Spotlight on: Privacy Window Film
Many people know the benefits of window films for things like heat gain reduction and increasing glass safety, but one of the biggest uses for window film in the UK is to add privacy to glass.
Glass is such a wonderful architectural tool, creating bright and airy spaces and allowing the outside to come in – however there are instances were a little bit of privacy would be nice. The solution has traditionally been some form of manual covering; curtains, blinds, or shutters, which are great solutions but do have their downsides. Curtains and blinds can fade over time and can be difficult to clean. They are also a bit of an “all or nothing” fix – they’re either open or closed, and when closed will block out the view entirely.
One alternative option would be a window film designed to create a one-way mirror effect, allowing the people inside to see out, whilst stopping people outside from seeing in. In the past, basic window films have achieved this during the day while it is brighter outside than it is inside, but as soon as that balance switched at night, the reverse was true; people could see in, but those looking out would only see a mirror. With the advent of a new generation of window films, these issues have been drastically reduced using duel reflectance technology. This means that the inner face of the window film is a neutral, non-reflective surface and the external facing side of the film retains it’s mirrored qualities for far longer. Of course, most people do close their curtains at night anyway, so the point may be moot, but the advances in window film technology are certainly paving the way for a wider range of applications.
One-way mirror privacy is a perfect solution for those who want to keep the blinds and curtains open during the day, but to stop prying eyes from seeing what is going on in the house or office, and to keep valuables out of sight.
The other main type of privacy window film Solar Sentry deals with, is frosted film. Frosted films obscure almost all vision through the glass, with the benefit of allowing a good deal of light to pass through, retaining the brightness but hiding the view. Frost can also be very easily cut and shaped to any design, making it one of the most versatile options available.
Solar Sentry has carried out many privacy window film installations for a range of reasons; some were for privacy and dignity, others had more of a security aspect to them. One office in Cheltenham had an employee often in the office alone, so a one-way mirror film allowed her to keep the view out whilst stopping people from seeing that she was working by herself. We have also applied frosted film to many bathroom windows and shower areas as a cost effective alternative to replacing the glass for textured glass.
Privacy window film is such a huge part of what we do here at Solar Sentry, it has it’s very own page on our website! If you’d like to know more about adding privacy to your home or business, please feel free to get in touch!