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/
They are making a number of good pointers about Window Tinting Perth overall in this content following next.
You can get a variety of window tinting services depending on your budget, and numerous kinds are available to fit your needs. There are several various sorts of window tinting, relying on just how much or just how little you require. You can even choose to shield the outside of your windows, or simply attempt to make them brighter.
If you reside in an area where the sun is solid, which is not uncommon in interior areas, you could intend to attempt among the home window tinting items that feature a UV coating. It will stop sunlight from permeating the home window, so sunlight can't radiate via the glass.
Often, the sun's rays are just as well rough, and the sunlight can leave a ghostly white touch over the glass. This kind of window tinting is usually called a seamless gutter screen. The goal is to quit the sunlight from entering the room, without allowing it in as well far.
Light home window tints can be practical for property residences where the drapes are actually home windows, with frosted or nontransparent window tones to keep the sunlight out. In instances such as this, a slim film of light-tinted glass can give a way to make certain personal privacy as well as protect against the sunlight from streaming through the home window. It's not almost as dark as you would think of, yet it is still dark sufficient to stop sunshine from radiating in, also when the drapes are open.
All home window tinting comes with instructions for for how long to let the window tinting continue to be on your home windows. Generally, when the product is used, it is meant to last for about a year, however you ought More Bonuses to inspect your directions to check over here see what time frame your specific tinting product needs to continue to be on your home windows.
If you do not desire your home windows to be tinted, you can still get them tinted. You should have a specialist to use it, as they are more seasoned at using it appropriately. Your windows may need to be tinted every few years, depending on exactly how usually the sun has to radiate with the window.
You will certainly initially require to determine what type of material you intend to tint your windows with. Naturally, your residence is mosting likely to be various, so you could need to discover a material that functions best with your home. You additionally need to establish if you want your window tinting to stay transparent regularly, or you may want it to look a little bit a lot more like a real sheet of glass.
Benefits as well as disadvantages of all sorts of home window tinting are quickly found, so you should be able to discover the kind that fits your demands. Constantly ask your home to see exactly how it looks before applying any kind of product.
Among one of the most preferred sorts of light tinting is laminated glass. It is usually made from tinted glass that has actually been laminated right into one solid piece. A layer of UV-treated laminate is put over the glass, and this makes it thicker than typical glass that is available in sheets.
Light tinting is made from glass, which is transparent, yet it has a little layer of UV-treated material that allows it to have a little light defense. Words light can be deceptive, since it does not mean the windows can not be tinted. It just indicates that the degree of security is greater than regular.
One more drawback of light home window tinting is that the light is not simply diffused throughout the window, however it also has a light color. This suggests that while the window can be tinted, you need to see to it the rest of the space isn't. It will reflect the light in a different way and also will certainly include a bit of glow.
Many individuals choose to light windows as opposed to tinting them. Light tinting isn't incredibly popular among the window color and also curtains suppliers, yet people who want a special and also tidy appearance can choose this sort look at these guys of home window tinting. It also is available in many forms as well as shades to fit any type of design.
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