Window Tinting

I did, unfortunately it was long enough ago now that I don't remember the name of the kit (and it might not even still be available if I did). But I had an office in L.A. with a wall of windows, I applied a UV-blocking tinted film to the windows that worked pretty well. They had the added benefit of making the interior harder to see from outside (it was quite easy to see out, though).

The tinted film definitely helped keep down the temperature.

I occasionally do a car window.

once you get the technique down, it's pretty easy.

having an assistant would make it easier for you to keep the film straight and unwrinkled as you apply it.

I've got about four years worth of residential and commercial installation. In that time i think I used a store bought kit once. I couldn't not scratch that film. What sort of application are you looking at?

In the last apartment I lived in, about 4 years ago, I bought the home depot tint and put it on every window in the house.
It made a HUGE difference.
This apartment was over 35 years old.. but not well kept. Floors had been replaced with out insulation, no new insulation had been blown into the ceilings or roof for over 15 years..etc.etc.
It kept the heat down, but I choose the dark privacy kind because the neighborhood was just such that I didnt want anyone seeing in.
I do not know that I would pick that same kind again. It made the house a bit too dark for me. I am the kind of person though that really likes open windows and sun. In that neighborhood, I could not do that. So the decision was justified... but.. unless you have a LOT of windows, I would go with the gold , lighter tint than the dark privacy.

Solar shade screens do the same thing

just remember, once you tint the windows, you have to play lots of doof - doof music and turn the subwoofer way up (to 11 if possible)

I agree absolutely with lighter film for a residential application. 35% would be the darkest I'd recommend, and that would only be for skylights or rooms with a lot of glass and a lot of direct sun exposure.

I had all my south-facing windows (9 of them at 6' x 5') tinted by a company after I'd had them installed. The window company wanted to charge me an extra $10K for the tinting while the tinting company charged me about $2500. They paint a film on the inside of the glass and it really did keep a lot of the glare and heat out.

I bought 2 kits from a company in California, yesterday. Two of the films are 33 X 44 inches and have a light admission of 35% with reduction of solar energy of 56%.That's as dark as I want it.

The other kit ( with 2 films ) has a solar rejection of 51% and a light ( visibility ) admission of 50%. These sections are 33 X 75 inches.

Both kits reject UV by 99%.

The glass to be covered is flat glass.

I also bought an application kit.

Total cost was just under $200.

I'm assuming ( correct me if I'm wrong ) that the tint can be (chemically ?)removed at a later date. If not, the windows would have to be replaced...

By the way, the cost of the 2 kits is less than the cost of heavy duty window shades to cover the windows.

Does anyone know how long the chemical tint lasts?

Yes the film can be removed. Typically it can be peeled off (this will take some effort) and will leave a thin layer of adhesive behind. Spray the window liberaly with windex and use a razor scraper with a fresh blade to remove. The amonia in the windex will help break down the adhesive.

So you're doing two doors in 50% and the transoms in 35%, a fairly standard application. What is the brand of the film? What's in the application kit? If you haven't already installed it I've got a few tips that might help you out. - Sorry but I had no idea how much I missed that job.

Right now I'm waiting for my order to come through from California. I checked out the KIT last night because I had no idea what to expect. Basically, the kit contains:

pro-handle
12" channel and blade
squeegee
spray bottle
4 razor blades
white srubbing pad
red hard card
black knife

How long will the tint sheet be in decent condition once I apply it?

The film is called Deluxe Natural. It was the least expensive for me to buy and since I've no experience with this line of work, I figured I'd go with the lower cost items.

I hope to get this work done before it gets too hot up here.

TheWindow Tinting - 
Flat Glass Installation Instructions ( from suppliers website)

What you will need . . .

•Cutting Knife (A) or other utility knife for cutting and trimming film during installation.
•Single-Edge Razor Blade (B) used during cleaning to remove small 
pieces of tape and/or stickers.
•Scrubbing Pad (F) used in place of blades for safer cleaning of glass.
•Rubber Squeegee (C) for cleaning glass surface and to squeegee 
mounting solution out from beneath film.
•Hard Card (D) to use as a trim guide for cutting film edges during 
installation. Can be wrapped with paper towels to use as a hand 
squeegee for cleaning and preparing glass.
•16-oz Spray Bottle (E) for mixing and applying mounting solution.
•Lint-Free Paper Towels (not included in tool kit) for cleaning glass surface and absorption of excess mounting solution.
•Mild baby shampoo (not included in tool kit) for mixture with water for mounting solution.

