Reflective Film on Sliding Patio Doors in Chorlton
Three-panel sliding doors on a new Chorlton extension, filmed while the outside walls were still bare blockwork.
AfterJob details
- Location
- Chorlton, Manchester
- Completed
- 3 June 2026
- Property type
- House with a new rear extension, not yet rendered
- Film installed
- Reflective solar control film
- Windows treated
- Three-panel grey aluminium sliding patio doors
- Reason for installation
- Taking the glare and heat out of the new patio doors and adding daytime privacy
Big new doors facing a bare garden
The extension on the back of this house is brand new: the walls around the sliding doors are still bare blockwork, waiting for render. The glass is in, and from the garden you can look straight through three large panes into the room.
Doors this size catch a lot of sun, and being new they had no blinds or curtains to take the edge off.
Reflective film across all three panels
All three panels were filmed with a reflective solar film, which in daylight turns the doors into a mirror. The photos show the garden shed and the fence reflected in them, so the room behind is no longer on show, and the glare coming in is much lower.
Worth knowing: We would always wait until interior plastering and sanding are finished before filming a new room, because that is the dust and mess that marks fresh film. Render on the outside is less of an issue: the film sits on the inside face of the glass, so splashes land on bare glass and not on the film.
How the fitting went
- Glass: three large sliding panels in grey aluminium frames, each filmed as a single sheet.
- Preparation: every pane cleaned thoroughly first, since a building site is a dusty place to apply film.
- Edges: trimmed neatly at the frame and the runners, so the finished line stays tidy when the walls around it are finished.
- Finish: the film squeegeed out wet, with the final check done against the light from the garden side.
A mirror finish before the walls are finished
The three-panel set has an even mirror effect across all panels. The bare blockwork around it makes the glass stand out for now, and once the render is on it will look like a deliberate part of the design.
Inside, the glare is down, and the room has daytime privacy from the first day it is used.
AfterQuestions about filming new patio doors
When should film be fitted on a new extension?
We prefer to wait until plastering and sanding inside are finished, because that dust is what marks new film. External render is not an issue as the film is on the inside face of the glass.
Will it stop us from needing blinds?
It will reduce glare and give daytime privacy, but not evening privacy. Most people still want blinds or curtains for the evening.
Can film go on glass with a protective coating?
Some new glass has self-cleaning or low-emissivity coatings, which affect which film suits. We check the specification before we choose.
More of our work
Building work still going on?
Tell us where you are in the build and we will suggest the best moment to fit, so the film stays clean.
