Privacy window film

March 25, 2025 9:39 AM

I am considering covering the lower half of some of my windows with removable privacy film, similar to this. I'm looking for translucence, not light blocking. Does anyone have experience with this kind of thing? I'm looking for suggestions (like this brand was great, don't get this brand, etc -- non-Amazon links, please) and recommendations (using an exacto blade, etc) and anything else that's relevant. I am not planning to install bottom-up shades or sheer curtains. Thanks!
posted by wicked_sassy to Home & Garden (20 answers total)

I put this film up on this window about 4 ?? years ago and it's been exactly the same ever since. I cleaned the glass with some Windex, held the roll up to the window, eyeballed it, cut it with scissors, sprayed the window with water, slapped up the film and nudged it while it was wet until it was a bit straighter, then walked away. Barely even half assed it and it's totally fine. It makes pretty colors in the morning sun and when my blonde dog is sitting on that couch cushion I get to call him my little rainbow boy.

It was Rabbitgoo brand film. I'm not loyal to it or anything it's just the thing I bought.

Many years ago I put up "professional grade" privacy film on some windows of an office conference room, and I'll be honest it worked exactly the same, there was no upgrade to the upgraded cost.
posted by phunniemee at 9:50 AM on March 25 [5 favorites]

We use these at my work, on door windows where we want additional privacy. We've typically gotten any variety from Amazon, and they work more than fine. I haven't seen any of them peel, etc.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:03 AM on March 25

I put similar stuff from amazon up years ago and it's still there, works great for reducing visibility from the street into our house without reducing the light coming in. The rainbows from the kind I chose are a bonus.
posted by lafemma at 10:06 AM on March 25

I used several of the stained-glass style window films from Artscape in both my old & current houses. They were easy to put up, looked great, didn't fade even after many years, and left no marks when removed.

I just used a spray bottle of water, razor blade, & an old credit card to push out the air bubbles when I installed it.
posted by belladonna at 10:25 AM on March 25 [3 favorites]

I think I’ve bought mine from Art Scape or Amazon over the years between various apartments. They seem about the same to me. I will say that when I first did it I bought the little installation kit that comes with a spray bottle (of soapy water?), a scrapper thing that could be replaced by a credit card and a little razor edge cutter thing. While you certainly don’t need a kit and could DIY the items, I’ve found it really helpful, especially for getting the film to go right to the edge and look more professional.
posted by raccoon409 at 10:40 AM on March 25

I put this stuff up in a bathroom window 4 years ago and it looks exactly like it did the day I installed it. The only trick was, you want to leave a very tiny gap around the edge so it can lay 100% flat on the glass. Like 1-2 millimeters.

I don't remember the brand name but I got it at Home Depot.
posted by shiny blue object at 10:56 AM on March 25 [1 favorite]

I used the plain "frosted glass look" stuff from Artscape on a powder room window when we moved into our house in 2018 and have had no problems with it in the years since. Measure twice, cut once etc., but it's really not that hard. Order extra if you're worried you're going to mess it up and do the least-visible window first.
posted by mskyle at 11:14 AM on March 25

I've got some stick-on window frosting on one window. Also, FWIW, I've tried spray-on window frosting. The spray-on stuff was a disaster, do not recommend. The stick-on stuff is fine.

Spraying a sticker with soapy water is an old trick that lets you reposition the sticker until the soapy water dries out, and is probably a good idea.

I did not master perfect edge-to-edge coverage when I did my window—it's set back a few mm all around (I am probably the only person this bothers). It might be worth sacrificing a scrap to see if you can cut it so it overlaps the edge and then get a clean cut right at the edge.

I have not used it, but there is window film that sticks only by static cling, and would be easy to remove and reposition.
posted by adamrice at 11:22 AM on March 25

Of course the frosted shelf paper is $20 while green plaid is $5, but every big box hardware retailer has "Contac" brand or other old-school rolls of this stuff. I'd cut and size with ruler measurements (there are almost certainly grid marks on the backing), then use the soapy water/windex/etc. method for final placement. They don't have much adhesive and it isn't very strong, but it's plenty for glass. Oh, clean the glass with rubbing alcohol first to eliminate any grease and skin-oil problems.
posted by rhizome at 11:41 AM on March 25 [1 favorite]

I had a large bathtub that inconveniently had a large window next to it in my master bathroom. I bought a generic roll of window privacy film from Home Depot and installed it so it went halfway up the window (enough to cover my private bits from outside peeping Toms) while leaving the top half normal.