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Prepare Mounting Solution

1.Mix 4 drops baby shampoo into 16 ounces of water. 
Tip: If the water in your area is hard, you may want to use distilled water. Note: The use of baby shampoo serves two purposes. It acts as a lubricant when positioning film during installation and it prevents the film from sticking to itself.

2.Pour solution into a spray bottle for ease of use during installation.
Note: The mounting solution will be used for several purposes during film installation: cleaning and preparation of glass; wetting adhesive for ease of positioning, cleaning of film surface during and after installation.


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Glass Preparation

1.Glass must be perfectly clean. Remove any tape, stickers, paint or stain using a single-edge razor blade. Tip: Wetting the glass with the mounting solution will reduce the chance of scratching the surface during the scraping process. Use a fresh blade for each job or be sure to check blade for imperfections which may cause scratching.

2.Once glass has been cleaned of debris, use the razor blade to go over glass one more time to remove any leftover residue.

3.Spray glass once more and squeegee it dry using the Rubber Squeegee (B), then wipe edges dry with lint-free paper towels.


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Film Preparation and Installation

1.Measure height and width of glass surface, keeping in mind the roll width of the pattern you’re working with. It may be necessary to splice together two or more pieces of film in order to cover your surface.

2.Carefully remove required film from kit. If using roll film, use a knife and trim guide to cut. Tip: We allow approximately 1” extra material on each side of the film when cutting.

3.Remove protective liner from back side of film. Begin in one corner and peel away to expose adhesive. Tip: If you have difficulty doing this, take two pieces of clear adhesive tape, apply to one corner of each side of film and peel apart.

4.Thoroughly saturate the adhesive by spraying with mounting solution. This process will allow for easy positioning of film onto your surface. If any area of adhesive is left dry, it will “grab” onto the surface and cause difficulty when positioning. Avoid this by misting the surface of the glass with mounting solution.

5.Carefully place film onto surface (adhesive side to glass surface) and position as desired.

6.Once you are satisfied with the film position, you will begin to squeegee out the excess solution. For this first squeegee process, begin by spraying the film surface with mounting solution. Using moderate pressure, take the rubber squeegee and work from the center out to the edges of the film.

7.Using the trim guide and knife, trim excess film from edges of surface. Tip: It is best to cut in one continuous movement, using the trim guide to keep film firmly in place.

8.Spray film surface again with mounting solution. You will now begin the second squeegee process using the rubber squeegee. All remaining solution must be pushed out from behind the film. You will need to apply more pressure during this step. Tip: For this squeegee process, you may use a rubber squeegee and we recommend you catch excess solution from edges with a paper towel. This will prevent the solution from seeping back under the film. Another option is to wrap your trim guide hard card with a paper towel and use it as a squeegee. PLEASE NOTE: Should you feel your tool begin to drag on the surface, lightly mist it with mounting solution.

9.If any bubbles are not removed after step 8, it may be 
necessary to squeegee again. Always lubricate the top 
side of the film with the mounting solution before applying 
the squeegee

I was thinking of doing this for the large windows. But I could end up with a big mess.
Dish washing solution can be used in place of the baby shampoo.

Anywhere between two and maybe fifteen years - but probably more like five and ten, depending on the amount of sun exposure and film quality. I wouldn't recommend windex for claening as some films have been known to fade or "purple" more quickly from the amonia.

Just for reference, I had my auto glass tinted when it was bought in 2003. Seven years later it is exactly like new. This was California Gold, but I suspect the installation is as important as the film. Anyhow, this is high desert in New Mexico, with lots of good sunshine.

The wait time for the tint sheets to arrive is 2-3 weeks. I'm glad I decided to order them early.

By the way, did you ever see the instructions for tint removal, that require a large garbage bag be placed over the window?

What does the term "Gold" mean in the description of the product?

California gold is a tint shop in NM.

Yeah. This is known as "sweating".