Marc07's Window Tinting Tips

Marc07

Road Burner
Points
27
Location
UK - Bexley
Car
Audi A8 3.7 V8 40V
This one was finished in Sun-Gard 35 black (soft tint). Tint levels 5-20-35-50, 5 is very dark, 50 very light.
As car is completely black with no chrome details around the windows it does look better as is different than standard but no as good as next 2 cars.
sunguardblack.jpg


This Audi was finished in same 35 Sun-Gard in black, but having a chrome surroundings it looks much better and very nice in a black or Air finish (next car)
sungardbl2.jpg


This BM is in black with no chrome detail at all. It's finished in Sun-Gard 35 Air. Air is a grey-ish film with a bit of silver color and slight mirror effect (both last depends on the amount of light-day/night, and angle you looking at it).
Air 35 will always looks slightly darker (less visible through) than black 35.
As the car is completely black that Air finish gives that a bit of contrast .

sunguardair.jpg


When you tint your car ALWAYS use same tint level all over the car.
Level 5 is for the supper privacy such as limos. I recommend 20 - 35, I prefer my self 35.
Some people do front slighter, 20back, 35front. DO NOT, do whole car always in same level of tint.
Why?, there is always a bit of extra light coming through the front windscreen and that automatically makes front doors tint slightly brighter. If you do more darker back and front slightly brighter then front will look very bright comparing to the rear windows and will look stupid as there will be a very big visible contrast between the front and back.
35 is not the strongest one, but when you do all car around in Air it looks very very nice and much less visible through than 35 black even if they offer same level of tint.
Sun-Gard film has 7different layers.
Never go for a cheap film, spend more and go for quality.
For example Sun-gard will never produce any bubbles, no matter whats the temperature outside and when you installing a quality film, you can actually make it first to the exact shape of your glass to offer high quality tint with no marks, long bubbles etc. You can achieve that by placing the film first on outside side of window (first clean the window and spray with water mixed with a bit of soap). Then with a rubber pad you do a move through the middle to the left and right and same thing on both sides top to bottom, a H letter. Then all bubbles created within because windows are not completely flat and film is, you can flat them out, smooth it using a hot air gun on low speed and rubber pad.

If any one needs more advice please do not hesitate to contact me or create a thread, I owned a Tinting company for 6years and did 100s of cars my self as I loved the job very much same as working with my team.
 
Nice post and pics.

The only problem is the UK laws regarding tints - you can't have too dark a tint on the front glass otherise plod can get a bit annoyed as far as I'm aware.
 
You're not supposed to have anything on the front (other than factory) technically.

Sorry, when I say front, I meant the front side glass as opposed to the windscreen itself. :embarrest:

I wouldn't tint the front screen at all, but I want my back screen and rear quarters done in limo black.

I think the front side glass can only be 25% tinted or something.

Isn't there a post on here somewhere about the legalities of window tinting?
 
The only thing you can do on the front windscreen is a special film we were fitting on racing cars, wrc and all others.
It is a completely clear film, but offers 50% reduction of sun rays, therefore you will never need any sunglasses during driving even in the most sunny day having a sun directly on front of you.
You'll be surprise in how many cars we tinted the front screens (mainly S-class and expensive cars where owners didn't bother tinting once again if cops stop them, but mainly they never had that problem with cops, money talks ;) )
Some guys, normal guys, did the front windscreen as they were more bother about the overall look of the car than legality :)

I'm not really sure what are the restrictions now, but it all can be really tested in laboratory, on side, the testers cope can use are accurate, but not 100%. It's all about percentage of the light ray applied from outside of glass and then how many percents was received on the inside.
You stick transmitter and receiver directly to the glass.

If you really want to do just the rear, then it doesn't really matter what level of tint you use, but if you do all the sides and rear window as well, then really the best way is to use the 35 level all the way for the best visual effect.

