In the traffic flow, you can easily see cars with dark glasses. The popularity of the tint film is quite understandable, because after installing it, the car receives several significant advantages. In particular, the driver is no longer the object of general attention, because he is simply not visible. In addition, the interior will not heat up and burn out under the influence of the sun. Let's try to figure out what is toning.
In general, the darkening film has a special metallized composition. Its huge plus is the different degree of shading. You can set an almost transparent coating (95%), but there is a film with this parameter no more than 5%. Currently, tinting is produced in a variety of shades: from classic dark to extravagant acidic. The film application process is the same for any shade level.
An illustrative example showing the effect of tint films with different light transmittances
Why do many car enthusiasts prefer to install tinting on their cars? Let's highlight several main advantages of the film:
- If the glass is damaged, the fragments will not scatter around the cabin, but will remain on the darkening coating. This is a significant plus in the security box.
- Expensive upholstery and other trim elements do not fade from sunlight.
- The risk of theft of things from the car is reduced, since the forgotten briefcase, bag or other valuable items are simply not visible from the outside.
Most car owners darken their windows in an effort to create their own personal space. When you are in a tinted car, there is a feeling of comfort and isolation from the outside world. All this is in the plane of psychology, but it is this factor that is decisive. Also, many owners of "dark" cars believe that tinted glass improves the appearance of the car.
There are no less opponents of tinting than its fans! These car enthusiasts find blackout films dangerous. In their opinion, toning impairs visibility, which is especially important at night. Other arguments against the film include its prohibition at the level of laws, as well as the prospect of receiving a fine. In fairness, it should be noted that many of these arguments are highly controversial. After all, the main thing is to achieve the desired light transmission, and this can be done even with tinting!
Still, you should not abuse toning.
The installation of a blackout coating is carried out by many car services, but this service costs quite a lot. The way out can be self-tinting of car windows. If you know the basic rules for applying the film, then the process will seem very simple and affordable. The film itself and additional tools for its application can be purchased from specialized departments. The main thing is not to rush, and then everything will definitely work out!
How best to glue the tint film
There are some rules to follow when gluing the darkening film. First, the film is applied to the inside of the glass. Otherwise, it will wear out quickly under the influence of external factors (precipitation, mechanical touch, etc.). Next, you need to accurately select the degree of future darkening, as well as the shade of the film.
Do not get carried away with darkening, because poor light transmission will play a cruel joke when passing a technical inspection of the car. The laws clearly spell out the rules governing the transparency of automobile glasses, failure to comply with which will lead to the forced removal of the tinting. So, rear windows (including side windows) can be darkened with any films, except for those with a mirror effect. As for the front side windows, they must transmit at least 70% of the light, and on the windshield this figure is at least 75%.
How can you tint a car in accordance with GOST
Before gluing the tint, you need to find a clean room that has light sources. If this is not done, then the film will have many small folds and air inclusions. Inexperienced motorists always remove glass before coating. In fact, it is not at all necessary to do this, it is enough to dismantle the inner door trim. The best option would be to install tinting together. This will allow the glass to be coated the first time, which will significantly increase the adhesion quality.
What is required to apply a darkening coating
First of all, you need to purchase a film. Do-it-yourself car window tinting begins with a visit to a specialized store. As a rule, the coating is sold in standard rolls with a certain width and meter. Automotive glass comes in a variety of sizes, but, as practice shows, one such roll is enough for pasting all side surfaces. If you need to darken all the glasses, then it is better to immediately purchase a film with a margin.
Car tinting tools
In the same store where the film is sold, you need to buy a special spatula. Most often it is made of rubber or soft plastic, as the hard material can damage the tint. It is better to ask the seller which spatulas are the most convenient and easy to use. A very sharp knife is also needed, with which the film can be cut to the required dimensions. A clerical knife would be an excellent solution, as it has removable blades.
Clean towels and warm water are also useful. Before applying the film, you need to thoroughly wash the glass from foreign substances and then wipe it dry. It is important to use a fabric that does not leave small lint, otherwise the film will stick poorly. It is better not to use any specialized glass cleaner. They form a thin layer that will prevent the film from adhering well to the glass.
