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Thursday, February 2, 2012

How to frost a window using contact paper

If you haven't discovered this product yet, there is transparent contact paper that is "sort of" transparent.  It isn't clear at all.  It's frosted.  I've used it for many, many years to frost windows.  The same roll has lasted for 14 years.  Frost windows over windows (you want to let the light in but don't want the neighbors to see in from your second story windows).  That was the case in my old house.  There was no need for an expensive custom shaped treatment.

Frost windows in doors (you want the light but need the privacy).  This is this case in my current house.  I have a door in my laundry room with a window in it.  We often change in there and don't want the neighbors to see, but want all the light we can get that a blind or window treatment would obscure.  The glass has etched in divided lights, and the contact paper still went on just fine.



You can also frost sidelights beside doors.  I see those alot at front doors, and those bunch sheers just look dated.  Again, you will get all the light with privacy and no need for odd small window treatments.

TIPS: 
- I spray a little diluted windex before I start to apply it to make the bubbles easier to smooth out. 
- I start with the top only, then slowly pull the paper off with one hand as I use my other hand to smooth out bubbles
- if the roll isn't wide enough, butt the factory edges together to get the best seam between pieces (you can sort of see the seam in my picture above on the far right (running through the second w in window)
- cut the contact paper to size before you apply it, but leave a little room for shifting (using a box cutter or exacto blade to cut any excess once the paper is down).

Here is what the product looks like (mine is Contact brand, but I saw a different brand at the dollar store the other day...can't guarantee it will give the same results)

Image 1

Here's a link:

Transparent Contact Paper

This doesn't seem to work as well at frosting cabinet glass.  Because the contents of the cabinets are so close to the glass you can still see everything inside.  Works great on windows since nothing is right up against it.

Hope that helps!