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/
We have found this great article on Window Tinting Perth below on the net and figured it made perfect sense to discuss it with you on my blog.
You can obtain a selection of home window tinting options depending on your spending plan, as well as several kinds are available to fit your needs. There are several different sorts of home window tinting, depending upon just how much or exactly how little you need. You can also pick to shield the beyond your windows, or simply attempt to make them brighter.
If you reside in a location where the sunlight is strong, which is not unusual in interior locations, you may wish to attempt one of the window tinting items that include a UV finish. It will certainly prevent sunlight from permeating the home window, so sunlight can't shine via the glass.
In some cases, the sunlight's rays are simply also extreme, and the sunlight can leave a supernatural white streak over the glass. This sort of window tinting is typically called a seamless gutter display. The goal is to quit the sunlight from going into the room, without letting it in also far.
Light window tints can be practical for household residences where the drapes are actually windows, with frozen or nontransparent home window tones to maintain the sun out. In instances like this, a slim movie of light-tinted glass can supply a way to guarantee privacy as well as avoid the sun from streaming via the home window. It's not almost as dark as you would certainly visualize, however it is still dark adequate to avoid sunlight from shining in, even when the drapes are open.
All home window tinting comes with directions for how much time to let the home window tinting continue to be on your windows. Generally, when the item is used, it is expected to last for about a year, but you must check your guidelines to see what period your specific tinting item requires to read this article stay on your windows.
If you don't desire your windows to be tinted, you can still obtain them tinted. You need to have a professional to use it, as they are much more experienced at applying it appropriately. Your home windows may need to be tinted every few years, depending upon just how usually the sun has to shine via the window.
You will initially need to decide what sort of material you want to tint your windows with. Certainly, your home is going to be various, so you could need to discover a product that functions ideal with your home. You also require to determine if you desire your window tinting to stay transparent at all times, or you could desire it to look a bit much more like an actual sheet of glass.
Advantages and disadvantages of all sorts of window tinting are easily found, so you need to have the ability to locate the type that fits your needs. Constantly ask your house to see how it looks before using any item.
Among the most preferred kinds of light tinting is laminated glass. It is typically made of colored glass that has actually been laminated right into one strong piece. A layer of UV-treated laminate is placed over the glass, and also this makes it thicker than conventional glass that is available in sheets.
Light tinting is made from glass, which is clear, yet it has a little layer of UV-treated product that enables it to have a little light defense. The word light can be deceptive, due to the fact that it does not indicate the windows can not be tinted. It simply indicates that the level of security is more than normal.
An additional disadvantage of light window tinting is that the light is not simply diffused throughout the home window, however it likewise has a light color. This indicates that while the home window can be tinted, you need to make certain the remainder of the room isn't. It will reflect the light in different ways and also will include a little bit of glow.
Many individuals determine to light home windows instead of tinting them. Light tinting isn't popular among the home window color and also drapes producers, yet individuals that desire an one-of-a-kind and tidy appearance can select this kind of home window tinting. It likewise is readily available in numerous shapes as well as shades to fit any kind of design.
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