Last but not least is the hair dryer. This device will help to achieve high quality when applying the film and eliminate all possible defects during pasting. It should be noted right away that an ordinary home hairdryer will not work. You need an industrial device that has the required characteristics!
How is tinting a car with your own hands?
First, it is important to determine how the film will be applied: on site or after dismantling the glass. If the first option is chosen, then you need to remove the door trim in advance. This is followed by the stage of cleaning the glass surface. When the glass is washed, you need to look at it again under the light. There may be some greasy or oil stains somewhere in the corners, which will impair the quality of adhesion.
In the process of gluing tinting, you do not need to feel sorry for the soap solution
Then you need to cut the film in the shape of the glasses. Someone just applies tinting to the windows, but you can make a special piece of paper. In any case, it is better to leave a margin of at least 5 mm in order to avoid rejection of the film. All excess can be removed after fully smoothing. Before gluing the tinting, you need to apply a soap solution to the glass. It is prepared simply: soap or shampoo is added to the water and the resulting liquid is poured into a container with a spray.
It is better to apply the film directly from the center. After gluing the middle, you can gradually smooth the coating towards its edges with a cloth. For better glide, it is recommended to periodically spray soapy water on the surface. When all of the tint film has been smoothed out, remove excess soap and carefully remove air bubbles with a spatula. This is also done from the center outward.
Air from under the film must be expelled from the center to the edges.
The final step is to remove excess film and dry the tinting. After trimming, you need to carefully warm up the film, which will allow it to adhere to the glass in the best way.
This information is enough to understand how to tint the car yourself. Adhering to these recommendations, you can apply the tint film with high quality, without spending a lot of money. The tinting on the curved glass deserves a special mention. In this case, you must first carry out the formation of the film. To do this, tint is applied to the glass and heated with an industrial hair dryer. This is done without removing the protective layer!
A car is not a luxury, but its maintenance is not the cheapest option. Every car owner wants his car to be special and begins to bring it to such a state. The very first desire is to tint the windows of the car.
This procedure is quite complicated, but quite real. You can drive your car to a specialized workshop, but you can do it yourself. Next, we will consider in stages how to tint the car yourself - with your own hands.
Before starting work, you need to collect everything that we need:
- tinting film (the result and the complexity of the work depend on the quality of the material);
- soft rubber spatula (very often plastic spatulas come with toning, but they scratch the surface and can tear it);
- a stationery knife with a set of blades (the knives that come with the tinting are uncomfortable and dull);
- window cleaner, warm water, rag (it is advisable to use a soft and lint-free rag);
- a spray bottle (can be used from under the window cleaner. The container should be filled with soapy water, for this, tap water with the addition of liquid soap or dishwashing detergent is suitable);
- household hair dryer (this item is optional, but it greatly facilitates and speeds up the work).
Now that everything is ready, it is advisable to drive the car into the garage, you can glue it on the street, but any gust of wind can ruin everything.
Next, you should prepare the windows for work. Correctly sticking tint material can only be on perfectly clean windows. It should be remembered that there should be no remnants of old tinting and glue from it on the glass.
After completing all the preparatory work, you can proceed to the main business, it is desirable that there is an assistant next to you who will be needed when fitting the blanks.
Side window tinting
It is better to start toning the car with your own hands from the side window, since it has a small area and is fairly straight. We open the door, the glass should be raised to the very top. It is advisable to remove the side seals, as they will interfere with the operation.
Next, a blank is cut out, which is tried on on the outside of the surface to be pasted. At this stage, you need to be careful and remember that toning consists of two layers - the main one and the protective one. The main one remains on the window, and the protective one is removed.
Having dealt with the sides, the workpiece is applied to the outside of the glass with a protective layer up. It is advisable to moisten the surface with soapy water to make it easier to straighten the workpiece. Further, it is trimmed along the contour of the glass with a margin of 5-7 mm. Now the modified workpiece can be removed and the surface can be wiped dry.
At the next stage, you may need an assistant, since the work must be done quickly. A soapy solution is applied to the inside of the glass, this must be done so that there are no dry areas left on it, but drips are also useless.
