Means of window “self-defense” from curious neighbors

A plastic window can be decorated with rich classic curtains, modern roller shutters or blinds, exotic Japanese curtains, unobtrusive string curtains or a combination of these accessories. However, modern windows are so good in themselves that many refuse any decorations. As practice shows, this is not always comfortable, especially if the windows overlook the façade of a neighboring house and actually allow its inhabitants to look into your home. The OKNA MEDIA portal will tell you what window solutions are available on the market to shield yourself from prying eyes.

Today there are many interesting solutions for window “self-defense” from nosy neighbors. However, when trying to protect yourself from prying eyes, you should not forget about aesthetics, because window accessories are a very interesting element of interior decor.

The effect of one-way visibility can also be achieved through decorative glass lamination, sandblasting or the use of a double-glazed window with a variable level of transparency.

Internal sun protection systems

The traditional solution for protecting privacy is roller shutters or blinds. Each of them has its pros and cons in terms of window “self-defense” from curious neighbors.

With blinds, you can freely regulate the amount of natural light entering the room. However, if we want them to reliably protect from outside views, the slats must be constantly lowered, so this solution will not suit everyone - for aesthetic reasons. If you are still a supporter of these “self-defense” systems from nosy neighbors, then you should know that in addition to aluminum blinds, wooden structures are also available. Wooden blinds can give a room a more cozy character.

A fabric roller shutter, made of dense material, will create an effective barrier to prying eyes, but will greatly darken the room. The darker and thicker the fabric, the less light will enter the interior. The choice of fabrics is now huge and everyone will find among them something that will match the style of the apartment and fulfill the range of requirements regarding the decor of a plastic window.

To protect your windows from a nosy neighbor, it’s worth noting Roman blinds. This is a type of roller shutter made from exclusive fabrics that are laid in horizontal folds when raised upward. Roman blinds are much more expensive than traditional fabric roller blinds, but they provide an interesting stylistic effect and can really create an interior mood in many interiors.

Roller blinds of the “day-night” type make it possible to control the light - a little reminiscent of the operation of horizontal blinds. They're made from a relatively thin fabric that diffuses strong sun while still leaving the space bright and clear, making them ideal for window "self-defense" against nosy neighbors in the kitchen or home office.

One of the solutions that will allow you to isolate yourself from neighbors’ views is pleated blinds. With their help, you can curtain the window from below, creating a kind of mini-blind to maintain the flow of light, and at the same time exclude the possibility of peeking. As a rule, effectively screening the window at the bottom is quite enough to hide your privacy from unwanted view from the outside. Like roller blinds, pleated blinds are made of polyester, which makes it easy to keep them clean. They can be made in various shapes, in the form of a trapezoid, a triangle or a semicircle, and are also suitable for roof windows, which makes them an indispensable means of window “self-defense” from curious neighbors in a private home.

An elegant way to close a window from prying eyes without blocking daylight

Do the windows of your private house or cottage go straight into the neighbor's yard or onto a thoroughfare? Everything would be fine, but anyone can see in full view everything that happens in your home... Especially if the windows are large or there are many of them. Agree, it’s not very comfortable, right? By the way, such a situation can arise in an apartment.

However, you don’t want to close yourself with curtains or blinds all the time, especially in winter, when the days are so short. How to hide from prying eyes, but at the same time not close yourself off from daylight and sun? This problem can be solved, for example, with the help of such a decorative, but at the same time light-transmitting coating.

You will need:

transparent matte self-adhesive paper;
paper or ready-made stencil;
spray bottle;
water;
dishwashing liquid;
water distiller;
paper towels or newspaper;
ruler and pen;
stationery knife;
patience

First of all, you need to decide on a pattern. You can make a stencil yourself or buy a ready-made one. Perhaps the most exhausting part of all this work is marking and cutting. It is better to immediately calculate approximately how many figures you may need. Did you count? Be patient and start tracing and cutting!

When the figures are ready, you need to prepare the window: wash and dry it well. We also prepare a special composition in a spray bottle: water and a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent. And let's start gluing! All the action takes place from the inside of the window, that is, in the room, and not on the street.

We wet the surface of the glass well with the composition from the spray bottle, this is necessary so that we have the opportunity to move the patterns from the film. We glue our “sticker” onto the wet surface and place it as needed. To smooth and get rid of bubbles, use water distiller, blot excess liquid with newspaper or paper towel.

