How to cut tinted glass

How to make a removable tinting with your own hands?

tinted, glass

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Back in the fall of 2010, Russian lawmakers, out of their kindness, decided to increase the penalty in the form of a fine for tinting the front side and windshields of cars exceeding the light transmission capacity by more than 30%, which caused a storm of indignation among many car owners. By the way, partly fair indignation. Not all car enthusiasts like the feeling of an aquarium fish, when through all the glass from the outside you can clearly see who and what is doing inside the car, what and who is in it. In addition, the blinding and scorching sun when focusing through the glass brings a lot of discomfort. So, forcing to literally rip off the tint from the front windows, the deputies thereby forced the car owners to look for an alternative. And it was quickly found in the form of a removable tinting. But not everyone can afford the paid installation of such, so to speak, tuning. Therefore, many logically came to the conclusion that do-it-yourself removable tinting would be cheaper than a trip to the workshop.

Thus, savvy drivers killed two birds with one stone: they retained the ability to protect themselves from the sun’s rays and prying eyes, and also took the punishing hand of a fair law from their rebellious head and skinny wallet. If you have to pay 500 rubles for standard tinting according to the modern code, and then tear off the well-applied composition in every possible way, which is very difficult, or even change the glass, then with removable tinting, one movement is enough and the glasses turn into ordinary ones. And the fine for such an action is only 100 rubles or a banal warning of the inspector, who, by and large, will not want to contact anyone, well, if only out of boredom and despair. In the last article, we got acquainted with the types of modern removable tinting, and now we will consider how to make a removable tinting with our own hands. There is nothing very difficult in this task, and there never was, absolutely everyone can cope, for example, by installing static tinting on the windows of their car.

Pattern making

The first stage in the production of removable tinting will be to remove the pattern from each glass. The most difficult part of the complex tuning will be the production of removable tinting on the windshield. Here it will be important to perform a high-quality blackout so that the visibility of the traffic situation does not deteriorate. And to dismantle the windshield, hardly anyone wants to.
The pattern is made in the following sequence.

  • First, a transparent protective film from the tinting material or a cellophane analogue must be “glued” to the outside of the glass using a soap solution. It must be smoothed over the entire surface, removing air bubbles and detergent solution.
  • Now you can start cutting the film along the glass contour. For convenience, the side windows should be slightly lowered to make a cut along the upper border. When all sides are perfectly trimmed, you will get a transparent template made of transparent material.
  • You can also make a template from tracing paper. The material is attached to the car glass with double-sided tape, after which it is necessary to trace the contours with a marker or pencil. It remains with scissors to carefully cut out the pattern from the tracing paper.

Varieties: silicone, PET and others

For the production of removable tinting, different materials can be used, on which the appearance and technical parameters of the finished product depend. Among the common types, the following can be noted:

  • Silicone, capable of absorbing ultraviolet rays. Due to the specifics of toning, the likelihood of a mirror effect and blinding of the rest of the vehicle with light is excluded. In order to install the silicone film, a special approach is required, since with a quick adhesion there is a risk of a loose adhesion to the glass. It is easy to stretch such a film, as well as to straighten it.
  • Photochromic (electrochromic) film that becomes lighter or darker depending on the amount of voltage applied to the glass. The advantage of this tinting method is that the transparency of auto glass can be independently changed at any time. The disadvantage is the high cost compared to other options.
  • Monopolycarbonate tinting, also called static plastic. This film adheres reliably to glass and is relatively inexpensive. However, the visibility of the road with this tinting is greatly reduced in the dark, so whether to hang it up or not is a moot point.
  • Tinting with double glass technology, one of which is tinted and lowered separately from the standard clear glass. Despite the maximum convenience in everyday use, it is much more difficult to tint a car this way.

Removable tinting can be soft or hard, depending on the needs of the car owner.

How to put and remove the film on static

Having made a tinting for auto glass on your own, you can quickly install it on windows and remove it when not needed. A well-made pad will fulfill its purpose for many years.

