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 range of home window tinting options depending on your budget plan, and also a number of types are offered to fit your needs. There are numerous different sorts of window tinting, relying on how much or exactly how little you need. You can also choose to safeguard the beyond your home windows, or simply try to make them brighter.
If you live in an area where the sunlight is solid, which is not unusual in interior areas, you may wish to attempt among the home window tinting items that include a UV finish. It will certainly prevent sunlight from permeating the window, so sunlight can not beam through the glass.
Occasionally, the sunlight's rays are simply as well severe, and the sunlight can leave a macabre white touch over the glass. This kind of window tinting is normally called a seamless gutter screen. The objective is to stop the sunlight from going into the space, without letting it in as well much.
Light window tints can be valuable for household residences where the curtains are in fact home windows, with frosted or opaque window tones to maintain the sun out. In instances like this, a thin film of light-tinted glass can supply a way to make sure personal privacy as well as prevent the sun from streaming with the window. It's not almost as dark as you would certainly picture, yet it is still dark sufficient to prevent sunlight from shining in, even when the drapes are open.
All window tinting comes with guidelines for for how long to let the home window tinting remain on your windows. Normally, when the item is applied, it is supposed to last for about a year, but you must examine your instructions to see what time frame your particular tinting item requires to stay on your windows.
If you don't want your windows to be tinted, you can still obtain them tinted. You ought to have a specialist to apply it, as they are much more seasoned at applying it properly. Your home windows may require to be tinted every few years, depending upon just how often the sun needs to radiate via the home window.
You will certainly first need to determine what kind of product you wish to tint your windows with. Of course, your house is mosting likely to be different, so you could need to locate a product that works finest with your house. You additionally need to establish if you desire your home window tinting to remain clear constantly, or you could want it to look a little bit much more like an actual sheet of glass.
Benefits as well as downsides of all sorts of home window tinting are conveniently located, so you must be able to find the kind that fits your requirements. Always ask your residence to see how it looks before using any kind of item.
One of one of the most popular sorts of light tinting is laminated glass. It is usually constructed from colored glass that has actually been laminated flooring into one solid piece. A layer of UV-treated laminate is placed over the glass, and also this makes it thicker than standard glass that is available in sheets.
Light tinting is made of glass, which is clear, however it has a tiny layer of UV-treated product that allows it to have a little light protection. Words light can be deceptive, since it does not suggest the home windows can't be tinted. It just suggests that the level of defense is greater than typical.
An additional downside of light home window tinting is that the light is not just diffused throughout the home window, yet it also has a light tint. This implies that while the home window can be tinted, you need to make certain the remainder check my source of the area isn't. It will show the light differently as well as will certainly add a little bit of glow.
Lots of people determine to light windows rather than tinting them. Light tinting isn't incredibly popular among the home window color and also drapes producers, but people that desire a special and tidy appearance can pick this type of window tinting. It likewise is offered in numerous forms and also shades to fit any kind of decor.
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