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Smart Film — Switchable Privacy on Demand

Clear when you want daylight and connection. Opaque the instant you need privacy. We sell and install both Gauzy and GhostGlass PDLC smart film — retrofit onto the glass you already have.

Conference room behind clear smart-film glassThe same conference room with smart film switched to frosted private● PRIVATE○ CLEAR

Real PDLC behavior — frosted to crystal-clear in milliseconds

How It Works

Liquid crystal, laminated to your glass, wired to a switch.

PDLC (polymer-dispersed liquid crystal) film contains crystals that scatter light when the power is off — rendering the glass opaque white — and align within milliseconds when energized, turning the glass clear. Switching is near-instant and can be tied to a wall switch, remote, schedule, or your building automation system. What the numbers on a PDLC data sheet actually mean — haze, drive voltage, switching time — is laid out in how smart film works.

Because we're dealers for both Gauzy and GhostGlass, we quote the two lines against each other on optics, haze, power draw, and price — and tell you which one actually fits your job.

  • Retrofit self-adhesive PDLC applied to existing glass
  • Switches clear ↔ opaque in milliseconds
  • Dimmable controllers available on some product lines
  • Wall switch, remote, voice, or BMS integration
  • Custom-cut panels for doors, partitions & curved glass
Gauzy smart film on operatory windows — Pasadena orthodontist install Gauzy smart film in private mode — Pasadena orthodontist install

Applications

Where switchable glass pays for itself.

Conference Rooms

Open glass culture until the meeting is confidential. One switch, instant boardroom privacy — pair with cloaking film for screen security.

Healthcare

Exam rooms, behavioral health, and ICU bays get privacy without curtains — a cleanable, touch-free surface.

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Hospitality & Retail

Storefront reveals, dressing rooms, private dining — theater you can switch on.

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Residential

Bathrooms, street-facing glass, and home offices — daylight all day, privacy on demand.

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Questions

Smart film FAQ.

Gauzy or GhostGlass — which is better?

They're both excellent PDLC lines; the right pick depends on panel sizes, optical clarity targets, budget, and lead time. Because we sell both, we spec them head-to-head for your job instead of defending one catalog.

Can smart film go on my existing glass?

Yes — retrofit PDLC is a self-adhesive film applied to existing glass, with a busbar along the edge wired back to its own controller. The controller's connection to building power is work for a licensed electrician, as the manufacturers specify. For new construction or replacements, we can also supply laminated smart glass with PDLC inside the glass unit.

How much power does it use?

Very little — a few watts per square meter while the film is held clear (published figures run from about 1 to about 5), driven by its own controller at roughly 40 to 70 volts AC. When it's off (private), the film isn't powered at all.

Is it private in both directions?

Yes. In the off state the film is translucent white — light passes, sightlines don't, from either side. Note it's a privacy product, not a blackout product: shadows close to the glass can still read faintly.

Keep Reading

Smart film in medical offices

What a 21-window Pasadena install taught us about specifying PDLC in a working practice.

Read the post →

Case study: 21 windows in Pasadena

Smart film in a working orthodontic practice — the ask, the spec and the install.

See the project →

How Smart Film Works: PDLC, Power and Haze

What the haze, voltage and switching numbers on a PDLC data sheet mean — and what to ask before anyone wires a single panel.

Read the post →

See smart film switch in person.

We'll bring a live demo panel to your LA or OC site and quote Gauzy and GhostGlass side by side.

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