Not the prettiest look up close, but from a distance you barely notice.
That’s been my experience too with the shrink film kits. I used them on single-pane windows in our old farmhouse—definitely cut down on drafts, and the light loss was minimal. Tried the foam board once, but like you said, it just turned the place into a bunker. Haven’t bothered with plexiglass yet, but honestly, the plastic film is cheap and does enough for my needs, even if it’s not exactly stylish.
I get the appeal of shrink film—cheap, easy, and it does help with drafts. But I’ve always wondered about long-term durability. Do you find you have to replace it every season? I tried it one winter and by spring, the corners were peeling. Maybe I just didn’t prep the frame well enough...
Had the same issue with corners peeling up after a few months—think it’s just the nature of the stuff, honestly. I’ve tried being super careful with cleaning and drying the frame, even used rubbing alcohol, but still had to redo it every winter. On the flip side, my neighbor swears by double-sided tape instead of the stuff that comes in the box. Wonder if the brand makes a difference? Or maybe it’s just our old, slightly warped window frames...