Now the film must be separated from the protective layer. This should be done gradually - with your own hands you separate the main and protective layers, and your assistant sprays the adhesive part from a spray bottle. This procedure must be carried out quickly so that the glass does not dry out.
The next stage begins with placing the workpiece on the work surface and leveling it. Having applied the material, it must be leveled over the entire area of the glass with a soft cloth. Remember that until the film is dry it is very easy to damage it.
After the tinting is completely straightened out, we begin to expel air bubbles and the remnants of soap solution from under it. This is done carefully with a spatula. Until the film is completely glued, it must be held with a rag, and with a spatula, expel water and air from the center to the edges.
After completing this procedure, it is necessary to trim the excess with a clerical knife. Trimming is performed 3-4 mm from the edge of the window - such a gap will exclude the possibility of its scoring.
This completes the tint of the side glass, you can move on to the next.
Of course, if you have a hair dryer, then the drying process can be significantly accelerated. In this case, you need to be careful, since the material can begin to melt under the influence of high temperature and you will have to start all over again.
Rear window tinting
Tinting the rear window with your own hands is quite difficult. The difficulty arises due to the fact that it has a curved shape and a large area. To do everything right, you must fulfill a number of requirements. You should start with the right choice of material.
The standard canvas has dimensions from 50 to 200 cm wide and 300 cm long. It is advisable to tint the rear window with a whole piece of film, but this is a rather complicated procedure and you need to use high quality material for it. Let's start with the tricky way.
To make a blank from a single piece, you will need talcum powder, which can be purchased at any pharmacy, as well as a household hairdryer. The surface of the rear window is coated with talcum powder and the tinting is laid on it - with a protective layer on top.
Talc has to be used, not water, for the reason that it does not dry out under the influence of temperature. Further, with the help of a hair dryer, the film is given the required shape. This is done from the center. The whole procedure is a gradual workpiece and its leveling with a spatula.
Working without an assistant is almost impossible. After the workpiece takes its shape over the entire surface of the base, trimming is performed, from a stock of 7-8 mm. And the procedure begins, which is completely identical to the tinting of the side windows.
If it is not possible to tint the rear window with a single piece of film, then you can do it using three strips. This procedure is quite simple and starts with toning the top of the base. The whole procedure is carried out according to the standard scenario.
With this method, the window surface should be washed after applying each layer. The very bottom of the glass is glued with the second layer, since this is the most difficult area. Now the middle remains, which is tinted last. Before pasting it, it is recommended to dry the previous strips.
For pasting the last strip, a piece of film is taken, with a margin of 5-6 mm. This stock will be needed to exclude the likelihood of non-tinted areas.
At the end of the work, these overlaps can be left, since they will be visible only from the salon, or they can be removed with a clerical knife. If everything is done correctly, the overlap will completely cover the joint.
Now we can say with confidence that do-it-yourself car tinting is over. The car can be used, but the windows with the applied film must not be opened for 2-3 days.
Do-it-yourself tinting, with proper adherence to the application technique, can make your car very beautiful. Many car enthusiasts have applied their creativity to the tinting at home with good results.
Responsible approach to business will not only create coziness in the cabin, but also give respectability to the car's appearance. The main subtleties and tuning technology will be presented to your attention. Installation of tinting will affect not only the rear and side windows, but also the headlights of the car.
General requirements for the choice of film
Before, in order to save money and get a drive, tint the car with our own hands, let's recall the general recommendations of Russian legislation. First, the factory tinting of auto glass does not make them completely transparent. Therefore, when choosing a film coating, add factory "plaque" to the original light penetration.
Secondly, do not forget that only the rear hemisphere of the car is not regulated in terms of light transmission. While the windshield must transmit at least 75% of the luminous flux. Side front windows - not less than 70%.
The next point concerns the choice of film. Consultation with the seller will help to cope with the choice. Our advice would be as follows:
- Don't trust cheap suppliers (e.g. China).
- Choose from prestigious manufacturers such as: Sun Commonwealth Laminating, llumar Courtaulds performes Films, 3M, Sun Tek, Llumar, etc.