Here you will find all the possible specs of Sun-Gard films

http://www.madico.com/window-film/automotive/specifications/

Please remember, that most of the windows, no matter if they are green-ish or blue-ish offer 5%-ish of tint when not tinted. So whatever you choose add 5% on top.

MickieH
If you want a Limo tint, then go for the level 5 (Sun-gard range), the darkest one, but I will advise you to do the side quarters in level 5 and the rear windscreen in level 20 (5 the darkest, 55 the brightest). Why? it will offer you a better visibility during the night, reversing etc, but when you do the sides ones very dark, then the level 20 on the rear windscreen will look like the darkest due to very little amount of light coming from the side windows.

Hope that helps ;)
 
Marc07 said:
MickieH
If you want a Limo tint, then go for the level 5 (Sun-gard range), the darkest one, but I will advise you to do the side quarters in level 5 and the rear windscreen in level 20 (5 the darkest, 55 the brightest). Why? it will offer you a better visibility during the night, reversing etc, but when you do the sides ones very dark, then the level 20 on the rear windscreen will look like the darkest due to very little amount of light coming from the side windows.

Hope that helps ;)

Thanks for the tip

I'm not going to be doing it myself - tried once years ago and gave up :lol:
 
Thanks for the tip

I'm not going to be doing it myself - tried once years ago and gave up :lol:

You'll be surprised how easy it can be, but it's not that easy from the first time.
All you need is a:
- water hose,
- soft rubber pad (yellow),
- hard rubber pad (BlueMax),
- stanley knife with few blades (very important to keep changing blades very often, especially when you trimming film from outside on the glass, keep the blade as flat as possible, then you will almost never scratch the glass, sounds scary but it is not)
- a household bottle spray (with the pump on top) to build up as high pressure as possible (you fill that with water and add a bit of concentrated hand soap or fairy) - this will allow movement on the outside part while you forming the film and very important movements while you are sticking it from inside when is all ready, with just water it will stick and thats it, easy to break the film, VERY IMPORTANT
- a torch or some sort of source of light, even a desk lamp.
- hot air gun, the simple one AMTech one with just 2 settings is absolutely fine, this is to shape the film to the actual shape of the each glass, you do that from outside and you have to make sure that film you bought is the quality one like Sun-Gard which is shrinks when hot air is applied, REMEMBER each quality film shrinks only on 2 of 4 sides, only on the sides of the roll.
- a some sort of table with glass top, of sheet of glass on top for trimming etc. (but thats only if you do the door glass, No need for fixed glass)
- and its good to have a any sort of glass or window standing almost vertically by the wall, washed properly and free of dust and loose stuff - this is for hanging the prepared film, spray water on it and stick the film on, its very easy to remove the protective film on the piece of glass, other way is your teeths and tong, sound stupid, but months of practice to get a grip on it.

The crucial and the most important rule to make sure you wont have any bits between the film and glass when you stick it on is to wash your hands as often as possible, put lots of towels inside and use as much water as possible when you washing the glass from inside, always wash the film several times after each touch (thats where the window or piece of glass comes handy)
Water Water Water.

To wash the windows properly first remove all the stickers and wipe it with the alcohol wipes to remove any glue.
Use the pressure water can spray mixed with soap and take a dish washer sponge.
Spray the screen and go several times around with the green side
Then take (there is a special tool but you can use this) a stanley knife, position it in around 45degree angle on the glass the way the blade touches the glass surface with its own whole sharp part and go all over the glass to remove any micro bits of metal stuck from previous repairs or anything what you can't see or be aware of, but DO NOT USE THAT on heated screens, use just the green side of the sponge.
Then spray once again very properly and slowly going from the top to bottom, make sure that whole glass is well wiped and sprayed even there where the film wont be applied, the black surrounding, to avoid dust pieces sliding down the middle of the glass when you spray the glass just before applying the film on the glass.
When you do that use the soft rubber pad (yellow) and wipe off all the water and foam from left to right top to bottom.
sparay once again and wash with the soft part of the sponge (yellow) properly and spray once again after and wipe off with the soft rubber pad.

