Anti-Graffiti Film in Washington DC

Graffiti Damage on DC Storefront Glass

Paint and marker on glass are a nuisance, but they come off. Scratching and acid etching do not. Tags cut into glass with a key, a stone or an etching cream leave permanent marks, and the only real fix is replacing the pane. On a large storefront that means a glazier, a board-up in the meantime and a bill that keeps coming back if the same corner gets hit again.

In the District this shows up on corridors with heavy foot traffic and late hours, such as 18th Street in Adams Morgan, 7th Street and H Street around Penn Quarter and Chinatown, and parts of U Street and 14th Street. Transit entrances, bus stops and the glass doors of apartment lobbies get hit as well. Silver Spring's downtown and other busy Maryland and Virginia districts see the same pattern.

How Anti-Graffiti Film Works on Glass

Anti-graffiti film is a clear, tough polyester film with a hard-coated surface, applied to the outside of the glass where vandals reach it. It takes the scratches, the paint and the etching. Marker and paint can often be cleaned off the film's surface. Deep scratches and etching cannot, but they stop at the film.

When the film is damaged beyond cleaning, we peel off the affected sheet and install a new one. That costs less than new glass and takes far less time. Most owners keep a replacement plan with us so damaged panels can be swapped quickly after an incident.

Anti-Graffiti Film for Penn Quarter and Adams Morgan Businesses

Restaurants and bars along 18th Street, galleries and shops in Penn Quarter, and corner stores across the city often find the same lower panes and door glass hit over and over. Treating just those panes, rather than the whole facade, is usually enough. The film is nearly invisible, so the storefront keeps its look and stays within historic district expectations.

Property managers of mixed-use buildings in Navy Yard and NoMa use the film on ground-floor retail glass and lobby doors to keep vacant storefronts and amenity spaces presentable while waiting for tenants.

• Lower storefront panes and door glass
• Apartment and office lobby entrances
• Glass near transit entrances and bus stops
• Elevator, mirror and interior glass in public areas

Maintaining Anti-Graffiti Film

Exterior anti-graffiti film faces sun, rain, road grime and window washers, so it wears faster than interior film. It is designed to be replaced, and that is the point: a few sheets of film are cheaper than a storefront pane. Your window cleaner should use soft tools and avoid razor blades on the filmed surface.

For paint or marker tags, a mild cleaner usually removes them from the film. For deep scratches, etching or worn film, schedule a replacement. Keeping a photo record of each incident helps if you are filing an insurance claim or a police report. Some business improvement districts in the city also run graffiti removal programs, and a record of incidents helps them prioritize your block.

Owners sometimes ask whether to film every pane on the facade. Usually not. Vandals favor the lowest glass, the door, and anything near a corner or a dark recess. We start there and add panes only if the pattern of damage spreads.