It is worth mentioning two methods of auto glass tinting: removable and static. Static coating is suitable for more conservative car owners who don't like change. In this case, it is necessary to make sure that the light transmittance of the auto glass complies with GOST.
Removable tinting of windows is carried out on their own by representatives who are not distinguished by law abiding. Such drivers rely on a strong darkening of the interior and quick removal of the darkening frame at the sight of traffic police officers.
In addition to improved decorative properties, a tinted car has other characteristics on its own:
- Additional protection against falling stones and other sharp and heavy objects.
- Restoration with a protective layer of glass surfaces that already have small chips or scratches.
Advice! Particular attention should be paid to tinting the headlights with a film. Excessive darkening or color change of light radiation can result in problems with traffic police.
Inexperienced motorists for high-quality gluing on their own can focus on priority types of coatings:
- Painted.
- Metallized.
The second option is more durable, but more expensive.
Types of tinting
In addition to removable and static (permanent) types of interior shading, there are other ways of car tinting. One of them is automatic tinting. It is quite possible to install it with your own hands. However, not every handicraft "specialist" succeeds in it, since it is a complex mechanism. Auto-dimming implies the presence of two moving windows, one of which is tinted.
This mechanism was developed in garage conditions by the efforts of the car owners themselves. Some auto repair shops produce this kind of installation on mainly domestic vehicles. Self-installation of the mechanism costs from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles. Specialists charge for their services in the range of 30-50 thousand rubles.
Additional benefits of installing double windows:
- reliably protects against the penetration of sunlight;
- there is no overheating of the car dealership;
- less power consumption for the operation of the air conditioner;
- excellent external characteristics;
- improved sound insulation.
Another alternative is known - this is electronic tinting. It is unlikely that you will be able to make it with your own hands, since this type is a layering of liquid crystals. Under the influence of an electric voltage, the layers of crystals change their light transmission. To do electrical toning with your own hands, you need to have special equipment and know physics well. This shading is almost never used in Russia, since the cost of electric tinting sometimes exceeds the price of the vehicle itself.
Hard removable do-it-yourself tinting can be made by some craftsmen. It can be attached to either an additional plastic or glass frame. Can be attached to suction cups or other attachments. The latest innovations are offered to drivers in the form of attachments for dry auto glass. The movement of the window occurs along with the coating. The visibility in the cabin does not suffer at all. The cost of such a "nozzle" varies from 2,000 to 4,000 rubles.
How to tint a car correctly?
Having chosen a layering for our car and directly defined glass surfaces, we prepare tools. It is worth taking care of the room in which the first experiment will take place. Interference in the form of dust, insects, wind, bright sun and other negative factors is best avoided. Therefore, the street option will not work for you. Here are the tools you'll need:
- Tinting film with a large margin. Please note that "the first pancake is always lumpy." Most likely, you will have to cut an additional copy. Add 20% for fit.
- Water spray spray.
- Any liquid detergent. A commercially available glass cleaner will not work.
- Stationery knife or blade.
- Lint-free tissues or toilet paper.
- A spatula for smoothing the surface, called forcing. Usually made of plastic, no sharp edges.
- Special nozzle for cleaning windows.
- An industrial hair dryer capable of reaching temperatures up to 550 ° C.
We talked about the closed room, and now we will prepare the surface for the sticker. We follow the further instructions, starting the first stage of preparation from the side window.
Preparatory stage
At this stage, we prepare all the materials and tools at hand:
- Prepare a soapy solution consisting of filtered clean water and a few drops of any detergent.
- Dust is the main source of bubbles that are difficult to get rid of. Therefore, it is important to observe the next step - this is to clean the interior of the car from dust.
- It is convenient to make a pattern of tinted film on a wide and stable table.
- Place the surface of the film on the glass and cut it out along the edges of the "template".
- An important point regarding the type of layering - read the instructions for use.
Separation of the film web:
- So that the thin material does not deform, after separation we hold it with tape on the frame. We glue small pieces of tape on opposite sides of the cut out part.
- After completely separating the layers, remove the tape.
