^{[7]
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- Carefully wipe the window frame with a clean cloth after you're done squeegeeing.
5
Place a piece of tape on each side of the film's top-left corner. Wet the piece of tape closest to the window. Press it down until it sticks firmly to the window. Be sure that the second piece of tape closest to you is free and grip it with your right hand.^{[8]
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6
Pull the liner off the film gently while spraying it with water. Hold a spray bottle filled with water in your left hand. Begin pulling the second piece of tape downward to remove the liner from the film. Do this slowly to ensure that you don't ruin the pieces of film as you separate them. Spray the film as you remove the liner.^{[9]
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- Continue pulling off the release liner and spray the film as you go.
- Be sure that the tape stuck to the window is secure before you begin pulling the second piece of tape.
7
Spray the film thoroughly with the soap solution once the liner is removed. After the release liner is removed, spray the entire surface of the film again with your soap solution. Afterward, spray the center of the clean glass you are covering. Don't spray the edges—this will wash out leftover dirt from the crevices.^{[10]
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8
Apply the film to the glass over the soap solution. Carefully place the film over the glass and let the water hold it in place. Start by attaching it at the top 2 corners of the glass door and work your way downward.^{[11]
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9
Squeegee the water out to the edges of the glass. Start from the center and work outward. Push the squeegee across the glass door instead of pulling. This will drive more water out and ensure a better bond.^{[12]
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- Don't go all the way to the edge—leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the edge.
10
Trim the film using a breakaway knife and a 5-way tool. Carefully slide the 5-way tool up into the corner of the glass, pressing the film down up to the frame. Afterward, lay the knife against the 5-way tool on the glass side of the tool. Slide the blade down until the blade is at the halfway point of the 5-way tool. Slide both tools together down the frame of the window to trim the film at the edge of the frame.^{[13]
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- Press down against the frame as you cut the film.
- Repeat this process for each side of your window.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Installing Curtains

1
Measure your glass doors and take note of the area. Measure horizontally at 3 different places along the doors. Afterward, draw a rough sketch of the doors and mark the largest horizontal measurement.^{[14]
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- Snap a photo of the glass doors to use with your sketch as you shop.
- If you're using curtains that are top down, you probably want to do a single rail with two shades on that rail. That way, you could leave the stationary side down if you want and raise that.
2
Purchase curtains and magnetic curtain rods. Typically, 84 inch (210 cm) curtains will sit at or above the floor. In terms of width, select curtains that are at least twice the width of the glass, and keep in mind that adjustable magnetic curtain rods are typically between 17 to 30 inches (43 to 76 cm) wide. Use rods that extend ¹⁄₂ to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) beyond either side of the glass.^{[15]
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- Account for curtain type when determining curtain height and rod placement. The common types are hooks, rings, tabs, grommets, or pockets.^{[16]
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3
Measure and mark the bracket locations on the doors. Use a measuring tape and pencil to mark the locations for your curtain brackets. Place the rods about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) outside of your the glass area of the door. Hold the rod and brackets in place and decide if the placement aligns with your vision.^{[17]
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- Ask a friend to place a carpenter's level on top of your rod to make sure it's even. If you're on your own, hold the rod steady with one hand and place the carpenter's level on top with your other.
4
Attach magnetic curtain rods to the doors, then add the curtains. Locate the self-stick magnetic tabs that come with each bracket. Remove the paper covering the adhesive portion of the tabs and firmly press them onto the measured bracket locations. Afterward, slide the rod through your curtain and attach it to the rod.^{[18]
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- Adjust the width of the rod as needed if it's adjustable rod.