How To Tint Car Windows | The Family Handyman

January 24, 2022 Post a Comment

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Window tinting keeps your car cooler, protects interior surfaces and offers privacy. Save coin by learning how to tint car windows yourself.

Tinting your vehicle's windows adds way, reduces sun glare and keeps interiors cooler. It blocks up to 99 percent of ultraviolet radiations (UV) rays and filters ninety percent of the sun's infrared radiation (IR). This helps protect interior surfaces from damaging sunlight and allows your air conditioner to operate more than efficiently.

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends reducing exposure to UV rays as an constructive defense confronting UV radiation, a leading cause of skin cancer. Read on to acquire how to install window tint film yourself, saving you hundreds of dollars.

What Is Machine Window Tinting?

Window tinting is a plastic film practical to your vehicle's windows that darken the glass. This helps reduce Visible Light Transference (VLT), the amount of visible low-cal (VL) passing through glass. Tints are rated by their VLT. The higher the VLT percentage/number, the more VL information technology lets in.

Virtually every vehicle sold in the Usa comes standard with tinted glass. To stay within your state's legal limits, information technology's of import you compensate for mill VLT earlier adding aftermarket window tint. Know your state's laws before choosing the VLT percentage.

What Are the Different Types of Window Tints?

At that place are several types, each with specific features, characteristics and properties.

Dyed: Mostly used for advent and privacy.
Metalized: Embedded with metallic particles that reflect heat and UV radiation.
Hybrid: Combines the best characteristics of dyed and metalized tints.
Carbon: Micro layers of polymer and carbon reduce UV and IR.
Ceramic: Highest quality and most technologically advanced tint bachelor.

Y'all can purchase window tint pre-cut for your vehicle, or on a roll that you cut to fit.

Things To Consider When Choosing Window Tint

Call up about your motivation, safety and higher up all your state's tint laws earlier choosing the blazon and VLT percent.

Windows that are as well dark can impact your visibility while driving, especially at night.
Blocking UV rays and IR calorie-free extends the life of seats, carpets, dash pad and trim.
Cooler interiors reduce air conditioning usage, increasing fuel economy.
Tinted windows can add entreatment and enhance the advent to your ride.
Tinted windows add privacy.

How To Tint Car Windows

Man installing window tinting on car. Beak Oxford/Getty Images

Install window tint in a clean, dry out, shaded, dust-gratis area — working in a garage is all-time. Be patient and don't rush. Advisedly follow all steps to do the task properly. It may take 30 minutes or longer to correctly install window film on each side window.

Utilize soapy water to keep your fingers wet. Don't crease the film while installing. An actress set of hands is helpful.

Tools/Materials

Make sure you accept everything yous need before commencement the installation. Consider purchasing an inexpensive installation kit that includes several of the items listed below:

Window picture;
Large spray bottle full of soapy water — you'll need at to the lowest degree a gallon, so premix ii tablespoons of dish detergent with a gallon of warm water;
Razor blade scraper and blades;
Microfiber towels;
Tint duster or applicator;
Silicone duster;
Precision knife with replacement blades;
Vacuum cleaner;
Heat gun.

Gear up the Windows

NEVER use a commercial drinking glass cleaner, or one with ammonia. They can alter the color of the tint.

Vacuum the interior to remove dust and dirt. Thoroughly wash the inside and outside of the windows with the soapy water. Lower the window to make clean the top of the glass, then raise the window to the airtight position. Wet the window again. Use the razor scraper to remove whatever remaining dirt, crud or sticker residuum.

Thoroughly clean around the window trim, seals, gaskets and any nooks and crannies that could be hiding dirt or grime. Completely dry the glass with the squeegee and dry microfiber cloths. Wrap a cloth effectually your squeegee to dry under the window trim and seals.

Size the Tint Pic

It's important to decide which side of the movie has the adhesive. Practise non remove the adhesive liner. In this step y'all're not installing the tint, you're using the outside of the glass as a template. Starting at the passenger front-side window:

Saturate the outside glass with soapy h2o.
Unroll the tint.
With the agglutinative side facing you lot, leaving plenty of overhang, completely cover the entire outside of the window.
Cut this piece from the scroll.
Gently printing the tint onto the glass to temporarily proceed it in identify.
Trim the motion picture into a manageable size, almost a square, leaving two to 3 inches overlapping the glass.
Wet the film and polish it with the tint squeegee.
Hold the pic in place with the squeegee or your mitt.
Using the window seals as your guide, cutting along the bottom (front to back), then along the dorsum of the glass with the precision knife.
- Pro tip: Cut at a low angle using only plenty pressure on the blade to cut the flick.
Pull the moving picture straight back until it's overlapping the dorsum of the window (the edge you only trimmed) by ane/2-inch.
Trim the forepart directly side of the film (the section past the sideview mirror).
Heart the film, in that location should exist 1/4-in. of extra film at the front and back of the glass.
Pull downwards on the moving-picture show until information technology's ane inch lower than the bottom of the glass.
Wet the bottom of the film and gently lift the film away from the bottom of the drinking glass/body.
Lower the window 1 inch.
Wet the glass and polish out the motion-picture show with the tint squeegee.
Cut the meridian edge of the movie using the drinking glass as your guide.
Leaving the one inch overhang at the bottom of the glass, carefully cut away any extra movie at the front or rear of the drinking glass.
Smooth out the corners or any wrinkles.

Apply the Tint Film

Thoroughly wash and completely dry the inside of the window and all window trim and seals again. Grit or dirt left behind will cause the picture to bubble.
Spray the within of the drinking glass with enough of soapy h2o.
Remove the adhesive backing earlier removing the motion-picture show from the outside window.
- Pro tip: Spraying the adhesive with soapy water allows the motion-picture show to slide into position more than hands.
With the window lowered one inch, carefully peel the flick from the outside glass.
Apply the wet adhesive side against the within glass.
- Pro tip: Before applying the film, roll upwardly the bottom edge to keep the adhesive from picking up whatever dirt.
Spray the film and slide into position.
Center the film and leave it nigh 1/16-in. of space below the top of the window.
Working toward the sides and tiptop, use the tint squeegee to push out water and air bubbles.
Enhance the window.
Spray the bottom of the film and glass.
Again, use the tint squeegee to push out all the water and air bubbling from under the film.
Using the duster or applicator, carefully tuck exposed edges of the film under the window seals.
To prevent tearing, proceed spraying the film as you work out air bubbles.
- Pro tip: A rut gun can help remove air bubbles, excess h2o and stretch the moving-picture show to properly fit curved windows. Don't become as well close or proceed the rut gun on ane section also long. Too much heat tin damage the flick.
In one case finished, dry the moving picture with a lint-free microfiber cloth