After the liquid dries, the drawing will become motionless. If you do need to move it or put it away, use a hair dryer. If necessary, you can also trim the edges of a glued sticker using a stationery knife, but do this carefully so as not to scratch the glass. Those air bubbles that you did not notice can simply be carefully pierced with a needle. The bubbles are especially visible at night.

It is best to devote more than one day to gluing, but as much as possible. This way you won’t get too exhausted and will be able to control all stages of work, the same bubbles. And this is what the finished result looks like. During the day, the sun will also decorate your walls with a pattern from the window!

Solar Control Window Film

Solar control window film is a less common solution in terms of protection from nosy neighbors. To laminate window glass, a special reflective film is used, the so-called “Venetian mirror”, which provides one-way visibility.

In addition to effective window “self-defense” from nosy neighbors, reflective films are also important for controlling the temperature in a house or apartment. In summer, this kind of film allows less sunlight to pass through the glass surface, protecting the room from overheating. While maintaining privacy in winter, window films also protect against heat loss from the inside through the glass unit.

Aluminium foil

Foil, which everyone is used to using in the kitchen, can also be used to cover windows. If you place it with its shiny side facing the street, it will not only protect you from those who want to look into someone else’s apartment, but will also significantly reduce the heating of the air in the room during the warm season.

Consider the fact that the foil is completely opaque. It does not let sunlight into the room, so it should only be used on old-style windows, covering the lower (high) glass and leaving the upper (small) glass transparent. However, even in this case, semi-darkness will reign in the room.

Advantages and disadvantages

Decorative window film

Decorative films not only protect the room from the sun and prying eyes from the outside, but can also help create an attractive and complete interior design. Double-glazed windows decorated with film in the form of plants, three-dimensional images, landscapes, and ornaments decorate plastic windows and at the same time reduce the possibility of viewing the interior of the apartment from the street.

These films are an ideal solution for people who do not want to decorate their windows with traditional accessories. They allow you to protect from prying eyes from the outside and at the same time act as an attractive element in the design of the premises. It’s not for nothing that decorative films are called “film curtains.”

An unlimited range of patterns allows you to make a standard plastic window truly individual and increase the possibility of window “self-defense” from curious neighbors.

Tulle

This is one of the classic ways to protect an apartment from prying eyes - tulle in combination with curtains perfectly prevents the violation of personal space, gives the interior comfort, hides window defects and masks heating radiators.

If you live on the ground floor, combine tulle with curtains: a thin fabric will protect you during the day, and a tightly drawn fabric will protect you in the evening.

Double-glazed window with variable transparency level

Another solution from curious neighbors is glass with variable levels of transparency (smart windows), which perfectly ensures privacy. It features laminated, safety active glass that changes from opaque to transparent without causing a reduction in light transmission when needed. Using the switch, you can easily change the transparency of the double-glazed window, isolating yourself from curious neighbors at the required moment.

This glazing works great in offices, conference rooms and residential apartments. Variable transparency glass can be used in single glazing or in glass units with any other glass panel, such as low-e glass, bulletproof, fire-resistant or triplex. Due to its properties, it does not transmit 99% of UV rays.

A double-glazed window with a variable level of transparency (smart windows), however, is a very expensive solution, which developers have been trying for years to adapt to the financial capabilities of the average buyer. This niche is the most promising, since a double-glazed window with a variable level of transparency simultaneously provides a lot of advantages to the user, allowing them to most effectively solve pressing problems, and not least to ensure privacy

How to make glass opaque?

It depends on what degree of transparency, or rather non-transparency, you are interested in.

You can sand the glass with sandpaper using a grinding machine or even sand using a wooden board; the more scratches there are on the glass, the less transparent it will be. This can be said to be the first option using mechanical impact on glass.

Now about the coating, it can be covered with a film of varying degrees of transparency or even covering the entire glass with a plastic-based solution; it also comes with varying degrees of light penetration.

stained glass window

Stained glass windows can also be an effective solution for window “self-defense” from nosy neighbors. This artistic accent will also act as a sophisticated interior decor. And there may be several solutions. You can limit viewing of the room from the outside, but leave the possibility of viewing from the outside. It all depends on the chosen glazing.

