While both utilize Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) technology to provide instant privacy, the application method differs significantly. Smart film is applied to your existing glass, whereas smart glass involves manufacturing the PDLC layer between two panes of glass.

Looking for smart glass in Miami? Here is how we deliver it on your existing glass.

Longer read: our article Smart Film vs Smart Glass: Which Is Right for You?

What each option costs in Miami

Smart film applied to your existing glass runs $55 to $90 per square foot installed. Switchable smart glass — PDLC laminated inside new glass — runs roughly $150 to $300 per square foot for the glass alone, plus removal of the old glass, new framing or glazing, and for exterior windows a new Miami-Dade product approval. A 40 square foot shower is about $2,200 to $3,600 in smart film versus $8,000 to $15,000 in smart glass once installation is included. Smart glass makes sense in new construction where the glass is being bought anyway; on an existing home or office, film delivers the same effect for a quarter of the price in a day.

Smart glass in Miami: who installs it and when it makes sense

Laminated smart glass is a factory product: the PDLC layer is sealed between two panes by the glass manufacturer and the finished unit is installed by a glazier, so it is specified during construction or a full window replacement and lead times run in weeks. Switchable smart film gives the same clear-to-frosted switch on the glass you already have and is installed in a day, which is why it is the usual choice for existing showers, sliders, partitions and storefronts. We install smart film across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach; if your project is new construction and you are weighing laminated smart glass, ask us and we will tell you when the glass is the better choice. Our smart film colors guide explains the laminated-versus-self-adhesive difference in more detail.

Which one should you choose?

Choose smart film if the glass is already installed, you want it done in a day, or the project is a bathroom, slider, partition or storefront. Choose smart glass if you are building or replacing glass anyway, need the switchable layer protected inside a laminate (for example a curtain wall or an exterior door that gets scrubbed on both sides), or want a spec that architects can write into a new-build package. Both use the same PDLC technology and switch in under a second.

Frequently asked questions

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