Hard tinting with your own hands

Operating procedure

  • First, remove the mold from the glass, on which you will then apply the film. To do this, you need to disassemble the doors, remove the glass, wash it thoroughly and dry it, and then attach a polyester sheet and outline the contours of the glass. After that, remove the glass and carefully cut out the template with a sharp knife.
  • The second stage will be cutting the film according to the template, which will then be tinting on the glass of the car. For every fireman, cut out 2-3 identical pieces of such a film so that in case of failure at the first attempt, you do not have to repeat all these cuttings again.
  • Prepare an ordinary soap solution from shower gel, shampoo or regular soap, and then fill the prepared spray bottle with this solution.
  • Having slightly shaken the solution in the bottle, you can apply the soap foam directly to the glass and to the film, having previously removed the protective layer from it.
  • Evenly applying the solution to the glass and the film, you need to gently and evenly apply this same film to the glass, and then carefully expel the remaining soapy water from the space between the film and the glass using a dry cloth and / or a spatula with a soft base.
  • Give the glass (glass, if you did everything at once) time to dry completely and settle, so that the film ultimately holds securely.
  • After a period of drying and settling, do not forget to reassemble the doors by installing the tinted glasses in their rightful place, otherwise you will go with a breeze.

How to tint: the most popular removable designs on video

Tools and materials for creating and gluing film

Tinting for auto glass can be made independently using special consumables. To create, you need a polyester sheet (PET) with a thickness of no more than 0.5 mm and a film that will be applied to the plastic. The following set of tools is also required:

  • knife with replaceable blades;
  • pencil for drawing outlines;
  • scissors for metal;
  • forcing to smooth out irregularities on the film;
  • spray gun for applying soap solution to the glass surface.

In addition to tools and materials, it is necessary to first prepare a clean and smooth surface on which the film will be applied to the plastic. For this purpose, you can use glass with a thickness of 15 mm.

How to tint the rear window with your own hands in 2020

Car glass tinting is, without a doubt, an important element of external tuning. Whether to tint your car or not is a matter of choice for every motorist. In this article, we will tell you in detail how to properly tint car windows with a film with your own hands. And at the end you can watch a training video.

Toning is a process that requires accuracy and preliminary preparation. But with a certain skill, car glass tinting can be done independently.

On our website you may also be interested in the following materials:

  • Athermal glass tinting with a film;
  • An alternative to tinting is frame curtains;
  • DIY headlight tinting instructions;
  • How to remove tint from glass yourself.

Below we have prepared for you step-by-step instructions for tinting car windows: from choosing a tint film to sticking a reflective strip on the windshield.

Matt

This finish is a solution that is ideal for interior glass partitions in a residential or commercial space. With these films, you can quickly and cheaply improve the separation of any room.

They reduce transparency and make each of the zones in an apartment or office impenetrable and closed. In addition, matte films are able to protect employees of the company or residents of the house from injury in the event of the destruction of such partitions.

The economic benefit from using this type of finish is also obvious. Frosted film is much cheaper than special glasses with a similar visual and practical effect.

Pattern of a film for tinting side windows of a car

Before you start tinting the windows of the car, you must make a pattern of the tint film.

To do this, you need to determine where the adhesive layer is located. it is protected by a transparent liner. Always cut the film along the roll and make sure that the piece to be cut is a few centimeters larger than the glass.

  • Moisten the outside of the glass and place the previously cut piece of tinting material on it with the liner towards you. The bottom of the film should be parallel to the outer horizontal window seal and overlap it by about one centimeter.
  • Using forcing and a knife, make side vertical cuts in the film so that after that you can throw the pattern onto the vertical seal by about one centimeter.
  • Next, bending the lower part of the pattern, lower the glass a little and, securing the film along the upper edge of the glass, make a horizontal cut in it, and then give it the final shape.

A blank for tinted glass is cut out so that it is several millimeters larger than the transparent area of ​​the glass.

  • Pre-fix the film from the outside on a damp glass surface.
  • Cut out the workpiece carefully and slowly.
  • If the transparent area is limited by the seal, then cut along the seal should be applied forcing.

Be careful not to damage the exterior of the car with a knife!

  • For ease of use, try to remove excess pieces of the pattern immediately after the cut.
  • If the transparent area is limited by an opaque strip of paint, then a cut should be made so that it goes over the opaque part by a few millimeters.

Be sure to keep the knife blade always sharp (break off dull parts of the blade in time).

