HOW TO TINT YOUR CAR YOURSELF
Many motorists, when buying a car, try to paste over its glass with a tint film. Passengers feel more comfortable in a tinted car because the tinted windows hide them from the eyes of passers-by and protect them from sunlight in hot summer weather.
Having decided to tint the car, you can simply take it to a specialist. But, nevertheless, it is possible to do it with your own hands, which will be discussed in this article.
After you decide to equip your iron friend with tinting, you should choose the tinting film itself, which differs both in quality and price, and in the shade of the film itself. The choice is yours.
But the degree of dimming is also important, because the darker the film, the more the quality of vision for the driver is reduced, which affects driving safety. In addition, recently in many countries laws have been tightened in relation to the degree of darkening of car windows. On average, the windshield and side windows of a car must let in at least 70% of daylight.
The tint film is made from polystyrene of various shades, which determine the color of the film itself, and in the end result, the color of your car windows. In this case, the outer layer of the film is usually coated with a special metal composition that protects the film itself and the glass from mechanical damage. It is clear that the more expensive the film, the better the composition of the protective layer will be and the longer the tinting itself will last you.
Adhesive tint film
The procedure for pasting glass with a tint film does not require any special knowledge and skills, but, nevertheless, accuracy is needed in this matter. The film should always be glued from the inside of the glass, that is, from the side of the car interior. First of all, you need to thoroughly wash the glasses themselves so that they do not have the slightest trace of greasy stains and stains. The best way to do this is with a window cleaner. At the same time, the room where the tinting film will be pasted over should not be dusty and well lit. If you work outside, the weather should be warm and windless.
The tint film itself is glued to the glass using a soapy solution, which is applied to the glass with a spray bottle (a spray bottle is also suitable, which is sprayed with house flowers).
To properly cut the film to the desired size, attach tissue paper or regular film to the glass and circle the outline, then cut the paper and you will get blanks, on which you can then cut the tint film evenly. The workpiece must be made with a margin of 5-10 mm, which can then be removed with a knife. Of course, it is more convenient to paste over the windows if they are removed from the car. But the removal of glass is a rather time-consuming task, therefore, glass tinting is usually done directly on the car.
Spray the glass with a spray gun and apply the film with the dark side to the glass, gently smoothing it from the center to the edge, and make sure that no air bubbles form under the film.
Smooth the film well with a rubber spatula or something similar. Pay special attention to the edges of the film, they must adhere well to the glass and not protrude, so that later, when lowering and raising the side windows, the film does not wrap. Let the film dry afterwards. If you have a building hair dryer, you can speed up the drying process of the film. A building hair dryer can help in places where the glass has a significant bend. The film is heated, after which it better takes the form of curved glass.
As you can see, car window tinting is not such a complicated procedure, and by doing your own car window tinting, you will save a tidy sum.
With the help of car tinting, you can solve various aesthetic and practical problems. The quality of work and the final result largely depend on the choice of material. There are a lot of films for tinting cars, so when choosing a buyer, you need to pay attention to a number of important points.
Сomplex structure
Window film is a multi-layer material. Each layer is connected to the others with a special adhesive. The outer cover received additional abrasive protection. With the help of this type of protection, it is possible to solve several practical problems at once:
Long-term preservation of aesthetic appeal.
Protection against scratches and other types of mechanical impact.
Preservation of the necessary transparency of the material.
The layers themselves can be metallized, polymeric or carbon. Depending on the material used, films of various types are distinguished.
Toning variations
It may seem that there is no separate gradation for toning. The materials are exactly the same. In fact, this opinion is erroneous. Films are usually divided into 10 types:
colored;
metallized;
infinities;
combined;
spatter;
spatter-metallized;
athermal;
chameleon;
strengthening;
carbon.
Each option has its own features, advantages and disadvantages. All varieties are worth considering in more detail.
Colored
In color tinting, a special pigment is additionally used in one of the layers. With an increase in the amount of coloring matter, the light transmission decreases. This tinting option is suitable for those who want to give the glass the same color as the car.
Metallized
Instead of pigment, manufacturers spray metal onto one of the layers of the film. Moreover, the addition of this coating can be both outside and inside the tinting. The main plus is the ability to reflect the sun’s rays. However, sometimes metallized films interfere with the signal for the smartphone.
Infinity
Infiniti tinting is one of the variations of the metallized type. With these coatings, the metal or alloy is always sprayed only on the top layer. Light reflection is low. This helps to preserve the former aesthetic view from the window.
Combined
It is customary to call combined metal films with color sputtering. The transition from one tone to another is smooth. This is achieved by reducing the intensity of metal deposition and gradually increasing the number of added layers of pigment. The glass design is unique. The aesthetic appearance of the car only benefits from this.
Spatter
Such models differ from classical ones in increased wear resistance. Due to which manufacturers sometimes even give lifetime warranties on products. Appearance is great. However, this tinting option will cost drivers more than others.
Spatter-metallized
In the production of these films, companies combine several technological solutions. The result is there. An additional metallic coating improves the aesthetic appeal of the product.
Athermal
This film protects the interior of the car from overheating. Some models block more than 90% of infrared and ultraviolet rays. To solve such problems, the composition of the material includes a nanoceramic coating. At the same time, it is possible to maintain a decent light transmission capacity. The model is usually divided into the LA and ATR series. The former give out a bluish tint, additionally loading the eyes. Therefore, it is better to dwell on the latest variations.
Chameleon
One of the variations of athermal films is a chameleon. Products give out a purple hue, shimmer while driving. This optical feature is the reason for the name of the model. Light transmission properties depend on brightness.
Firming
Models give additional armor to glass. In some cases, such tinting can protect glass from destruction.
Carbon
Such films can be glued not only on the glass, but also on the car body. In terms of properties, this tinting is similar to metal. However, it doesn’t have any downsides.