Then spray the glass once again, wash your hands, wash the film once again, peel the protective layer off, take it with the tips of your fingers, but wash hands before that once again in case there was something of the water hose when you were washing the film, and go and stick it.
Now the water and soap will allow you to slide it along very smoothly to position it properly.

Take hard rubber pad, do the move from the middle one to the right, one to the left, then from the middle go up to squeeze all the water out, then same from the middle to the bottom. then repeat that with paper towel wrapped around the rubber pad, rememeber to go to the very end of the film, then paper will absorb all the left excess of water preventing from traveling around the glass and coming back under the film. When you do the final moves with the towel wrapped around the Bulemax, make sure you will use as much power as possible.

All what's left now is the Air gun the glass from outside (dont get to close or for to long to any rubber and plastic surrounding trims), 30-60 sec on low speed temp for side windows, 2-4min for the rear windscreen.
When is fairly hot go with the hard rubber bad around the edges to make sure that they will stick permanently to the glass to prevent peeling off in next hour or so.
Any little amount of water or soap left behind may be still visible, cloudy marks, don;t worry, it will all be gone within a day.

Glass cleaner, paper towel, and enjoy ;)
 
Thanks Prince

Here you have the 2 basic pads/tools you will need:
- soft pad, yellow
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YELLOW-TU...main_3&var=&hash=item800fff59ae#ht_3274wt_952

- hard pad, BlueMax
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLUE-MAX-...FILM-FITTING-TOOL-/250770502408#ht_4544wt_952

Then Bottle pressure sprayer:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-5L-WEED...Control_CV&hash=item35b2ec84fe#ht_2550wt_1199

Stanley knife (we all know how it looks ;)

Basic hot air gun, good enough for domestic use
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AM-TECH-H...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item27bdd7d73b

Them two are very useful in tight corner, specially side windows
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CONQUERER..._CarParts_SM&hash=item43a7d61c0b#ht_689wt_952

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lil-Chizl..._CarParts_SM&hash=item43a795440c#ht_663wt_952

DO NOT WASTE MONEY of sets like this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SEMI-PRO-...CarParts_SM&hash=item43a80039c5#ht_1065wt_952

Bottle produce no pressure, there is no BlueMax and Yellow pad, them two are the most important. Dont buy the cheapest pads as they can start melting or bend very easy especially when you heat up the glass and doing the edges, BlueMax is the tool for it, you will see all pro doing this before each move, funny, but go through you lips (wet it basically) the edge, it wont grip to film and rip it off in case you overheated or just spray the film with water mixed with soap which you already have mixed in the sprayer.

REAR Windscreen, good tip is when you squeeze all the water out (middle to left go up and down, then middle to right go up and then down), switch the ignition on and switch the rear window heater, not the fan, heating window, leave it for 15-20 min, this will heat up the screen very nice so you can then wrap the blue max with a paper towel and do the final squeeze :)
But when you do car by car you just use the heat gun on full power and constantly move it around the screen until is very hot when you touch it, it should take about 60-90sec or 2min, distance around 7inches.

This pad is not bad as well
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Teflon-..._CarParts_SM&hash=item43a7954c7c#ht_646wt_952

But them 2 are more for normal window tinting where you dont use the heat as they are not the best mates with high temperatures, but good for edges as well when glass is cold
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YELLOW-PV..._CarParts_SM&hash=item43a96eb2e9#ht_577wt_952

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-3M-BLUE...aultDomain_3&hash=item3f0d36dd07#ht_500wt_969

REMEMBER
BlueMax and Yellow Pad is the best set to have

If you require any further help, any tips or explaining some steps in more detail JUST ASK ;)
 
Refer to ITV rules, which as far as I know, say you need a document to show it's been properly installed and allows the permitted amount of light through it. Your local test center should be able to point you in the right direction.
 
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