The main stage of applying tinting
The most difficult and crucial stage of tinting application. How the work will be performed at the main stage determines what the result will be and how your car will look:
- Pour the prepared cleaning solution into a spray bottle. We use liquid for cleaning the window. After spraying the liquid, remove the soap solution with a rubber nozzle from left to right and then down.
- We lower the side glass by 2-3 cm, cleaning the edge.
- We repeat the procedure again for the best adhesion of the material.
- Liberally moisten the glass with a solution from a spray bottle.
- Separate the film and the protective layer. Gradually, as the protective layer separates, we moisten the main layer from the spray bottle.
- An important point - as the layers are separated and they are irrigated, we begin to impose a tint layer on the auto glass itself with the inner side. We begin to apply, stepping back 2 mm from the edge. The high-quality completion of gluing depends on the maximum accuracy and precision of movements at the beginning of work.
- After partial application of the tinting material, we spray again with water. The copious amount of liquid ensures that the spatula (forcing) glides smoothly along the direction lines. In this way, high-quality adhesion of the film to the glass surface is achieved.
- Noticing that the adhesion of the surfaces has occurred at 2/3, lift the window up to the stop. When lifting, make sure that the edges of the pattern fit into the grooves without deformation.
- Finally, we glue the remnants of the film coating on the underside of the window, continuing the irrigation.
- Wet the outer side of the coating again with water and continue the adhesion of the layer by forcing. In other words, as if expelling the liquid from under the outer surface.
- The final fixation is carried out with a hair dryer. It is recommended to hold the hair dryer in one place for about 5-10 seconds, no more. Otherwise, the film will shrink and you will need to moisten it again.
Do not move the glass for 2-3 days. We are awaiting full fixation.
DIY windshield tinting
The rear auto glass is tinted by analogy with the side windows, which were mentioned at the beginning. However, it is worth learning about some of the nuances faced by beginners:
- Consider any unevenness before starting work. They can arise from the presence of heat lines. When lines are detected, the film should be cut to 1/3 size. That is, the shading part is cut into 3 parts and glued with an overlap where the irregularities pass.
- Glueing begins from the top, smoothly moving down in three stages: top, middle, bottom.
- When wet, the pattern can be moved for even distribution. If adjustments are necessary, it is advisable to additionally moisten with water.
- It is better to "iron" the film coating from the bottom up. Then from the central part we distribute the film canvas on the sides.
- Using a hair dryer and forcing, we achieve 100% attachment.
How to tint headlights with your own hands?
After self-pasting car windows, tinting the taillights with your own efforts will not seem difficult to you.
On a note! Spray tinting is not considered the best way, as it is difficult to remove. Scratches, roughness and abrasions remain on the lanterns. A similar result awaits the owner of the car if you do the tinting of the headlights with varnish with your own hands.
Tuning a car with regard to lanterns is actually tricky. The fact is that there is a need to remove the lanterns from under the body. The process is quite painstaking, but according to the technology of applying the tone, it is similar to tinting the side windows of a car at home. The priority of film layering over varnish spraying is as follows:
- You can change the tone if you are tired of last year.
- The surface of the headlights remains smooth.
Removing toning
We have told a lot about how to make a removable tinting with our own hands and set a constant. However, after a while, many motorists will be concerned about the question of how to remove the tinting with their own hands. We will briefly describe several options for removing tinting from headlights and other auto glass:
- By means of a steam generator or a hair dryer.
- Using a blade without additional moisture.
- With the use of a soap solution for tinting windows and blades.
With your own hands? This question is asked by many car owners, so we have prepared detailed instructions with which you can independently cope with toning your car.
Car glass tinting has many advantages:
- Saving
Do-it-yourself tinting will save you money, because you only need to spend money on consumables and tools. Of course, you will only be able to save money if you strictly follow the instructions and do not violate the work technology.
- Reducing the heating level of the passenger compartment
In the summer, the interior of the car is very hot in the sun, so both the driver and passengers have to sit down literally on the hot seats. The tinted windows of the car reflect most of the sun's rays, so the interior is kept at a comfortable temperature.
- UV protection
Toning takes care of our health, protecting from harmful ultraviolet radiation. The tinted surface reflects up to 99% of UV rays.
