One of the questions that has been popping up is, “Can I use polytab on windows?” We had one artist try this and they were pleased with the results. We did a test with two squares of primed and painted polytab mural cloth in the studio to understand the best process for doing this.
We used a window pane that we purchased from Home Depot and Nova Color Matte Gel as an adhesive. This is what we recommend for any polytab solution, but you can also use Liquitex, Golden, or other brands of matte gel medium.
We applied the acrylic matte gel medium to the back of the polytab and then applied it to the glass pane. Because windows are as flat as you can possibly get as a substrate, applying the polytab without air bubbles is simple. Just roll out any wrinkles or bubbles that may appear while the matte gel medium is still pliable.
When the gel medium is cured, the polytab stays installed on the window until you decide to remove it. We add an anti-graffiti coating on top of the polytab for protection—similar to the process of protecting a mural on a traditional wall.
Removable:
One cool feature is that the polytab was able to be removed with a simple scraper. We used a $5 scraper with a wide blade and easily removed the polytab from the window. Because glass is flat and smooth, the matte gel medium doesn’t have anything to permanently grab onto, making it easy to scrape off.
In the end, yes, you can apply polytab to a traditional window. We haven’t tested it on windows that have been etched, engraved, or have other treatments, so keep that in mind.