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Tints are tints, right?

26/5/2014

Window film is a complex product that has evolved over the last 40 years or so.
Think back to the early days (if you're old enough). All you got was a silver film. Adhesive had to be sprayed on, luckily before my time too.
Then there was the dyed polyester. Great to look at, but turning purple within a short time.... and still sold today at places like Repco and Supercheap as well as Trade Me and of course the cheap car tinting places.
Fortunately, some of us have moved on from this and offer genuine performance films.
Today's window film uses the latest technology and consequently is more costly to produce.
So why on earth are some people still going with the cheapest price??????
As the saying goes: "You get what you pay for"
Granted, just because one price is higher than another, does not guarantee a superior product. Therefore, ask questions.

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Tint Removal - Flat Glass

11/5/2014

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Film on Flat Glass uses a different adhesive to car tints.
The adhesive is usually called DA, standing for "Dry Adhesive". In effect, it is a chemical bonding with the glass and so much harder to remove than the PS type.
The best way to start, is the use of a packet of sharp razor blades. If your glass is not toughened, you should be ok. If it is toughened, you risk to scratch the glass in the process, so EXTREME CARE is needed.

Step 1: Wet the glass with a solution of soapy water and start scraping the film, preferably all layers at once. Keep re-wetting the film and glass, as you go. Change the blade frequently. Once you have removed all the film, go to
Step 2: Keep the glass wet, let it soak a while and go over the entire area again with the blade, until all the residue of adhesive has been removed.
Step 3: Again, glass wet, use a cleaning squeegee to remove all the loose adhesive and film residue. Finished!

Be careful during the whole process to not break the glass or cut yourself. The other thing to watch is to take care not damaging the rubber or paint on the frames.

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Tint Removal- How to take it off cars

4/5/2014

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Like anything in this world, nothing lasts forever!
I often get asked, how to remove window film. There are a couple of different adhesive types and depending what kind it is, the method changes a little.

First, car film, safety film, frosted film and some solar films are made with PS (Pressure Sensitive) adhesive. This means the film will adhere mechanically straight away. This glue is easiest to remove.
On cars, have the car outside in the sun, if possible to warm up the glass. Step 1: With a small razor blade or knife, peel away from one corner. Slowly! If you're lucky, the whole sheet will come off. Unfortunately, this is not the case very often. If it's hard to peel, stop and spray the film with glass cleaner containing ammonia. Use an old black plastic rubbish bag and place it over the film for a few minutes. This slows down the evaporation and softens the glue. Repeat step 1.
On rear windows with demister bars, ensure you don't use a scraper, otherwise you will damage the lines. You can use "Goldilocks" or similar non-scratch scouring pads.
Once all the film is off, you are left with a lot of glue. There are some adhesive removers on the market that work well, but care must be taken not to get any on upholstery or other surfaces. You can use glass cleaner and new razor blades and go over it a few times and it will come off.
If you get the car tinted again, ask them them to give you a price for removing it. If you do a bad job, leaving adhesive residue, they will probably charge you to clean it up anyway.
Have fun!

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Tints are tints, right?

Tint Removal - Flat Glass

Tint Removal- How to take it off cars

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