How To Cover Glass Doors For Privacy: 8 Best Solutions
Achieving privacy in your own home is crucial if you want peace of mind and the freedom to relax.
Glass doors look stunning but it’s very easy to feel unsafe or annoyed at nosy neighbors when your home is visible from the outside.
There are plenty of solutions to try that will provide you with adequate privacy without getting rid of the glass doors however I can sum up the best of them as follows:
The best way to cover glass doors for privacy is to add a frosted glass effect, hang drapes or curtains, or use a window film to cover it or glass paint. Other options include using shutters, blinds, or Roman shades.
These ideas are the most effective, affordable, and easy solutions to cover any glass door whether you need temporary or permanent coverage.
I’d like to go into further detail about each option so that you can find the one that will suit your needs. Here’s what you need to know:
Table of Contents
Best Ways To Cover Glass Doors
1. Hang Drapes or Curtains
A simple, quick, and easy solution to cover the glass doors almost immediately is to hang a curtain or drapes.
Having drapes cover a glass door will provide you with all the privacy you need while also providing a flexible option for when to have the glass doors covered or not.
Sheer curtains are great for reducing visibility while still allowing for natural light to filter in whereas block-out curtains are fantastic for nighttime privacy!
Figuring out how to hang the curtains will depend on the style and type of glass doors you have but for wide glass doors, you could install a curtain rod above the door as you normally would for a window.
But if it’s a door with framed glass panels such as French doors, you could hang these drapes or curtains to cover that portion by installing the curtain just above the glass panel like this one below:
Check out this gorgeous door curtain from Amazon
2. Glass Paint
For full coverage, painting the glass doors makes sense.
A few coats of quality glass paint either in a frosted glass effect or a simple paint that provides full coverage will help you achieve your desired level of privacy.
There are a few basic glass paints you can use on doors:
- Enamel Glass Paint – A great option for durability that is resistant to wear and tear with a glossy finish. Cost of paint: $5 -15
- Opaque Acrylic Glass Paint – Provides a full solid coverage that makes it difficult to see through the glass doors.
- Frosted Glass Spray Paint – This paint can be used to create an etched or frosted appearance that provides privacy but also allows for light to enter the space. It’s also relatively cheap, so you could buy a can of frosted paint for about +/- $12.
If you’re looking for a step-by-step process to frost glass windows, you’re going to love this demonstration by Garden Fork:
He’ll show you the exact process of painting the window including how to set up before painting so you don’t end up making a mess.
It’s a really simple, easy, and effective way to cover any window or glass door panel.
3. Invest In Frosted Glass
Frosted glass is the perfect solution for glass doors as this keeps the glass effect except you have a more intricate and interesting pattern on the doors that makes it difficult for anyone to see in.
The only problem with the frosted glass option is that it also prevents visibility of the outside but if it’s worth the price for the privacy you need, then opt for this solution.
There are various methods to achieve a frosted glass effect.
First, you could remove your current doors and get frosted glass doors but that might be a waste of money. This would only be suitable if you’re planning to have glass doors in your home.
The other way to add a frosted glass effect to your glass doors would be to use a spray paint or purchase a non-adhesive sticker with an effect like the one below:
Check out this frosted glass sticker
These stickers come in different sizes, so you’ll be able to choose the appropriate one for your doors.
4. Use Window Flims
The next option you could try is going for a window film that will stick to the glass doors.
These usually come in any size and you can even cut them down to size.
Certain window films can provide privacy but also UV protection. They can also be installed inside or outside.
If you’d like to see an easy way to install a window film on a glass door, be sure to check out this fantastic tutorial from HGTV:
Window films are great if you need an affordable and easy solution that will get it done fast.
5. Go With A UV Reflective One-Way Cover
A specific covering you could get is a UV reflective adhesive that will cover the glass in one way where you’ll only be able to see the outside whereas there’ll be no visibility from the exterior.
This is a great option if you’d like to have privacy without compromising on the outside view.
This also makes it easier to know what’s going on outside as well.
You can get this removable one-way reflective window film over here that is ideal for glass windows and doors in your home.
The other benefit of this window film is that it blocks out heat and UV rays, and is easy to install with its static cling feature. This window film is only suitable for smooth glass surfaces.
6. Use Shutters
Install a high-quality shutter on the glass doors for a clean, streamlined look.
This provides you with a secure and elegant aesthetic that not only provides privacy but also helps block out sunlight and potential damage from outside elements.
These are available in most types of materials but you can find them in glass, wood, and metal.
In terms of the cost, it depends on the size, material, and installation but you’re looking at anywhere between $200 – $1500+ for the shutters and installation.
Consider getting custom shutters done that will suit your glass doors to ensure a perfect fit and look.
7. Hang Blinds
If you’re more accustomed to blinds rather than curtains, then opt for blinds instead.
The best blinds to cover a glass door are:
- Vertical Blinds
- Roller Shades
- Sliding Panel Curtains
- Cellular Shades
This offers a modern and contemporary style that is ideal to provide sufficient coverage no matter the size of the doors.
Blinds offer a seamless look that can also be opened and closed at any time which is also affordable and easy to install.
8. Opt For Roman Shades
The last option you can consider is using Roman shades that will give a stylish, beautiful, and elegant look.
Roman shades provide controllable privacy which you can adjust by lowering or raising them by using the cord.
These can be used on sliding doors, french doors, and most glass doors.
Choose Roman shades that will enhance and complement the rest of the decor and the doors themselves.
Conclusion
There are plenty of different ways to cover glass doors for privacy and I can say with full certainty that all of these ideas will match and blend in perfectly with most interiors.
Whether you go with a frosted glass effect that adds a stylish and detailed look or if you’d like to stick with a more traditional finish such as roman shades, curtains, blinds, or drapes, these solutions will look amazing.
By using any of these ideas, it’s a relief to have peace of mind that you can finally enjoy your privacy again.
I hope you found the exact solution to your problem with these ideas and if you can think of any other way to cover a glass door, be sure to leave them below.
For now, here are a couple of other posts you might enjoy reading:
How To Stop Door From Opening Fully (5 Helpful Solutions)