You can create a fragmented stained glass window, alternating translucent and transparent elements, which will allow you to see what is happening outside the window, preventing prying eyes from penetrating inside. You can also create stained glass glazing to the required level - up to half the window or make it up to the eye level of the person standing behind the window. Stained glass can be integrated into the window frame, but also act as a cover for the window.

In any case, while trying to ensure privacy, you should not unduly restrict the access of natural light to the room. It is better to install a stained glass window in rooms where a strong flow of natural light is not required, such as a bathroom. If there are a large number of windows in a private house, you can alternate between stained glass and ordinary windows. This will add an unusual charm to the interior, beautifully protecting it from the prying eyes of neighbors. Of course, stained glass windows are not cheap: costs depend on the size and type of glass used.

As you can see, the methods of window “self-defense” from curious neighbors have something in common with sun protection systems, which allows you to “kill two birds with one stone” by purchasing one product.

Workflow Description

In order to tint the windows on the balcony, no special skills are required. It's quite simple:

clean the glass surface
paste the material
smooth to get rid of bubbles

Solar film for balconies is very sensitive to temperature and humidity levels. Therefore, it is better to carry out work when the temperature outside is from +10° to 30°C. The humidity level should also be in the green zone, that is, from 40 to 70%.

Stage 1. Material selection

Having decided on the type of tint, you will need to select the light transmittance. It is measured as a percentage:

The lower the value, the darker the glass you will get at the output. The width of the products may also vary, standard sizes:

from 0.50, 0.76 and up to 1 m.

Before purchasing, measure the windows on your balcony and choose the size of the film so that you have to cut off as little excess as possible, and ideally not cut it off at all.

Stage 2. Preparatory activities

To work you will need the following available tools:

scissors (sharp) or stationery knife
ruler
ruler
shampoo or liquid
spray
sponge
window scraper

The room or balcony where the tinting will take place must be cleaned in advance. Since even slight dust in the air can settle on the film and ruin the appearance of the window.

A soap solution is prepared in a spray bottle (1 teaspoon of soap or shampoo is enough).

The glass is washed thoroughly; for convenience, you can use a scraper with a silicone blade and window cleaner. The surface is wiped dry.

What changes on the balcony should you be warned about?

Understanding that a balcony is the same public property (Article 1 of Government Decree No. 491 of the Russian Federation of August 13, 2006) as, for example, a corridor, leads to the fact that any change must be approved.

Although the owner of the apartment has sole access to a small island of fresh air, he still cannot consider it his own and do whatever he wants there.

The following work is prohibited:

combine balconies into one;
make heated floors;
remove radiators or carry out other communications;
demolish partitions;
add canopies, walls, etc.

You can still make some changes:

replace the fence with a new one;
restore the balcony slab;
lay moisture-resistant boards on the floor.

Will they provide a subsidy for utilities if there are debts? Read

How are the general house needs of an apartment building paid for and what is included in them Read

Advantages of the company plasokna

To buy windows with frosted glass and be satisfied with the purchase, the customer needs to contact a reliable company. This is undoubtedly plasokna, which has significant advantages:

availability of affordable prices;
providing high-level service;
performing professional installation;
using only certified components;
availability of own production facilities;
quality control of products at all key stages of production;
providing an increased warranty for all products and services.

Having its own production, the company uses only certified components, monitoring product quality at all stages of its production.

Insulation of the balcony from the outside

How to insulate a balcony from the outside? Holding an event allows you to eliminate the selection of the premises relative to the area. Also, such a solution eliminates the cooling of the walls. But it is worth noting the need to coordinate the project with the authorities due to changes to the facade of the house, if this is not the private sector.

Using the technology, you can make a warm balcony as follows:

Strengthening the parapet. This can be done using a reinforced frame made of metal profiles, brick or block masonry. A tongue-and-groove slab is less commonly used.
Preparation of the working surface. The insulated base must be healthy, clean, and durable. Treatment is carried out with protective compounds against fungus, mold (read more in the article “how to get rid of mold on the balcony”) and bacteria, followed by strengthening priming with deep penetration agents. Metal structures are coated with anti-corrosion paints.
Vapor barrier, insulation. The first is represented by films, membrane fabrics with breathability. They are needed to remove moisture and protect thermal insulation from condensation. If there is a frame, then it is better to choose mineral wool; for a solid base, slabs are more appropriate. Less often, preference is given to plaster, since it is heavier and has relatively high thermal conductivity.