Application of a film for tinting on the rear window of a car

The process for cleaning the rear window of a car is slightly different, as it has heating filaments and extreme care must be taken not to damage them. It is also recommended to use a plastic spatula instead of a scraper.

  • After cleaning, the glass must be washed with a hard sponge, wiped dry with a hard distillation and wiped with a napkin around the perimeter.
  • Before applying the tinting film, moisten the glass abundantly with the solution, while covering the rear shelf with a rag or some other handy material so as not to flood the car’s electrical equipment with water.

To stick the tint film on the rear window, it is better to use the services of an assistant.

  • When removing the liner, immediately moisten the exposed adhesive layer with a water and soap solution.
  • Carefully, without touching the glue layer of foreign objects, bring the workpiece onto the glass. this is a very responsible operation and requires a certain skill.
  • Try to prevent the film from curling, kinking or bending.

With an adhesive layer, the pattern should only touch the treated glass surface and, in no case, neither the interior parts of the car, nor the clothes of the installer.

Align the pattern on the glass so that there are no gaps, and begin to smooth it using a rubber forcing.

In the process of tinting the rear window, smooth the film from the center to the edges, so that no air and water bubbles remain under it. In hard-to-reach places, use a plastic spatula.

How to Hand Cut Window Tint on the Car

  • Next, moisten the tint film and squeeze out the remaining solution from under it using a hard distillation.
  • Extrude along the heating filaments. from the center to the edges.
  • Then do this operation by hard distillation, but already wrapped in a napkin.

The final stage is pressing the tint film around the perimeter by distillation, while heating the glass from the outside with a hair dryer.

Be careful not to overheat the glass with a hair dryer. it may break!

Rear window tinting film pattern

The pattern of the tint film for the rear window of a car has some peculiarities due to its spherical surface.

  • The outer surface of the glass and the tinting film must be completely dry before cutting.
  • The letter “H” is drawn on the glass surface with a wet sponge, and the tint film is rolled out along the roll with an adhesive layer. Our workpiece must be larger than the transparent area of ​​the glass.
  • The remaining tinting material along with the roll must be carefully removed. For this, it is better to resort to the services of an assistant.
  • After that, place the workpiece on the outside of the rear window so that there are no horizontal folds, but only vertical ones.
  • Smooth the film with the letter “H”, as the glass has a spherical surface.

Wrinkles on the tint film must be smoothed out with a hair dryer. Be careful not to overheat it, and only vertical folds can be heated.!

  • After removing all wrinkles, dampen the glass and film and gently smooth the pattern. As a result, it should take the form of glass without wrinkles.
  • Smooth the workpiece from the center of the glass to its edges, both vertically and horizontally.

Perform this operation carefully using distillation. Make sure that the film is not wrinkled during tinting, but evenly smoothed over the glass surface.

The next step in toning is to precisely trim the film. In this case, it is recommended to use a spotlight to illuminate from the car’s interior, and the trim line should go a few millimeters onto the opaque area of ​​the glass (see the video below).

The choice of material for tinting

There are several ways to darken car windows, but for self-tinting, it is better to use the film wrapping method. It is important to know how to properly stick the film, and what material is better to choose. The film can be:

  • simple, with an adhesive base in black;
  • multi-colored;
  • transparent, with various patterns;
  • metallized, with different levels of shading;
  • with rolling colors;
  • “Chameleon” with a mirror surface;
  • silicone;
  • perforated.

Decide on the type of coating for pasting (click to enlarge)

The quality of tinting and its service life will depend on the toning material.

The simplest and most affordable are ready-made kits. Manufacturers cut them out according to the shape and size of the glass of a particular car model. These kits are very convenient, but of poor quality. Their darkening is achieved not by coloring, but by gluing a second film layer. It peels off quickly enough, so you will have to deal with plywood often.

By watching the video, you will learn more about the types:

A little more effort will be required to tint the glass with roll material, since it needs to be cut out by yourself. The cost of such material depends on the density and level of shading. The range of colors is presented in a wide range, so there is an opportunity to choose for every taste.

Rolled tinting material has such advantages as:

  • dense structure;
  • strength;
  • resistance to mechanical damage;
  • ease of gluing;
  • ease of removal.