It was really easy, as others have said, and just required scissors and a spray bottle to wet the glass a bit. It also looked great.
posted by tacodave at 12:54 PM on March 25 [1 favorite]

>Barely even half assed it and it's totally fine

Yup, I bought the cheapest Amazon had to offer, followed about the same protocol as phunniemee and it's been around maybe 7 years with no problems. I love that I did, I like having the privacy but also the light. No regrets.

Agree with the tiny gap but I did that by accident, I didn't really have to try.
posted by fennario at 1:23 PM on March 25 [1 favorite]

I have different ones on almost every window in my place, and they are all great and could not be easier to install — plus you can have as many do-overs as you want, it doesn't get less "sticky" if you futz with it, because it's static, not glue. I do also sometimes pull it back to peep outside, and 85 percent of the time it sticks back fine, and the other 15 percent I use a tiny spritz of water and we're back in business.
posted by Charity Garfein at 1:30 PM on March 25 [2 favorites]

Yeah it's super easy. If you are gonna do it only halfway up, maybe make sure the factory edge is the one that is at the top, so it's nice and straight. Razor/exacto blades go dull quickly and as soon as it starts not cutting smoothly that's a sign to replace the blade. All of my "dammit" moments using this stuff have been because the cutting blade started ripping and pulling instead of cutting and I think if I had replaced the blade more frequently it would have gone better. But even those snags are not really visible to anyone but me.

I even had the UV blocking kind on some skylights and it never peeled away or anything.
posted by misskaz at 2:24 PM on March 25

Not directly the diffuser film, but: We've used Mylar from TAP Plastics on a south-facing window. They suggested (and sold little trial sizes of) Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo as the "adhesive", mix that with water, sponge it on the window. squeegee the film on. And it's easy enough to remove.
posted by straw at 2:50 PM on March 25

I have several windows of this -- all the weirdly-named Rabbitgoo brand. Do follow the installation directions and make sure you peel off the part that needs peeling off, and it can be a little fussy to get everything lined up on a large window, but otherwise very straightforward. A spray bottle of water and an old credit card for a squeegee are a big help.

Bonus -- A friend with a cricut machine cut out bird silhouettes from some of the leftover window film and I have those on yet more windows.
posted by gingerbeer at 3:51 PM on March 25

I used the brand DC Fix, but would not recommend it. It's self-adhesive and we had a hard time getting all of the air bubbles out once we laid it down. The air bubbles are hardly visible and probably wouldn't bother a normal person but if you're a bit neurotic about those things like I am ... Anyway, I recall doing this several years ago with the static film type of product, and it was easier to get all of the air bubbles out (though it did take a while).

On the upside, 1) the rice paper translucency looks very pretty, 2) this was one of the less expensive options, 3) and I chose the self-adhesive because I didn't want our dog to be able to fuss at it and peel it off the window. And he hasn't been able to, so it works for that use-case!
posted by fire, water, earth, air at 5:58 PM on March 25 [1 favorite]

I have used both Rabbitgoo and Artscape brand window films, the cling type without adhesive, on many a window! It is a little fussy with the cutting and so on but they look great, have lasted at least a year and a half without question (at which point we have moved) and come off without any fuss about adhesives if you want. Use more water than you think you need and take the cutting slow with a very sharp blade.
posted by In Your Shell Like at 2:15 AM on March 26

I did it with wax paper and a cornstarch+water mixture (recipes online). Obv no pattern and each window needed a couple lengths because the roll is not as wide as the window. The mixture has to be heated so it becomes gluey and it’s then brushed on the window with a foam brush or sponge but it will wash off no problem when the time comes.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:23 AM on March 26

I also used the Artscape window film. I really like it. I went for a more expensive one that is textured so it looks more like stained glass. It's been on the bottom half of my bedroom windows for a few years now with no issues.

I did get a patterned one, but it contains frosted glass elements that are nice.

Installation is pretty easy. You cut it to the size of your windows, peel off the backing, and then smooth it on with a little spray of water + detergent (very little detergent). You squeeze out the bubbles with a squeegee. It probably took me an hour to do four windows because I was being very careful with measurements and cutting because I wanted a neat job. Much easier than anything with actual adhesive would be.

I even had one wider window that required me to line up two sheets, and the application method made that easy because you can slide it a little bit around before you squeegee. You can't even see the seam.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 5:44 AM on March 26

I used Artscape stained glass window looking window film for a door that is 80% glass. Installed it in 2007. It still looks brand new and hasn’t peeled or anything even with relentless Arizona sun assaulting it. Works like a charm.
posted by Sassyfras at 8:50 AM on March 26