- Increased strength
The tint film enhances the durability of the car windows. Of course, this is not its main purpose (as opposed to protective). However, tinted auto glass is slightly more difficult to break than regular glass.
- Protection from prying eyes
Few of the drivers like to feel "like in an aquarium" - when the interior is easily viewed from all sides. Tinting will protect the car from the looks of curious passers-by, as well as from intruders looking at the valuable contents of car interiors.
- Aesthetics
We put this advantage last, but for many car owners it comes first. Indeed, a car with toning looks very nice and aesthetically pleasing.
Now that you have appreciated all the benefits of tinting, we propose to move on to the main thing - the work process itself.
Stages of tinting
As much as you would like to start gluing the tint film as soon as possible, you first have to do a little preparation.
Preparation of funds and tools
It is better to prepare everything you need in advance than to search for the necessary tools and materials in a hurry. Or even worse - use different means at hand. So write down or remember right away what you need for tinting with your own hands:
- Tint film
On average, the side windows and rear window take about 3 m² of film - 2 m² and 1 m², respectively. The windshield is usually not tinted. If you are doing tinting with your own hands for the first time, we recommend buying a film with a margin.
- Spatula or scraper
Which one to choose - a rubber spatula or a plastic scraper - is a matter of taste. For example, we prefer to work with a soft trowel, which, unlike a hard scraper, does not leave micro-scratches.
- Shampoo
You will need it to prepare a soapy solution that you will use throughout your work. The shampoo can be anything, the main thing is that it does not contain aggressive chemicals.
- Spray
You will need this tool to apply the mortar evenly.
- Stationery knife A sharp, flat knife is useful for cutting film.
- Rag
It must be soft and lint-free so that no fibers remain.
- Construction hairdryer
This is one of the most important tools. You can also use a regular household hair dryer, but in this case, the work will take much longer.
Car preparation
After you prepare the necessary materials and tools, wash the glass of your car on both sides, on which you will stick the tint film. There should be no dirt, stains or traces of sand on its surface.
Once you're done with your sink, make a solution: dilute a few drops of shampoo in warm, clean water. Pour the resulting soap solution into a spray bottle. This completes the preparatory work, and you should start tinting the windows.
The entire operation of pasting with foil should be carried out in a dry, warm and clean room. Ideally, if it will be a separate well-lit box.
Tinted glass
There are 7 main stages in the tinting procedure. The main thing is to be extremely careful and strictly adhere to the instructions, then you will not have to redo anything, and the result will meet your expectations.
- Making a "pattern"
Take a roll of tint film and roll it out. To understand how much film you need, place it on the glass of the car with one hand and mark the approximate crop margins with a marker using your free hand. After that, cut a part of the film with a clerical knife with a small margin - a tolerance of a few millimeters. Then put aside your pattern for a while.
- Apply soapy water
Apply a layer of solution to the glass using a spray bottle.
- Remove the protective layer
We carefully separate the protective layer from the tint film. Lubricate the side that will stick to the glass with soapy water.
- We glue the film
Apply a film to the damp glass surface. It is important to ensure that no horizontal folds appear. If vertical ones appear, this is not scary, since then they can be quite easily straightened with a spatula or scraper.
Some craftsmen believe that tinting the rear window is more difficult to do on your own than tinting the side windows. However, the procedure is exactly the same: the film is glued in exactly the same way, as you can see in the video.
- We level the film
Carefully, so as not to tear, level the film on the car glass. Movements with a spatula (scraper) should be from the center to the edges. At the same time, warm the film with a building hair dryer - it softens and smoothes more easily.
Since it is difficult to level and warm the film yourself, ask someone to help you. For example, you smooth the film with both hands, and your assistant works with a hairdryer.
- Cutting off excess
Since we took the film with a margin, there will be a surplus. Cut them off with a clerical knife. You can step back a little from the edges of the glass so that the film does not peel off over time in these places.
- Dry
The final stage is drying. Leave the car in a warm room for 3-4 hours. But remember that the film will dry completely only after 2-3 days. All this time, the car must stand with open windows. That is why it is best to do tinting in a special closed box.
