How to Frost Glass Door Panels: A DIY Guide

Glass panel interior doors are an excellent choice if you want to combine aesthetics and function in the entryways of your home. They’re sleek and modern, and allow much more light to enter a room. 

That said, having people see through every part of your house doesn’t provide a lot of privacy–this is where frosted glass door panels come in as a welcome alternative. Frosting glass door panels are an easy solution to keep the look of glass doors while adding a higher level of seclusion. 

What Is Frosted Glass?

Frosted glass is a type of processed glass that’s made to be opaque instead of transparent. This is often done industrially by either sandblasting or acid etching a clear sheet of glass, which gives it a pitted appearance on one side of the pane. 

Are glass doors energy efficient? Yes–they optimize the amount of natural light that can fill a space, which reduces the need for artificial lighting. They’re also a practical addition because they’re durable and easy to maintain.

How to Frost Glass Door Panels

While you can buy doors with frosted glass panels, you can also frost them yourself, which makes sense when you already have existing glass doors. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to frost glass door panels:

1. Clean Your Glass

Use a window cleaner and a squeegee (or a nice cloth) to clean the glass that you’ll frost. You may want to do this twice to ensure that there is no leftover debris as these could affect the final look of your frosted glass. Rub it completely dry afterward!

1. Stencil a Pattern (Optional)

If you’d like to add design to your frosting, stencil a pattern on the glass. You can do this using tape or stickers, or applying a paper stencil on top of the surface. The same should be done if you’re only frosting a section of the pane.

1. Cover Your Work Area

Frosting glass can get messy, so lay down drop sheets or plastic bags in the surrounding areas to keep them clean.

1. Protect Yourself

Remember to wear the right gear for the project–particularly gloves and goggles–to protect yourself. Spray paint and etching cream can be harmful to your skin.

1. Get Frosting

There are three ways general ways to frost glass door panels yourself:

Removable Window Adhesive

Frosted glass adhesives are available in rolls costing between $10 and $15. You simply cut them with scissors to fit the space, then seal the sticker to the clean glass. 

Frosted Glass Spray

You can buy frosted glass spray that you can lightly spray onto clear glass to give it a frosted look. Make sure to follow the directions on the can, so you know how much to spray (i.e. how many layers to reach your desired opacity).

Etching Cream

Etching cream is a permanent frosting method. To apply it, simply lay a smooth coat over the glass surface. 

Etching cream is quite different from the previous two methods because it results in a more patterned opaqueness. What is the glass door before the front door, and what’s the best way to frost it? Etching cream is the way to go with these storm doors.

Interior Glass Doors from 27estore

27estore’s catalog of premium quality interior doors is the best option for glass entryways, whether you want to keep them plain or frost them later. Check out our selection today!