Tinting material comes in the form of a roll (click to enlarge)

This material is called removable tinting, since the glass under it remains unchanged and you can re-glue this tinting as much as you like.

Important! Before removing the pasted tint film, it must be warmed up with a construction hair dryer.

Removable tinting is made in a standard length, and one roll is enough to cover all the glass of the car.

When choosing a film, it is necessary to take into account its light transmission. The tinted windshield must transmit at least 50% of the light. The film covering the side front windows must have a bandwidth of at least 35%, the side rear and trunk. 15%.

Headlights are a separate issue. Can I tint them? It is possible to glue the tint on the front and rear lights only on condition that the color of their glow and light transmission are preserved. With headlights tinted in a different way, there is a possibility of not passing the inspection and getting a fine.

Mirrored

This type of film on glass is especially in demand among the owners and tenants of apartments on the first floors. And also for those who live in houses that are close to one another. Many people, in order to avoid third-party curiosity, are forced to keep the curtains in their apartments closed around the clock.

Mirror films for windows solve this problem quickly and inexpensively. After all, they guarantee a mirror (or, in other words, one-sided) effect of visibility, when those who are inside the dwelling see everything that happens on the street, and those who are outside. nothing of what is happening in the room.

This film has only one drawback. it does not save in the evening or at night. Since the lighting of the apartment in the dark becomes many times brighter, it is no longer possible to preserve the intimacy of what is happening with the help of only mirror pasting of the window.

How to tint the rear window

Tinting the rear window is a little more difficult than, say, the side windows, because the rear window is curved. Therefore, you will have to resort to shaping the tint film, that is, to give it the shape of the rear window. This can be achieved in different ways, but let’s talk about how to tint the rear window in order.

What you need to tint the rear window

  • spray bottle with soapy water;
  • rubber spatula (distillation);
  • sponge;
  • knife;
  • utility knife or blade;
  • roulette;
  • powder;
  • skin;
  • construction hair dryer.

How to tint the rear window

First you need to thoroughly wash, wipe and dry the glass. Then add a little powder and grind. Now you need to determine the size of the tinting, which will help the tape measure, and cut out the desired film. The next step will be shaping. giving the glass shape to the tinting.

Methods for shaping tint film

“Wet”. to wet (without removing the protective film), put the film on the rear window from the outside and smooth it by forcing from the center to the edges, simultaneously heating the curved areas with a hairdryer. Thus, the film will bend and take the desired shape.

Dry is a much faster method used in Europe. The bottom line is that a piece of tinting is placed on the rear window with the cover facing outward, then the excess is cut off (you don’t need to scratch the car). The folds are blown through with a hairdryer and smoothed out by forcing.

Then, without removing the tinting from the glass, you need to put a spotlight in the car interior, the beam of which will illuminate the rear window. This is necessary in order to cut the tint more carefully, taking into account all the shapes and curves.

The cut film must be removed to wash the side in contact with the glass and gently rinse off the baby powder. The glass can also be washed, as the film will again lay down on it.

After slightly dampening the film, you can begin to smooth it with short strokes in different directions, starting from the center. This will show how well the film has formed. Doubtful places should be warmed up with a hairdryer and smoothed. Now the film can be brought inside.

But before that, of course, you need to very carefully wash the rear window from the inside so that there are no grains of sand and dust particles left. If the glass is silk-screened, but it is planned to have high-quality gluing of the tinting on the rear window, then it is necessary to gently walk along the glass contour with a sandpaper so that there are no ugly white stripes. Then wash the inside of the rear window for the last time.

Now you need to remove the protective tinting film by wetting the adhesive surface with soapy water, which will neutralize the glue for a while. After wetting the glass from the inside, you should bring the film inside and carefully and slowly put it on the surface of the rear window. With the tint positioned correctly, it needs to be slightly moistened with a spray bottle, and the folds can be dispersed, starting from the center and to the sides, following the lines that resemble the British flag.

Do not forget about the bottom edge, which can be tucked in with a thin forcing. Then, finally, walk again from the center to the edges with dry, regular forcing.

Here’s how to tint the rear window. You can do it yourself in your own garage, armed with the necessary tools and knowledge.