How Car Window Tinting Is Done � A Great After-Market Upgrade
Getting a new car is always fun. I personally love that new car smell that comes with your purchase. And making your car more �yours� is always important. Many people will cover their cars with bumper stickers or other types of customization. Some are purely aesthetic while others not only look good but also provide an additional function like safety or the preservation of your car. Any many of these upgrades can be done days or even years after your purchase.
As part of my car buying series (see here and here), I�m focusing on how consumers can save money after buying a lower model car (e.g., the base model) and then buying after-market add-ons to bring it closer to more expensive trimlines but without paying the dealer�s dramatically inflated pricing. One great thing about after-market upgrades, like in this case window tinting, is that you can pick and choose exactly the ones that you want and not get �extras� in a package that you don�t really need.
So let�s take a look at the first thing that I had done on my new car, window tinting. This is an upgrade that I definitely recommend that you do for a variety of reasons:
- It protects the interior of your car from harmful UV rays
- It keeps the interior of the car cooler
- It provides added safety in the event of crash by containing all of the broken glass
- It gives added security from a break-ins since it is more difficult to break the glass
- It provides privacy to your passengers (great for kids)
- And it simply looks great (my opinion)
Many times, you can buy a new car with privacy windows or the window tinting already done. Some of these tints are done in the glass making process itself. Some cars even have double paned glass making them stronger, more energy efficient and, of course, more expensive. But, did you know that many car dealers will actually send out many of their vehicles to get the windows tinted by a 3rd party and then later mark up the price on the sticker.
Car window tinting is actually not as expensive as you might think (starting possibly around $200-300 depending on the installer, your vehicle and location). You can buy do-it-yourself kits (which I DON�T recommend) or you can get it done professionally (which I DO recommend). The problem is, not all window tinters (or the film that they use) are the same. Some tinters use cheap films that don�t stand the tests of time and tend to fade, crack, bubble, peel or turn purple. Also these inexperienced or less expensive tinters might simply do a poor application job with the film. So, it is extremely important to shop around and get recommendations (look at Yelp reviews for example). And DON�T always settle for the least expensive.
For my window tinting, I choose a local installer that had the best Yelp recommendations. I read through all of the reviews (the good AND the bad ones) and then spent some time looking at their website. My installer had been in business for 25 years and was run by a father and son team. They also do audio, GPS, video and alarm system installs, in addition to window tinting, so auto upgrades are their passion.
This post is designed to provide you with some insight into what is involved in the window tinting process. The tinting was done by a company called The Best Guys and I was present to photograph and film the entire process. Most of the time, you don�t normally watch the process but I found it really interesting. If you can, ask to watch the install, especially if you have a couple of hours to burn.
Below is a 20 minute video that first talks about the company and their philosophy and then how my particular installation was done. After this video in the content below are some photos that document the process as well. It�s pretty interesting so watch and read on!
The installation process can be broken down into the following components:
- Choosing the film tints
- Cleaning the windows outside
- Cutting the film (by machine and/or by hand)
- Shrinking the film to remove �the fingers�
- Cleaning the inside
- Laying the film, squeegee and de-bubbling
Choosing the film tints
This is a very personal preference. Also, the tint levels may be determined by state laws. For example, in California, you aren�t legally allowed to tint the front side windows, however, you can pretty much tint the back and rear window however you see fit. The darker the tint typically means that it will dramatically reduce the temperature of the sun coming through it. It also means that at night time, it will be a lot more difficult to see through. My recommendation is NOT to go �limo dark� and do more of a 15% or 20% tint, which is more like what you get from a factory-tinted auto.
The percentage associated with the tint is for the amount of visible light that comes through the film.
I do recommend that if you can tint the front, even with a clear tint, you do so, because you get many of the advantages that I listed initially. You can especially notice that the sun on your arm with the windows closed feels just a bit cooler than without the tint.
I don�t really know much about the different manufacturers of the film but the one that The Best Guys swore by was Llumar, which has a life-time warranty (always a good thing). The Llumar tints that were used for my job were:
- Charcoal ATR 15 (Back & Rear Windows) � 15% visible light transmission, 50% total solar energy rejection, 99% UV rejection, 83% glare reduction and 8% visible light rejection
- Neutral AU 85 (Front Windows) � 85% visible light transmission, 16% total solar energy rejection, 99.9% UV rejection, 13% glare reduction and 8% visible light rejection
Once the tints were chosen, the prep work started.
Cleaning the windows outside
One of the most important steps that is repeated throughout the process is that of scrubbing and cleaning the windows. Any tiny bit of dust or dirt can cause issues. First, the outside of the windows were washed. This was, at first, a bit confusing to me as I thought that tints go on the inside of the car. Why wash the outside? For starters, you have to have it clean so that you can see dirt or bubbles much easier once the tints are being installed on the inside.
