At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.
What Is Frosting Spray?
Frosting spray for glass is a kind of chemical spray that users can apply to glass windows and other glass surfaces in a home or building to make the glass less transparent. These sorts of sprays generally provide a more abstracted view through a window pane or space. Many would refer to this as a “frosted” look, where white or off-white flecks of other materials can distort the view through the otherwise clear glass.
For those who want a less “see-through” appearance for glass, frosting spray can often be an alternative for buildings that were not constructed with thick or opaque types of glass. Another way to obscure vision through glass is to install specific glass panes that have built-in abstraction or frosting. As an aftermarket addition to a door, window, or other surface, glass frosting spray is easy to apply, but has some specific benefits and drawbacks.
Although frosting spray can provide a long-lasting result, many of these types of sprays have some fairly volatile ingredients. Frosting sprays, which often come in canisters that are very similar to spray paints, will generally include some specific warnings about how to apply the spray, including the need for ventilation, recommendations to keep spray away from skin or nasal passages, and a disclaimer that the product should be kept away from children. Users may need to air out one side of a space after applying frosting spray to glass.
Do-it-yourselfers, or others using frost spray on glass, may also apply this material for decorative reasons. When applied with stencils, the frosting spray can provide neat visual patterns. This is a common addition to front door glass panels or other larger panes of glass.
For those who do not want to work with the harsh chemicals often present in glass frosting spray, some alternatives include using natural materials to get similar visual results. Some of these natural materials will not provide a lasting result. For example, homeowners or others can apply simple natural white compounds to glass around the holiday season, but may end up washing these off after the season is over. Some more permanent solutions involve using Epsom salts, along with various liquids, by applying them to panes of glass; alternatively, they could simply purchase a pane of pre-frosted glass to replace the existing pane. Those who are looking for ways to alter glass surfaces themselves should always make sure they understand the safety precautions for any specific materials and applications.
AS FEATURED ON:
AS FEATURED ON:
-
![Woman with hand on her hip]()
Woman with hand on her hip
Discussion Comments
@bagley79 - That sounds like a really good idea. My question is if frosting spray comes in different colors or is it just white?
I think it would look really neat if you could make these designs in several different colors.
The only time I have used frosting spray was around Christmas time when I was working on holiday decorations. All I ever remember was using a white spray, and this was OK because it reminded me of snow.
I would like to use this in different colors depending on the season of the year.
My daughter likes to make her own Christmas presents to give to friends and family. This last year she used frosting spray to make many of her gifts.
She took rubber bands and wrapped them around a glass jar, bowl or vase. She used several different designs, and then would spray the glass with the frosting spray.
Once this was dry, she removed the rubber bands and you had a beautiful pattern on the glass. These were simple, inexpensive gifts that were a really big hit.
The nice thing about them is you could then fill them with whatever you wanted, and it was much prettier than just a plain vase or bowl.
@lighth0se33 - You will want something sturdier than regular paper but not so thick that you can’t cut it easily. I would recommend either card stock or poster board.
If you use a sharp knife, you can easily cut the shapes out of either. Both are substantial enough that they won’t wrinkle up while taped to the window.
Use double-sided tape to attach them to the glass. Make sure the material is stuck on very securely, and then spray away. Let it dry completely before you try to take the stencil off, because you don’t want the edges to peel off with the stencil.
I frosted the glass on the top half of the door between my kitchen and dining room with this spray. I didn’t want to spend money on stencils, because I wanted to use stuff I already had on hand.
I used some flower-shaped stickers to cover certain spots on the glass, and then I sprayed it. This left little clear flower-shaped sections of glass all across the pane.
I would like to do something similar to the glass on my kitchen window, but I would rather have the shapes be the frosted portion and the rest remain clear. Does anyone know what would be a good material to cut my own stencils out of?
@orangey03 - That is a very good idea! I think I should try that on my daycare building’s windows. Kids are always seeing something outdoors through the window that they want to run and chase, and sometimes, I just need them to take a nap!
I would like for a little of the window to still remain clear so that I could look out when I needed to, though. I think I should probably just use frosting spray on the bottom half of the window, since that is the only area the kids can really see through anyway.
I have curtains, but I hate to keep them drawn all the time. I think that sunlight just improves everyone’s mood, and I don’t want to keep it shut out.
I go to a small church, and all the members are active in the upkeep of the building. When we bought it, we decided that we needed something on the windows, but we could not afford stained glass. We decided that frosting spray would be a good alternative.
Clear windows can offer a big distraction, because you are tempted to look at everything that moves outside. By frosting the glass, we made it easier for everyone to keep their attention on the sermon.
All in all, the process was pretty cheap. Since we didn’t have to pay for labor, all we had to buy was the spray itself.
Post your comments