DIY tinting for different car models
Most owners opt for tinting no longer for practical, but for aesthetic benefits. A car with tinted windows always looks stylish, even when it comes to domestic VAZs.
Historically, it so happened that for almost all models of the domestic auto industry, the owners do tinting: for VAZ 2106, VAZ 2107, Lada Grants, Priora, Largus or Kalina, for Niva or, for example, UAZ Patriot. But is the do-it-yourself tinting process for these cars different from the tinting of foreign cars - Ford Focus, Nexia, Renault Duster or Logan, Chevrolet Lanos, KIA and other cars?
In general, the glass tinting procedure is the same for all brands and models of cars. In the same way, the process of tinting the rear window is almost identical to the tinting of the side windows. The difference can only be in the amount of work, which depends on the structure and configuration of the window. Some models may require more film, especially for jeeps. On the contrary, the pasting of sedans may take less material.
Types of tinting
In addition to classic do-it-yourself toning, there are other types. However, they all require special knowledge and equipment, so it is unlikely that you can cope on your own. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with these tints:
Removable toning
Do-it-yourself removable tinting at home is possible, but only if you already have experience in such work, and also have the necessary tools and materials.
A film for static toning is applied to a special plastic substrate. Such a removable backing is very easy to remove if necessary, for example, if you are stopped by a traffic police officer, and then just as easily put back in its original place. However, not all drivers find the removable tint to be comfortable.
Electrical toning
It is quite difficult to do electronic tinting with your own hands at home, since it involves the installation of a special three-layer glass. The main feature of such auto glass is that it changes color depending on the driver's desire. Any shade level can be set using the remote control.
Sputtering on glass
This type of tinting can only be performed at the factory, since it is carried out using a special technology, which is unlikely to be reproduced on your own.
A very thin layer of metal is sprayed on the glass under vacuum conditions, thus, the surface is darkened, on average, up to 25%.<.p>
Automatic tinting (double glass)
In this case, two glasses are installed - normal and tinted. You also need to put additional windows in order to lower the tinted glass if necessary and leave the usual transparent one. So, double glass will always save you from a fine if the traffic police decide to suddenly check the percentage of toning.
In principle, you can handle the installation of double glass yourself. However, making it with your own hands takes a lot of practice.
If the film is damaged, begins to peel off, you are simply tired of it, or a traffic police officer requires it to be removed, it is quite easy to get rid of it with your own hands at home. But do not rush and in no case try to tear off the old film with a knife, scissors or the first objects that come to hand!
It is also forbidden to use aggressive liquids: acetone, white spirit, etc. These products will indeed dissolve the film, but the remaining tinting particles will stick even more and it will be very difficult to clean them on your own.
We offer you to choose one of two effective ways of self-removal of glass tinting:
- Removal with heating
Heat the glass with a building hair dryer to 40-50 ° C, then pick up the edge of the film and pull it. So, gradually, with one hand, separate the film from the glass, while not forgetting with the other hand to warm up the surface with a hairdryer all the time. It is very difficult to cope with this task on your own, so it is better to ask a friend to help you.
If the rear window is heated, the technology for removing the film will be exactly the same. The main thing is not to damage the heating system with sharp objects.
- Removal without heating
Gently pry off the edge of the film with a thin-end tool (preferably not sharp) and slowly pull on it.
After removing the tint, apply soapy water and wait 10-15 minutes. Then use a soft rubber or silicone scraper to remove the remaining adhesive and thoroughly clean the window.
DIY tinting video
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video of car tinting with your own hands. After watching the videos, you will get a complete picture of how to carry out each stage of the work yourself.
As you can see, it is quite possible to do tinting with your own hands if you first study all the stages of work and strictly follow the technology. We are sure that you will succeed!
And thanks to tinting, the stay inside the vehicle can be made more comfortable. Tinted glass not only protects against sunlight entering the passenger compartment, but also hides what is happening inside the car from prying eyes.
The tinting process is a procedure for darkening car windows using a special film with different throughput. Films of dark shades are the most common for tinting, but sometimes you can find cars, toning on which is made with colored films.
Often, car owners produce car glass tinting on their own, which is much cheaper than if they turned to a specialized service for this. In fact, the whole process is not that complicated, and all the tools and supplies can be bought easily.