Next, to insulate the balcony, a hydrobarrier is laid on the outside and finishing is carried out. These can be plaster mortars or cladding materials. More often, preference is given to the second solution due to its low weight, wide range and aesthetics.

For walls with ceilings, penofol is relevant. This is foamed polyethylene. If there is an aluminum foil coating, then such material better reflects heat into the room. Flooring is used to be placed in front of decorative cladding. Contact with organic solvents must be excluded.

Fixation is carried out without overlap using a stapler, and the seams are glued with metallized tape.

Kinds

The modern market of film coverings for windows offers the buyer a wide range of similar products. Among the traditional options, a picky client can buy a coating with a special effect. For example, the film can be:

athermal;
reflective;
anti-vandal;
booking;
perforated;
architectural;
heat-saving;
heat reflective;
stained glass;
combined.

In this case, the film can be matte opaque or glossy traditional. Today it is available in several varieties for windows. Coatings can be options for film protection of glass sheets of double-glazed windows or have several functions.

In addition to being functional, the film can be purely decorative. This coating is called stained glass. This is a self-adhesive decorative film with a transparent base and a pattern. Its purpose is to partially decorate windows, as well as to decorate the glass of interior doors. Essentially, this is a colorful coating that covers the glass, decorating it. The themes of such films are often geometric shapes, lines, and floral motifs. Less often, it imitates the translucent texture of stone and silk textiles.

In some cases, it serves as a curtain and is presented more as a decorative element, indicating that it belongs to a certain style. Stained glass film can have a simple pattern and cover only the lower part of the windows. It is used more often on windows whose frame consists of 6-12 small glasses. The fragments are filled flush with film, while the lines of the overall pattern may not coincide.

Sometimes the coating imitates frosted glass with a transparent pattern. In other cases, the print depicts window openings divided into many small windows. This film is used in different rooms of the home, including bathroom glass curtains and bay windows. It does not interfere with the opening of windows and can imitate different patterns carved on glass, including python skin.

Products with a functional focus are divided into several varieties. These include sun-protection and energy-saving coatings. Each type has its own categories. Products differ in the type of fastening. Some options are fixed from the inside of the home, others must be fixed from the street. The former are often distinguished by a wide range of colors, the latter are characterized by a reinforced coating of the top layer, which protects the surface from negative environmental factors.

Sometimes the film is glued to the glass during its production process. At the same time, any type of film coating undergoes certification. It indicates its compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards. Interior and exterior coatings differ in characteristics and resistance to external factors. These are products that are safe for human health, do not emit toxic substances and are not susceptible to the appearance and spread of microorganisms.

Sun protection

This category includes solar control coatings to reduce the light flux that enters the room through glass. Depending on the type, they may have one-way visibility of the glass sheet after installation of the film. The coverings are designed in such a way that what is happening in the room cannot be seen from the street. Even the outlines will not be visible, the room will not be completely visible. However, anyone inside the room will see everything that happens outside.

Foil

The budget type is foil film materials based on polyethylene in rolls. Such coatings are used in hot weather, fixing them to the glass from the inside. Unlike the bulk of varieties, they do not have a sticky backing. Fixation is carried out using tape.

After the heat subsides, they are removed. There is no tight fastening, and it is problematic to see through them.

Mirror

An alternative to them are mirrored counterparts with tinting. They are used for plastic windows. The quality and performance characteristics of this film are quite high. It is characterized by strength and durability. If properly applied to the glass unit, it will last for several years.

Due to aluminum and tin oxide in the composition of the layers, the roll film reflects visible light outward, as well as infrared radiation. Compared to its budget counterpart, it is distinguished by its aesthetic appeal. The architectural variety protects the glass from mechanical damage. It involves pasting on the outside. At the same time, its light reflective abilities are no less than its classical counterpart.

Tinting

The main difference between these varieties and their mirror counterparts is the fact that instead of reflecting visible light and infrared radiation, they absorb them. However, the effectiveness of films in this category depends on the degree of toning. The film can be dense or completely transparent: the efficiency coefficient varies from 15 to 60%. At the same time, the film differs in appearance: the less tinting, the lighter and brighter it conveys the image of what is happening.

The disadvantage of tinting coatings is that they cut off most of the visible light flux. This factor especially manifests itself negatively in cloudy and rainy weather, making the room dull and gloomy.

