2 Ways To Increase The Privacy Of Your Glass Shower Enclosures

Glass shower enclosures make your bathroom beautiful, but can be hard to keep spotless and they don't afford you much privacy. You can frost the surface of your glass shower enclosure by using an etching paste or a frost spray paint and turn your plain glass shower into a decorated one. Here are the instructions for you to make these changes to your glass shower enclosures right at home.

Permanent Frosted Design

When you want to frost the glass in your shower enclosure, this permanent glass etching technique will do the job perfectly. The process uses chemicals that are safe to use at home and the finished product is permanent, so you can wipe or scrub your shower enclosure to clean it as needed. But, because your glass will be frosted instead of transparent, it will hide any water spots that would be visible on a plain glass surface.

For this project you will need:

• Peel-and-stick vinyl pattern, or roll of masking tape
• Etching paste
• Small artist paint brush
• Rubber gloves 
• Protective eye wear
• Large sponge

First, you will need to choose a design to etch onto your shower enclosure, or you can etch the entire surface. If you are etching the entire surface, you may want to mask a boarder around the edges of each glass panel to create a professional look. If you want to etch a design or monogram onto your glass, you can buy a pre-made vinyl peel-and-stick pattern or create your own custom design. There are several online companies that can make a vinyl pattern for you.

The glass will need to be free of any residue and dust, so clean the surface with a glass cleaner and a microfiber towel. Then, apply your vinyl pattern or masking tape in the design you want etched. Remember the pattern you stick onto the glass will be the negative space of your final etched design. So, the area on which you stick your pattern will remain clear glass after this etching project has been completed.

Wearing the rubber gloves, use the artist brush to apply the etching paste over the open area of your design. Be sure to glop it onto the glass thick enough, but not too thick that it is going to run down the glass.

Let the paste remain on the glass for seven minutes. Then, using a wet sponge, wipe all the etching past from the surface of the glass. 

Semi-Permanent Frosted Design

This process to create an etched look to your shower glass enclosures should be applied to the outside of the glass as it can be scraped off with a sharp edge. And, you will still be able to clean the inside of your shower door as necessary. Then, if you ever want to remove the frosted etching, you can scrape it off with a razor blade.

You will need:

• Peel-and-stick vinyl pattern, or roll of masking tape
• Can of glass frosting spray paint
• Paint drop cloth
• Roll of craft paper

Clean the outside of the glass enclosures to remove any dust or residue. Choose the design for your shower door and apply the vinyl pattern or masking tape onto the glass shower enclosure. Then, place a drop cloth below your shower door and use the tape and paper to mask off any immediate surrounding surfaces to avoid over spraying the paint.

Hold the frosting spray paint can approximately six inches away from the glass. Start spraying off to one side of your design, then glide the can back and forth across the glass enclosure, moving your arm and not your wrist. Make sure to apply a thin coat of paint so the paint doesn't run down the glass. Then, after the first coat dries, you can apply a second thin coat. If you need to apply a third coat after the second one dries, you can do so.

Once the paint is dry, remove the pattern or masking tape.

These two techniques will turn your plain glass shower enclosure into decorative frosted glass. For additional info, ask your local professionals.