I am restoring a medicine cabinet that has light bulbs on the top but no covering. Should I try to cover that area with glass (I'd like something frosted or opaque) or is there some type of plastic or other material that can be used?
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1Hi and welcome to the site. I added some detail to the title to make it more specific and easier to find in a search (the vast majority of the questions here have very specific titles). Back to your question: what size, wattage and type of bulbs do you have now, and (if they're incandescent) would you be willing to use energy-efficient bulbs instead?– Niall C. ♦Aug 31, 2013 at 1:37
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A photo would help.– BryceDec 12, 2013 at 19:20
3 Answers
You could certainly use frosted glass, though acrylic is easier to work with and lighter weight. You can cut it with a saw, it's effectively "shatterproof," and the edges aren't sharp like glass.
Frosted acrylic sheets are available at many DIY "big box" stores, and online. You may know this acrylic material by the brand name Plexiglas.
Acrylic sheet is also available in a variety of patterns and textures, as shown on one manufacturer's website.
One easy way to go might be to find a replacement diffuser panel for an overhead fluorescent light fixture. and cut it to fit your application.
A lot depends on the type of the lightbulb and the distance of the cover.
- With incandescent you should use glass if the cover is close, and plastic if it is 10 cm away (for a 40W lightbulb).
- With CFL or LED bulbs you can use plastic close and even paper a bit further away, especially if the cover is not fully closed, and the hot air can leave easily.
You can use something like these
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1Link only answers don't work well, especially when the links go bad.– BMitch ♦Aug 31, 2013 at 12:10
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1Because when either of those sites removes the link, your answer is as good as directing someone to look here. See also: Why are some answers deleted– BMitch ♦Aug 31, 2013 at 15:54
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