How To “Hack” Privacy Glass

[harmonslytherin]

At work, when i clean office windows with that glass, the water also makes it see-through

[alphacraft]

Well, that's why either the smooth side is on the outside or both sides should be rough.

[NewMabu]

Directions unclear, now I am being held at a police station

[JasonThomasLionHeart]

Everyone needs a teacher like this. The joy and excitement he exudes when giving a lesson is contagious

[ElliLavender]

OMG YES! I've seen this "hack" on TV when I was a little child but never got to test it, so over time I began to wonder if I had actually seen it or not. Thanks for confirming that my memory was correct!

[JT.]

We had this installed on a shower in a house we're building. I got quite the surprise when I tested the water fixtures and body jets. We'll just say that when that glass is wet, the privacy is...not so private. This normally wouldnt be a big deal, but it was a 8' x12' panel to an interior courtyard directly across from the kitchen with a wall of clear glass. I wanted to just let it play out with the owner, but my conscience got the best of me. We fixed it by havin another layer of privacy glass laminated to the original.

Edit: For the comments stating it was "installed the wrong way, " no it wasn't. It's an 8 foot wide, 12 foot tall structurally rated panel, 5/8" laminated glass pane on the exterior that is required to be there so it doesnt break under wind loads. Everything else is explained in responses to comments.

[Jalepo]

I work at a glass factory! This is actually called Velour Glass, and once we cut it, and then wash the cutting oil off, it's completely see through when wet! We get it somewhat often. The most common thicknesses we get are 1/4" and 3/8" (3/8" being more for shower doors, and 1/4" being more for random uses) Great video!

[demonkinglamb]

There's a very specific triangular shape that can make and object not even visible but an object farther behind it visible. Pretty cool stuff glass or crystal can do.

[dylanbeddoes]

That's really cool but can be prevented by having the rough side on the opposite side of the people trying to look through so the tape can't contact the rough surface on the other side, also you could just sandwich the private glass between 2 regular glass pains to make the rough surface untouchable without removing one layer of glass put both methods together and you have a pretty private solution to this work around and most future ones not using light reconstruction systems.

[blackdolphin]

Window guy here. You can completely avoid this by getting double paned glass. The outside pane is regular vision glass, the inside pane is the obscure, with the jagged edge facing outwards toward that first pane. The 2 panes are sealed together along the outside and with argon gas between the glass. Now you have obscurity and greatly reduced UV light coming through, only regular light, which also helps keep the room temp controlled.

[EpicNameNeeded]

For those who are commenting that you need to put the rough side inside, if u put it inside, water from the shower that splashes onto the glass will fill in those gaps making it useless.

[hellfire]

Discovered this at home on accident. Thanks for explaining why it works

[DSTStudios]

We do something similar in film scanning to see past scratches in the emulsion.
We basically dip the film in a fluid that has the same index of refraction as the film, and then we can scan it
Its called wet gate scanning

[adamSmith_]

This is actually why many many building codes require the jagged part to face inside the building for spaces such as bathrooms and whatnot

[tamravarda]

The amount of info this provides in the video and the experiences comments is 💯…here for it! Thank you Mark. You always make learning fun 👌

[chasethompson]

The fact that you explained why it works too is so cool. Well done 👏👏

[JERIGNUSS]

Therefore you need a double pane pair with the rough surfaces facing each other.
You always have privacy
You also have insulation

[ja_cerealkiller]

I noticed this as a child with frosted pint glasses. If you got the outside wet they become see through.

[zin]

No jokes, this is actually mind blowing 🤯

[flaming_ace]

if water undoes that effect on an IG unit (2 or 3 pieces in a frame) the window was built incorrectly. ive worked in the window fabrication business, and we are supposed to put the rough side on the inside of the window. it would be a good idea if the other pane is coated to check that the coating is not on the outside, because it again is meant to go on the inside. there are tons of coating testers available, all you need is a light, wires, and a battery, cause plain glass doesnt conduct but the coatings do