DIY tinting: instructions

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

Motorists very often think that sticking a tint film on a car is very simple. But often, due to ignorance of certain nuances and secrets, do-it-yourself tinting is abandoned. In fact, this process is simple if you work extremely carefully and use high-quality materials. It is possible to darken the car yourself, but it is better to invite a friend or neighbor in the garage. Then you won't have to pay for this service in specialized workshops.

Select materials

Before starting work, you should decide on the tint film. This is a very important stage - future results depend on the quality of the material. Now the market is full of various offers from Chinese manufacturers - many prefer this particular product due to its low cost. If do-it-yourself tinting is done, experts do not recommend buying such a film - the result is often disappointing. It is best to purchase film from American brands. Most often, it is also made in China, but there is quality control - a low-quality product is simply not allowed on sale.

Also, the material should be selected based on the norms of the law. The law clearly regulates the film of what bandwidth should be pasted on car windows.

Types of films

The type of material is determined by the technology of its manufacture. It is depending on the technology that a particular film receives certain features, as well as the functions that it can perform. Window tint films can be divided into several varieties:

• Colored products are the most widespread. They are not subject to glare, do not disrupt the passage of the radio signal. They look very restrained and quite strict.
• Metallic films have a special brilliance. These products will perfectly protect the interior of the car in the hot summer. The material features an aluminum inner layer.
• Infiniti films are also distinguished by the presence of a metallic layer. But he is outside. These solutions provide better protection from the sun, but the cost of these products is appropriate.
• Films with a transition are characterized by a smooth transition to a metallic sheen from color. The bottom has less protection than the top.
• Carbon products have a similar appearance to metallic, but there are no metal elements in the product.

That's not all. Films are divided into several types. It is possible to distinguish painted products,athermal, mirror. Athermal films differ in that they do not darken the car. This is the choice for those who want to protect interior elements from exposure to sunlight, and glass - from mechanical stress and scratches. Also, products made using this technology have good noise insulation characteristics.

Dyed film darkens interior. It is easy to apply, but a serious disadvantage is the deterioration of visibility, especially at night. The mirror film metallized has a special sputtering. It reliably protects car windows from impacts and other mechanical influences.

Preparatory work

Before you start doing window tinting with your own hands, prepare the necessary tools and fixtures. You will need napkins, paper ones are better, forcings - hard and soft, a hair dryer, a ruler, a sharp knife, a scraper, a sprayer and a sponge.

Glasses are thoroughly cleaned. You can use detergents for cleaning or just soapy water. You can prepare a solution from shampoo. It is important to stir the mixture well. A soapy solution is applied to the surface through a spray bottle.

Making a pattern for the side windows of the car

Do-it-yourself tinting involves making a pattern. First determine the adhesive layer of the film. It can be found on a transparent liner. The pattern is made strictly according to the roll. It is necessary to cut out taking into account 2-4 cm of the film - as a result, the pattern should turn out to be larger than the glass area. Then the outer part is moistened with the same soap solution and a ready-made template is applied to it. The liner should point towards you.

The bottom edge on the template must be made in such a way that it goes beyond the rubber seal - one centimeter is enough. It is important. Many miss this moment.

Next, with the help of distillation and a knife, make vertical cuts on the sides. This is done in such a way that the edges of the template go beyond the seals on the sides of the glass. One centimeter is also enough here. Then the contour of the upper part of the glass is cut out on the film. In order to get an aesthetic appearance as a result of tinting a car with your own hands, the film must go behind the transparent part of the glass.

When performing work, it is important to be extremely careful and careful. Often, when performing this operation, the seals are damaged with a knife, the glass and the paintwork of the car are scratched. The knife itself must be very sharp. Excess pieces of film should be removed immediately.

Making a pattern for the rear window

This operation is similar to the previous one. But here it is important to consider that the rear glass has a convex surface. The film is cut so that the template is larger than the transparent part of the glass. It's better to ask someone to help here.

