I once had a vending machine business in a space about the size of a 4 car garage. It was broken into by someone who trashed the place looking for money, as the only thing taken was a coin box with probably $40 worth of change in it. I was faced with the same problem as you, and decided to put an alarm system in, but I never finished. All I installed was some of the metal alarm tape on each of the windows, and then some of the plastic frosting film on all of the windows. I never had another break-in, likely because they saw the metal tape on the windows and assumed that there was a working alarm system installed. The break-in took place less than 2 months after I had begun using the space, and my business was in there almost 10 years. When there I never opened the doors or windows, and only allowed occasional close friends and business associates in there with me. The tape on the windows kept the low life from breaking in.
Only one side of the metal tape is sticky, so when you get to a corner, you need to fold the tape as you turn the corner. The excess triangle shaped area then just gets folded down flat. No cuts in the tape until you complete the window. It's common to begin at midway on one side of the window and then make a square U shape staying 1 1/2 - 2" away from the frame down, across, and up, and then a right angle turn to match the first end. I just looked at real alarm installations and copied what they did. I had planned to solder wires to join the tape on each window together and a long wire from the far end back to near the other end in order to install a push together connector above the door latch, so that I could unplug the door (with the alarm off) to be able to open it, but never even did that. For double hung windows, make a complete square of the tape, again staying 1 1/2 - 2" away from the wood frame, so wires can be attached, again through a connector on one edge of the window. Do the same for the other sash. On a passage door, do the same with the windows, but you can bridge the hinge with a cable and avoid the need for the connector. Everything then gets joined together in series if you do have an alarm system. If the doors are paneled, running a thin wire that easily breaks horizontally across all the panels in each non windowed door section can secure the panels if someone tries to kick them in. I wouldn't bother with this unless really putting in an alarm system. The tape on the windows is usually covered with a thick varnish so it isn't easily damaged when being used as an alarm, but not so important if just looking for the alarm appearance. If you have the doors open and unexpected visitors come to call, you had better go the full route of connecting the wires to make a complete alarm detection system out of it, because it's easy to tell from the inside if it's a complete alarm loop or not. If you go this far you might as well build out the alarm circuit, at least to the point of installing a loud bell or horn high on the outside of the building with hidden wires. Good luck with it.
You can also just get ready shades, and put them inside your garage window and it sticks at the top and lets as a shade does, and No One can See through. So much easier.
I once had a vending machine business in a space about the size of a 4 car garage. It was broken into by someone who trashed the place looking for money, as the only thing taken was a coin box with probably $40 worth of change in it.
I was faced with the same problem as you, and decided to put an alarm system in, but I never finished. All I installed was some of the metal alarm tape on each of the windows, and then some of the plastic frosting film on all of the windows. I never had another break-in, likely because they saw the metal tape on the windows and assumed that there was a working alarm system installed. The break-in took place less than 2 months after I had begun using the space, and my business was in there almost 10 years. When there I never opened the doors or windows, and only allowed occasional close friends and business associates in there with me. The tape on the windows kept the low life from breaking in.
Only one side of the metal tape is sticky, so when you get to a corner, you need to fold the tape as you turn the corner. The excess triangle shaped area then just gets folded down flat. No cuts in the tape until you complete the window. It's common to begin at midway on one side of the window and then make a square U shape staying 1 1/2 - 2" away from the frame down, across, and up, and then a right angle turn to match the first end. I just looked at real alarm installations and copied what they did. I had planned to solder wires to join the tape on each window together and a long wire from the far end back to near the other end in order to install a push together connector above the door latch, so that I could unplug the door (with the alarm off) to be able to open it, but never even did that. For double hung windows, make a complete square of the tape, again staying 1 1/2 - 2" away from the wood frame, so wires can be attached, again through a connector on one edge of the window. Do the same for the other sash. On a passage door, do the same with the windows, but you can bridge the hinge with a cable and avoid the need for the connector. Everything then gets joined together in series if you do have an alarm system. If the doors are paneled, running a thin wire that easily breaks horizontally across all the panels in each non windowed door section can secure the panels if someone tries to kick them in. I wouldn't bother with this unless really putting in an alarm system. The tape on the windows is usually covered with a thick varnish so it isn't easily damaged when being used as an alarm, but not so important if just looking for the alarm appearance. If you have the doors open and unexpected visitors come to call, you had better go the full route of connecting the wires to make a complete alarm detection system out of it, because it's easy to tell from the inside if it's a complete alarm loop or not. If you go this far you might as well build out the alarm circuit, at least to the point of installing a loud bell or horn high on the outside of the building with hidden wires. Good luck with it.
Exactly what I needed! Thank you so much! Are you happy with the privacy part of it?
Thanks very much for the video and the link. I'll be buying this product and installing. 💖
What if the glass is lexan plastic? how can it be tinted?
Good for you
Snow spray works too
Doesn't hold up over time. It scratches and doesn't hold up to cleaning.
Or Ready Shades - just sticks at the top.
@@endiac2829 link please
Just use snow spray
You can also just get ready shades, and put them inside your garage window and it sticks at the top and lets as a shade does, and No One can See through. So much easier.
Then you realize they weigh hundreds of pounds and they couldn't steal them even if they wanted to.