Glass Etched Front Door Side Window

Abbey D
by Abbey D
Our front door has three small windows on the side that see straight into our house, giving us no privacy at all from visitors. All too often I'm sitting at the kitchen table and a solicitor approaches the door and can see immediately that I'm sitting in my living room or at my kitchen table. Enough was enough, so I decided rather than block out crucial light to our space, I'd at least try to obstruct the view with this simple Glass Etched Front Door Side Window Tutorial.
The whole thing takes about 1-2 hours to do and is very affordable--much cheaper than a curtain or a new door.
You'll need a stencil, glass etching cream, a glass etching brush, and stencil adhesive. More details are on my blog about specifics.
Start by cleaning your windows well and then cutting your stencil(s) to the size(s) and width(s) you'll need for each window. I used two stencils for this project cut down to the appropriate size.
After the stencil was placed, I layered glass etching cream on thick and let sit for 15 minutes. Then I pulled the stencil off and used a credit card to wipe off the excess cream, placing it back in the bottom. Glass etching cream is reusable. Once the etching is done and excess cream is off, use a paper towel and windex to clean off the window. Then repeat the steps all the way up.
The end result allows light to still come in, but obscures the view for visitors enough to allow you some privacy!


The full instructions and tutorial can be found on my blog, link below.
Abbey D
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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  • Katherine Carradin Katherine Carradin on Jan 05, 2017
    Is the glass permanently damaged? Or does it come off when needed???
  • Kathleen Maune AuBuchon Kathleen Maune AuBuchon on Jul 05, 2017

    I have on hand a can of window frost. Do you think this would work?

  • BonDiva BonDiva on Sep 04, 2023

    I rent etching cream is what it is how could you stop it from being a permanent damage to the glass?

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2 of 76 comments
  • Michelle Mitchell Michelle Mitchell on Mar 14, 2022

    I used that privacy paper on my shower doors.

  • Dei51622946 Dei51622946 on Nov 15, 2022

    I rather like this idea. Just wondering, would it be suitable to use in my shower room? The plastic covering, for some reason, keeps peeling off.

    Thank you for the tutorial.

    Deirdre

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