Wrinkles will appear on the surface of the foil as the pattern is being created. They need to be smoothed out with a hair dryer. Smooth out from the center. You need to do this until you can remove all the folds to a single one. Creases and traces of overheating should not form on the surface of the film.

Bas a result, they cut out the film for tinting the rear window with their own hands so that its size is several millimeters larger than the transparent part of the glass. It is better to use a flashlight, highlighting the surface from the inside.

How to stick tint on side windows

Before pasting, carefully clean the coating again with water and a scraper. Do not allow uncleaned areas to remain. After the cleaning is completed, the glass is washed out, carefully wiped using distillation. The edges of the glass are wiped with a napkin. Keeping your hands clean is important.

How do you do do-it-yourself tinting? Next up is film. It is placed on a glass surface. Then the side window is abundantly moistened with soapy water through a spray bottle. 2/3 of the liner is removed from the finished pattern, and the adhesive surface is wetted with soapy water. The excess liner is immediately cut off. Next, wet your fingers on your hands - this is important. They will have to touch the film on the adhesive side.

The film is applied to the glass of the car. When doing this, try not to touch the seals. Then, making sure that there are no gaps and the pattern is in a level position, squeeze out the soapy solution. The film is held with one hand. Water is squeezed out by distillation. It should be soft. Rigid will not work - there is a risk of scratching the film. Water is squeezed out from the center position to the edges.

After that, the upper edge is fixed. The glass is raised and the liner is removed from below. The film is immediately wetted with soapy water. Then bend backthe lower sealing gum, and the film without creases is filled under it. It remains only to expel all the liquid and make sure there are no bubbles.

Apply film to rear window

This do-it-yourself car tinting operation is almost completely identical to sticking a film on the side windows. But still there are differences. In the process of work, maximum care should be taken - it is important not to damage the threads of the heating system on the rear window.

The glass is thoroughly washed and then dried. Next, a soapy solution is applied from a spray bottle. The liner is removed from the film. Also moisten the adhesive surface with a solution. In the process of gluing, it is important to prevent wrinkles and creases.

When the film is leveled, it is smoothed out from the center to the edges and squeezed out all the liquid. It is better to do this along the threads of the heating system. It is worth using hard distillation. When the gluing is completed, the glass is heated with a hair dryer from the outside to remove water bubbles.

Film on windshield

Do-it-yourself tinting VAZ includes gluing the windshield. We need to make a pattern and fit the piece to the glass. As for the gluing technology, it is no different from working with the back glass.

Removable tinting

This is the easiest tuning option. But these products are quite expensive. This is an accessory that is held on the glass without any glue. The material is quite soft, and at the right time it can be quickly and easily removed. Tinting is durable, the service life is not limited. Distinguishtinting type PET and static.

The easiest do-it-yourself removable tinting option is to use a polyester sheet and film. When there is a sheet, the patterns are removed from the glasses. Dismantle doors, dismantle glass. A protective film layer is glued on the outside. The layer is decomposed on the surface. Cut the film from the bottom with a knife, cut out the side contours. Cut off at the top. The result is a template that can be used.

Next, the template is transferred to paper. You will get a dense template that is inserted between the seal and the glass. The template must be adjusted to the ideal. Then the pattern is removed and a blank is cut out of plastic. The edges of the polyester sheet are treated with emery.

Next, it remains only to make patterns from the film and stick them on the plastic. You need to glue on both sides. On this, the removable tinting is ready. You can attach to glass, for example, with adhesive tape.

Pros and cons

Any film, even the highest quality, will bring to the driver's life not only comfort. There are a number of disadvantages associated with tinting. This is poor visibility at night and in bad weather conditions. Therefore, the degree of dimming should be moderate. To improve the view, you can use brightening mirrors. Also, the disadvantages include ambiguous views on the part of the legislation.

As for the pluses, the film does not transmit ultraviolet, has high heat-insulating properties, absorbs infrared radiation. In summer, the interior will not heat up, and in winter it will keepwarm.

Conclusion

If you work carefully, then do-it-yourself car window tinting will turn out no worse than that of professionals. This way you can save on visiting the workshop.