Types of Obscure Glass

Obscured glass is becoming popular among architects, interior decorators and property owners, partly because of its practical benefits and partly because of its distinctive characteristics. If you decide to use obscured glass as an element of decoration or for functional reasons, you have to choose between frosted glass, tinted glass, reflective glass and textured glass. Your choice depends on what you intend to accomplish by installing obscured glass.

Tinted glass allows you to have an outside view but prevents people from seeing what is inside. The benefits of installing tinted glass in your home or office include its cost effectiveness in terms of energy costs, enhanced security and privacy and protection from ultra violet rays. Having tinted glass windows in your home also protects the interior furnishings.

Reflective glass also allows you to see what is outside very clearly, but it does not allow those outside to see in. It is an excellent choice if you are mindful about privacy. Reflective glass is an ordinary glass covered with a special metallic coating for reducing solar heat which also produces a mirror effect.

Frosted glass is cloudy or milky in color and hides your view from inside or outside. It is manufactured by taking ordinary glass and creating tiny marks on its surface by striking it at high velocity -- or by etching the surface with acid, resulting in translucency. Frosted glass is ideal for bathrooms windows and shower doors because it allows in natural light into the room.

Textured glass is glass manufactured with random bumps and lumps on the surface. It is sometimes frosted -- but its most telling feature is the way it distorts the view -- so images and objects are not clearly visible. Textured glass is also commonly used in shower doors, as it provides more privacy to the bather than clear glass. You can also use textured glass for decorating other areas in your home.