Frosted glass

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Frosted glass is produced by the sandblasting or acid etching of clear sheet glass. This creates a pitted surface on one side of the glass pane and has the effect of rendering the glass translucent by scattering the light which passes through, thus blurring images while still transmitting light. It has 10–20% opacity.^{[citation needed]}

General applications include:

• To achieve visual privacy while still allowing light to pass through.
• To create decorative patterns on plain glass by using wax or other inhibitors to retain transparent areas.
• To distribute light uniformly in a photographic contact printer.
• To create an airtight seal in tubes.^{[citation needed]}
• Decorative, aesthetic, or artistic intent.

The frosted glass effect can also be achieved by the application of vinyl film, used as a sort of stencil on the glass surface. "Photo-resist", or photo-resistant film is also available, which can be produced to mask off the area surrounding a decorative design, or logo on the glass surface. A similar effect may also be accomplished with the use of canned frosted glass sprays.