Lack of illumination of the space inside the house (apartment) can provoke depression. Therefore, the use of such film must be approached thoroughly. For example, it is not advisable to glue it if the windows face the north or west.

Thermal insulation

The principle of operation of such a film differs from its sunscreen analogues. All coatings in the line are aimed at minimizing heat loss in a particular room. In fact, they can be called an alternative to energy-saving double-glazed windows. Their purchase will save your budget, and installation will cost less than replacing glazing. Such coatings do not change quality indicators under the influence of temperature changes.

A fairly high percentage of rays are reflected inward. The daylight braking level does not exceed 30%. This is a thin multilayer material characterized by transparency. To increase heat-reflecting and energy-saving properties, alloys of silver, chromium, and nickel are used in the production of such films. Energy-saving film can be combined, having the protective function of preserving glass.

Sources

https://okna-dom.net/plenka-na-okna-ot-sosedey/
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https://stroy-podskazka.ru/okna/furnitura/plenka/

THE FOLLOWING WORK IS BEING CARRIED OUT ON THE PROJECT.

WHEN REPLAYING:

arrangement of openings in load-bearing walls and inter-apartment partitions (when rooms are combined horizontally);
arrangement of openings in ceilings (when rooms are combined vertically);
installation of internal stairs;
installation of partitions (with increasing loads) and load-bearing walls;
changing floor designs (with increasing loads);
changing the shape of window and external openings;
elimination of window and external doorways;
arrangement of window and external doorways;
changing building entrances;
arrangement of entrances to the building;
extension of entrance vestibules;
elimination of balconies, vestibules, canopies;
changing the shape of balconies, loggias, vestibules and canopies;
glazing of loggias and balconies;
replacement of façade carpentry elements;
changes in materials and plastics of external structures;
combining loggias (balconies) with interior spaces;
other work requiring changes to the technical passport of the residential premises.

DURING RENOVATION:

replacement of technological, engineering and plumbing equipment (for the new functional purpose of the premises);
installation of toilets, bathrooms, kitchens;
rearrangement of heating (heating), plumbing and gas appliances (except for the transfer of radiators to glazed loggias and balconies);
installation of household electric stoves instead of gas stoves or kitchen fires;
replacement and (or) installation of additional engineering equipment that increases energy and water consumption, with the replacement of existing or laying additional supply networks (with the exception of the installation of heated floors from communal water supply and heating systems);
installation of external technical equipment (air conditioners, antennas and others);
other work requiring changes to the technical passport of the residential premises.

The owner of the rebuilt and (or) replanned residential premises, which is located in a house that is a monument of architecture, history and culture, must submit to the body carrying out the approval the conclusion of the body for the protection of monuments of architecture, history and culture.

The tenant who has allowed the unauthorized reconstruction of residential and utility premises, the refurbishment of balconies and loggias, the rearrangement or installation of additional sanitary and other equipment, is obliged to bring this premises to its previous condition.

In accordance with the Decree of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2003 N 170 “On approval of the Rules and Standards for the Technical Operation of Housing Stock”, if signs of damage to the load-bearing structures of balconies, loggias, canopies and bay windows are detected, employees of housing maintenance organizations must take urgent measures to ensure safety people and preventing further development of deformities.

This Resolution also indicates that in order to prevent destruction of the edges of the balcony (loggia) slab or cracks between the balcony (loggia) slab and the walls due to the ingress of atmospheric moisture, a metal drain must be installed in the groove of the box, its width must be at least 1.5 times the thickness slabs and it must be placed under the waterproofing layer.

The slope of the balcony (loggia) slab must be at least 3% from the walls of the building with the organization of water drainage using a metal apron or an iron plate with a drip with a distance of at least 3 - 5 cm, at the end the drain must be embedded in the body of the panel.

In the event of an emergency condition of balconies, loggias and bay windows, it is necessary to close and seal the entrances to them, carry out security work and take measures to restore them. Repair work must be carried out according to the project.

The absence or incorrect connection of drains and the waterproofing layer with structures, leaks on the upper surface of balcony slabs, loosening of fastenings and damage to balcony and loggia railings must be eliminated as identified in order to prevent their further development.

NOT ALLOWED:

using balconies, bay windows and loggias for purposes other than their intended purpose, placing bulky and heavy things on them, littering and polluting them;
unauthorized installation of canopies, bay windows, balconies, loggias and construction of the space between balconies.