Whether you want to create a level of privacy at the office or are looking to add a feature wall to your home – obscure glass has an abundance of applications. Therefore making it one of the most versatile types of glass on the market. But how much do you know about obscure glass?
Here at The Wallkingdon Glass we’re experts in bespoke glass and have a wealth of experience in the industry. We will be answering your most asked questions about obscure glass – and telling you how it can be used both at home and in the office.
Obscure glass of any type distorts or obscures the items on the other side of the glass. Whether this is by using colour, textures or patterns. Obscure glass ranges from offering a very slight distortion to completely hiding the items from view, or revealing only silhouettes.
Perhaps the most common sort of obscure glass is satin glass. Which has been chemically treated to stop it from being transparent, while still allowing light through. Immediately distinctive with its smooth, frosted appearance, satin glass is a versatile and popular form of obscure glass.
From our two toughening plants to our state-of-the-art computer numerical cutting machine and our most recent laminating kiln – we have the equipment to create a wide range of glass designs. As obscure glass is by far one of the most popular applications for commercial and residential buildings.
To create frosted glass, regular sheet glass are acid etched to create a pitted surface on one side of the glass. This results in the transparency of the glass pane, which scatters light when it passes through. As a result helping to blur the images but still letting through the light.
Frosted glass is one type of obscure glass, revealing a distorted image on the other side of the glass. It can be distinguished by its white opaque frosting, which offers a very hazy transparency. However, this is not the same as being opaque. Obscure glass still allows large amounts of light to pass through it, illuminating an area. While an opaque surface, such as a wall, doesn’t allow any light through.
Frosted glass applications still allow light to filter in, although images will be distorted for privacy. Although frosted glass still allows a good amount of light to come through, typically it will naturally cut out some of the light due to the pattern and texture.
Many kinds of obscure glass exist, from frosted satin glass to textured glass of many patterns and textures. These include decorative glass designs, like patterns incorporating pictures, as well as purely obscuring glass designed only to provide privacy.
At The Wallkingdon Glass we offer a range of obscure glass designs, including frosted satin glass, sandblasted glass, which offers both privacy and style as we can create bespoke designs for any application.
Frosted glass can come in pretty much any pattern you wish, whether that be simple or an intricate design. You can opt for partial obscurity with our sandblasted glass service which allows you to get creative with the design of your frosted glass window for a striking feature element in any bathroom.
There are a range of benefits to adding obscure glass around your home, but up there as the most popular application is bathroom windows. Obscure glass windows in the bathroom not only add an extra layer of privacy for you but can also work as a practical way of blocking out unsightly views outside.
Here at The Wallkingdon Glass we sell a variety of different applications ideal for creating a sense of privacy in the bathroom, including our popular frosted satin glass for a translucent finish which allows great amounts of natural light to fill your bathroom. This particular type of glass is incredibly hard-wearing, lasting for years after application for the ultimate investment piece for your home.
Obscure glass can be made in a wide variety of ways, providing a range of effects. We are experts in the production of obscure glass and can offer a range including Taffeta, Sycamore, Stippolyte, Pelerine, Oak, Minster, Mayflower, Florielle, Flemish, Everglade, Cotswold, Contour, Charcoal, Chantilly, Autumn and Arctic,(opens in new tab) as well as a wide range of satin glass and frosted glass patterns to provide obscurity without stopping light from reaching an area.
Whether you want to upgrade your bathroom, or implement a level of security at work, we’re sure there will be a design of obscure glass available for you.
Different amounts of obscurity can be denoted on a scale from one to five. With one being the least obscure and five being the most obscure. As the rating increases, it becomes impossible to determine what is behind. Until finally, at an obscurity rating of 5, objects behind the glass can no longer be seen.
Luckily, obscure glass can be tempered to improve strength and remove the risk of shattering. Obscure tempered glass requires much more force to break it than ordinary glass. In the event of breakage, safer fragments are found, instead of larger sharp pieces.
This makes obscure toughened glass ideal for use in shower screens or partitions, such as in an obscure glass shower screen, making it much safer than ordinary glass and providing much more privacy.
Obscure glass is tempered by heating to high temperatures, then using jets of cold air to provide a cooling effect. As a result, causing the outer layers to cool and contract at a higher rate than the inner material. Thanks to this method, glass is placed under patterns of stress. Which in turn greatly increases the force required to shatter the glass. In addition to this, the stress patterns ensure that the obscure toughened glass breaks into the small rounded pieces typical of tempered glass.
Also known as privacy glass, fully opaque glass means it cannot be seen through at all. Unlike typical obscure glass which does allow light through. Opaque glass is popular for use in offices where full privacy is essential.
Although both opaque and frosted glass panes offer obscurity for added privacy, the two differ in that frosted glass will still emit light, whereas opaque glass will not.
If you would like to know more about the obscure glass available from The Wallkingdon Glass, or you would like to place an order then why not contact us? We’re confident that we can offer you the perfect glass solution for your home or workspace.
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