Preparatory stage
Before you start directly tinting the glass, you will need to choose a suitable film. It should be noted right away that it is highly undesirable to use the cheapest Chinese film, since its service life will not be too long. Over time, such material fade in the sun, and the adhesive layer leaves much to be desired. It is either too weak, or, on the contrary, too sticky and its remnants will be very difficult to remove if the tint is removed.
The more expensive film from renowned manufacturers has an optimal thickness, does not lose color in the sun and can last for many years.
Do not forget about the light transmission capacity of the film, because if you do not take into account this point, you can get serious problems when going through a technical inspection or a traffic police check. For example, rear windows can be tinted using any films, except for those that have a mirror effect. If we talk about the front side windows, then they should be able to let in at least 70 percent of the light, as for the windshield, then the indicator should be at least 75 percent.
Car tinting should be done in a clean room with a good light source and normal humidity. It will also be useful to find an assistant in order to minimize all risks. Before starting the process, you should thoroughly wash the car, paying special attention to the glass. The surface must be flat, free of dust, chips and deep scratches. In the event that the door glass is planned to be tinted without removing it from the car, then you will need to remove all the seals.
Required tools
In order to independently protect the car from the sun's rays, you will need the following tools and consumables:
- Tinting film. Naturally, without it, it will be simply impossible to carry out this process. When purchasing, in addition to quality properties, you should pay attention to the width of the roll. It is advisable to take the material with a margin, in order to avoid various awkward situations when the width of the film after gluing does not correspond to the glass by a few millimeters.
- Putty knife. The object with which the film is directly smoothed. Plastic spatulas are usually supplied with the kit, but rubber ones will be more acceptable. Often, in addition to a spatula, toners use ordinary wiper blades, but this approach is more relevant for large and non-bent glass.
- Stationery knife. It must be very sharp in order to avoid jams and material tearing. A blade can also be an excellent replacement, but it is not so convenient to handle it.
- Building hair dryer. If the car windows have a bend in two planes, or, more simply, they are convex, then to smooth out the folds and bubbles, heating of the tint material will be required. This is where a temperature-controlled industrial hair dryer comes in handy.
- A number of consumables will be needed. Dry cotton rags, liquid soap or shampoo, water spray. It is worth noting that it is highly not recommended to use liquid for washing glass as a detergent. For convenience, you can use graph paper, from which you can make preliminary templates for cutting the film.
Side window tinting
Initially, the seals and door trim should be dismantled in order to gain full access to the glass. Next, a pattern is performed. There are two options, use a thin graph paper template or cut off a piece with a margin of a few centimeters.
In the second case, you should apply the tinting material outside on the wet glass and cut off all excess. Next, you need to remove the transparent protective layer from the tinting, while simultaneously treating the surface from a spray bottle with soapy water.
The final step is gluing the film to the glass; for smoothing, use a spatula, expelling air bubbles from the middle to the edges. After the material has been thoroughly smoothed out and takes its place, for several days until the adhesive layer has completely dried, do not use window lifters, since the edges of the material may come off.
Rear window tinting
With the rear window of a car, the situation is somewhat more complicated. For the manufacture of patterns, both glass and tinting material must be absolutely dry. Using a damp sponge, a pattern in the shape of the letter "H" is applied to the glass surface.
After that, a roll of tint film is rolled out over the surface. Using a blade, a template is carefully cut with an allowance of a few millimeters. It is more reasonable to carry out the final installation of the tinting on the rear window with an assistant. In general, the essence will be the same, the gradual smoothing of the material from the center to the edges with the gradual removal of moisture and bubbles.
However, due to the convex shape of the glass, this is not so easy to do and heating of the surface is required. Many specialists begin to adjust the material to the shape of the glass even at the stage of cutting the template. By gradually heating the material with a hair dryer.
At the same time, quite often in the process of final gluing, it is nevertheless necessary to form the material already in place. In order to give the film the desired shape, it is required to slowly heat the glass, while smoothing the material with a spatula. When carrying out this process, you need to be extremely careful not to overheat the glass, material or damage the seal and paintwork.
