Switchable Smart Film: Clear-to-Frosted Privacy Glass Across the North West
Switchable smart film turns glass from clear to frosted at the flick of a switch. Clear, it gives a view through. Frosted, it blocks the view and keeps most of the light. It is the answer when a room has to be open one minute and private the next, such as a meeting room, a consulting room or a bathroom.
The film is fitted to glass you already have, so there is no need to buy new smart glass. It is a specialist product, and this page sets out how it works, what it needs and where it earns its cost. From Greater Manchester and Cheshire to Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, we offer switchable smart film in every North West city, including Manchester, Salford, Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle.
The short answer
Smart film is frosted when the power is off and clear when it is on. It needs a low-voltage power supply and a switch. Fitted to existing glass, it costs far more than ordinary film but gives you privacy on demand with no blinds.
How switchable film works
Most switchable film uses a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two thin conductive sheets. With the power off, the crystals are scattered and light is diffused, so the film looks frosted. When a small electric current passes through, the crystals line up and the film turns clear.
The result is a pane that is private when off and clear when on. If the power fails, it goes frosted, so the safe state is the private one. Power use is low, a few watts per square metre while it is switched on.
Smart film, PDLC and privacy glass: same technology, different names
- Switchable film
- The general term for film that changes between clear and frosted with a current.
- Smart film
- A marketing name for the same product.
- PDLC film
- Short for polymer dispersed liquid crystal, the technology most switchable films use.
- Smart glass or privacy glass
- Glass with the switchable layer built in. A new pane, rather than film fitted to existing glass.
Where it earns its cost
Meeting rooms and boardrooms
Open and bright for most of the day, private when it matters. Fitted to glass walls, with no blinds to maintain.
Clinics and consulting rooms
Privacy for patients without closing off a room that is otherwise open. See healthcare window film.
Bathrooms, bedrooms and homes
En suites with glass walls, internal windows and rooms where the owner wants privacy at the touch of a button.
Switchable film, frosted film, smart glass and blinds
| Switchable film | Frosted film | Smart glass | Blinds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Privacy | On demand | Always on | On demand | On demand |
| Fits existing glass | Yes | Yes | No. New glass | Yes |
| Needs power | Yes, low voltage | No | Yes | No (manual) |
| Cost | High | Low | Highest | Low to medium |
| Best for | Rooms that switch between open and private | Glass that should always be private. See frosted film | New builds and refurbishments | Flexible, simple shading |
What installation involves
Switchable film is a more involved job than ordinary film. It goes on the inside of the glass, with thin power connections taken from the edge of the film to a driver, which has to go somewhere accessible. The driver is wired to a switch, a remote or a control system, and a qualified electrician makes the connection.
We work out where the film, driver and wiring go at the survey, and we tell you what to expect before you commit. The film comes in rolls of a fixed width, so a large pane may have a joint line between pieces, and the edges are sealed to keep moisture out.
Limits worth knowing: The film is best on flat, interior glass. It is not designed for exterior surfaces, constant damp or very hot glass, and a clear-state haze is slightly visible when it is on.
Related jobs
We have not yet published a switchable film job. These are jobs on internal glass and meeting rooms of the kind it is used for, filmed with ordinary frosted and one-way film.
Frosted Band on an Office Glass Partition in Salford Quays
A glass partition in a Salford Quays office with a band of frosted film across the middle of the glass, so people can't see through at eye level.
Frosted Film for a Treatment Room in Cheadle
Frosted privacy film on two exterior windows, with security grilles behind them.
One-Way Window Film for a Site Office in Haydock
One-way privacy film on all the windows of a recycling site office in Haydock, with outside and inside photos.Smart film across the North West
We fit switchable film for offices, clinics and homes across the North West. Because it needs power, we start with a survey, and we will tell you honestly if it is not the right choice for your glass.
Switchable smart film is a specialist product, and the demand for it across the North West is mostly in offices, clinics and meeting rooms. In Greater Manchester that means Manchester and Salford's office floors and boardrooms, and in Cheshire the executive offices and private clinics of Chester, Warrington and Wilmslow. In Merseyside it suits Liverpool's offices and Southport's practices, in Lancashire Preston and Lancaster's meeting rooms, and in Cumbria the offices of Carlisle.
We survey every smart film job in person, because it needs power and a clean installation, and we do that across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria. Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Lancaster, Salford and Carlisle projects are all priced after a free survey, with the electrical requirements explained. See the areas we cover across the North West.
Switchable smart film questions
Does smart film go clear when the power is on?
Yes. It is frosted when off and clear when on. If the power fails, it goes frosted.
Does it use a lot of electricity?
No. It needs only a few watts per square metre while on, and uses no power when it is off.
Can it be fitted to my existing glass?
Often, yes. It goes on the inside of flat glass. We check the glass, the edges and where the power supply would go.
Is it completely clear when on?
It is clear, but with a slight haze that most people stop noticing. It is not as clear as bare glass.
Can it go on external windows?
It is best on internal glass. Exterior use needs careful consideration of heat, damp and sealing.
How much does it cost?
A good deal more per square metre than ordinary film, because the film itself and the electrics are more complex. We quote after a survey.
Do you fit switchable smart film across the North West?
Yes. We fit switchable smart film in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, including offices, clinics and meeting rooms around Manchester, Salford, Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle. Every job is surveyed in person, because smart film needs power and a clean installation.
A room that needs to be open and private?
Tell us the room, the glass and how often you need privacy. We will say whether switchable film suits it and what it would cost.