Also, as it turns out, the tint is first applied on the outside so that the shrinking step can take place. I will explain the shrinking process later. However, since the film has to be cut/trimmed and shrunk on the outside, you have to be sure that the windows are clean.
Cutting the film (by machine and/or by hand)
There are a couple of main ways to cut the film. A lot of shops now use computers and automatic cutting machines to accurately cut the film. Other shops cut their film by hand. Frequently you have to hand-cut films for older cars or for complex or custom jobs.
The computers store the exact sizes of all of the windows for recent automobiles. You simply look up the year, make and model and the computer displays all of the window templates. With the particular program that The Best Guys used, you could drag and drop the stencils around for best placement on the film and then when you were happy with the arrangement, you sent the cutting instructions to the automatic cutter.
This cutter was so precise that it would cut through the film but not the backing paper underneath. It was pretty amazing to watch it cut out all of my rear windows (rear, 2 small and 2 rear passenger ones).
For the front window, since the tint was a slightly different thickness and the cutting machine was not configured for that type of cutting, my installer, Charlie, who has been putting on window tints for 9 years, cut the film by hand. I was pretty amazed that he was able to cut and size the two front passenger windows so quickly and accurately.
Other cut film is then placed on some glass boards near the car. There were two of these glass boards, one on each side of the car. The boards were used for trimming, sizing, shirking and simply keeping them handy.
https://www.hightechdad.com/2010/10/21/how-car-window-tinting-is-done-a-great-after-market-upgrade/
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You can get a variety of home window tinting solutions depending upon your budget, as well as a number of kinds are available to fit your needs. There are numerous various types of home window tinting, depending on how much or exactly how little you need. You can even pick to shield the outside of your windows, or just try to make them brighter.
If you reside in an area where the sunlight is solid, which is not uncommon in indoor locations, you could wish to attempt one of the window tinting items that include a UV layer. It will avoid sunlight from penetrating the home window, so sunlight can't radiate via the glass.
Sometimes, the sunlight's rays are just too harsh, and the sunlight can leave a macabre white streak over the glass. This kind of window tinting is normally called a gutter display. The goal is to stop the sunshine from getting in the space, without letting it in as well much.
Light window tints can be useful for residential houses where the drapes are in fact home windows, with frozen or opaque window shades to maintain the sunlight out. In situations like this, a thin movie of light-tinted glass can provide a way to ensure personal privacy as well as stop the sunlight from streaming via the home window. It's not almost as dark as you would picture, yet it is still dark sufficient to stop sunshine from shining in, also when the drapes are open.
All home window tinting features directions for how long to allow the home window tinting remain on your windows. Usually, when the item is applied, it is meant to last for regarding a year, but you ought to examine your instructions to see what timespan your certain tinting product requires to remain on your windows.
If you do not desire your windows to be tinted, you can still get them tinted. You should have a specialist to apply it, as they are more knowledgeable at using it appropriately. Your windows may require to be tinted every few years, depending upon just how frequently the sunlight needs to radiate with the window.
You will first need to this link choose what sort of material you wish to tint your home windows with. Naturally, your home is mosting likely to be various, so you could require to find a material that works ideal with your residence. You likewise require to identify if you desire your window tinting to stay clear at all times, or you could desire it to look a little bit a lot more like a real sheet of glass.
Benefits and disadvantages of all kinds of home window tinting are quickly found, so you must be able to discover the type that fits your requirements. Constantly ask your residence to see just how it looks before applying any type of product.
One of the most prominent types of light tinting is laminated glass. It is typically constructed from colored glass that has been laminated flooring into one strong piece. A layer of UV-treated laminate is put over the glass, as well as this makes it thicker than traditional glass that comes in sheets.
Light tinting is made of glass, which is transparent, however it has a small layer of UV-treated material that enables it to have a little bit of light defense. The word light can be deceptive, due to the navigate to these guys fact that it doesn't mean the windows can't be tinted. It simply indicates that the degree of defense is higher than normal.
Another negative aspect of light home window tinting is that the light is not simply diffused throughout the window, yet it additionally has a light tint. This suggests that while the window can be tinted, you require to make sure the remainder of the space isn't. It will show the light in a different way and will certainly add a little glare.
Lots of people make a decision to light windows rather than tinting them. Light tinting isn't popular amongst the home window shade as well as drapes makers, yet individuals that want an unique as well as clean look can pick this type of home window tinting. It likewise is readily available in many shapes and also colors to fit any kind of decor.
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