Ode to an Opaque Window

This is really a Work in Progress. IZ and I have been contemplating replacing the very scratched plexiglass window on our porch for an opaque or frosted version to help provide some privacy. It’s not an inexpensive project and there are other things in line that need to be done around the house, so we’ve not moved on it. 

But then the neighbors took down privacy hedges a month ago and wow do we feel exposed! We hadn’t realized how much their hedges had provided a visual break and shielded our property. Now, we feel like the porch is a fish bowl. And that point was driven home when another neighbor mentioned her shock at seeing us on our porch one morning, while we were drinking coffee. It wasn’t a complaint as much as she hadn’t noticed our sitting arrangement on the porch from her yard before.

Grab a book? A cup of tea? Settle in for a quiet read.

While I’m fairly certain we’d love having an opaque window in the space, it’s still a big investment and probably not on this year’s agenda. So, I started doing some research on how to “frost” plexiglass as a make-shift solution. Something that will give us a chance to live with the idea without committing funds to something we might regret. 

Originally, I thought I would just “etch” the window like glass. But that’s not possible with plexiglass. Your options are have it sandblasted, use a sander on it, or spray paint it.

Yeah, you heard me, spray paint it. Rust-Oleum makes a product called Frosted Glass Spray that can be used on plexiglass. (though, it’s not mentioned on the can, google assures me it’s ok!) You can pick up  Frosted Glass Spray at your local hardware store for about $5 a can. I had also read online that a can would cover about 20 square feet, so I initially bought 2 cans to complete my project.*

I’m not completely enamored with the results. But it’s a huge improvement over what was there previously. And I think it might be the inspiration I need (read: Kick in the pants) to finally make a bench cushion. Because those slatted seats are oh-so-unkind to the posterior. But really, doesn’t it look like a nice place to read a book? You know, without being watched. 

Photos of the process, step by step, below the fold.

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