Add Privacy To Your Glass Doors In A Snap With A Smart Renter-Friendly Addition

Glass doors that connect your home to the outside world are perfect for letting in sunshine and allowing you to admire the views, but sometimes those pros are also cons. Glass doors provide less privacy than solid doors with peepholes, which means that in order to keep the outside out, another layer is required. Add-on blinds are enclosures that install over the existing glass panels. Curtains, special adhesive films, and shades are some of the most common ways to create more privacy if you have glass doors, but add-on blinds have a few qualities that set them apart.

In addition to being a stylish, low-profile devices that get the job done, add-on blinds are a renter-friendly hack that is easy to install, and less expensive than a new door that has the blinds already built into the frame. News about this great hack has been spreading across the "HomeImprovement" hashtag on TikTok, but it's not too late to join the wave. The only tools you may need are a screwdriver, a hammer, measuring tape, some cleaning supplies, and the ability to lift around 15lbs.

In the box comes a ready-made enclosure with aluminum blinds sandwiched between tempered safety glass. Around the glass is the frame, which features sliders that move the aluminum blinds up and down, and also open and close the individual vanes to let more or less light through. Before purchasing, buyers should check to see if their entry doors have raised or flushed frames, as some add-on blinds are molding-specific.

The process for installing add-on blinds to a door is simple. After cleaning the glass on the existing door and measuring to make sure the add-on is the correct size, the installer loosens the frame screws and installs spacers according to the measurements outlined in the manual. Brackets are then installed on the top right and left sides of the existing frame. The add-on blinds are then removed from the box, cleaned on both sides, hung from the brackets, and secured into place using locking clips. For renters, when the time comes to move out, just reverse the process and take the panels to the next location—or leave them as a creative housewarming gift for your successors.