Scorching sun rays or severe frosts can greatly interfere with maintaining a comfortable environment in the apartment.
Special films for windows can completely or partially cope with these problems.
Having chosen the appropriate option from a variety of products, the owner of the house thinks about how to stick the material.
There are many nuances when carrying out installation work with film. Studying such subtleties, as well as becoming familiar with the features of dismantling the coating, is mandatory to obtain the desired effect.
Installation rules and nuances
Before installation you need to consider a number of important features :
The quality of installation largely depends on the results of the preparatory stage. First you need to thoroughly clean the surface and treat the glass.- The higher the room temperature, the faster the glue dries. On the contrary, the cooler it is, the longer you will have to wait.
- The material is very thin and easy to damage. Therefore, when gluing, you need to act with extreme caution.
- The room where the work will be carried out should be thoroughly cleaned. In this way, you can avoid situations where large amounts of dust settle on the glass being processed.
- It is important to consider the type of material, which partially determines the characteristics of the work. For example, anti-vandal film must be additionally treated with a special solution.
- If possible, it is worth removing the glass from the window frame. This makes installation much easier.
In order to act without unnecessary nerves when gluing the film, it is recommended to buy a little more material, with which you can correct small mistakes made during the installation process.
Main advantages of film
Therefore, you can glue solar control film onto plastic windows yourself; savings arise already at the stage of purchasing and installing the product. Purchasing curtains or installing blinds is not a cheap undertaking, while film solar control material is inexpensive. Mirror film can be applied to any type of window: wood, plastic, aluminum.
Companies that manufacture such protective film products claim that their products are gradually displacing bulky and inconvenient blinds from the market.
The film has the following advantages:
- Possibility of adjusting the level of illumination in the room.
- Ensuring that indoor plants are protected from direct sunlight.
- Providing protection for curtains from ultraviolet exposure and fading (which is important if the curtains are colored).
- Ensuring protection of furniture upholstery from fading.
- High level of security, home protection from burglary and unauthorized entry.
Important! You can glue the film to the windows yourself - it sticks on its own, so you don’t need to use any additional adhesives.
Tools for work
In order to cover the surface with film without any problems, it is recommended to acquire a number of tools that will be useful during the work:
- Two scrapers. One with a rubber tip, the other with a pointed metal tip.
- Spray gun for glass treatment. It is recommended to think through the issue of water in advance - if the water coming from the tap is very hard with a high content of chlorine, you should purchase purified water in bottles.
- Detergent. Almost anything commonly used will do, from dishwashing liquid to baby shampoo.
- Lint-free fabric.
- Stationery knife.
- Scissors.
- Ruler.
- Pencil.
The above list of tools is not exhaustive. Additional products may be required to clean windows and apply film. For example, a hard sponge to get rid of traces of sealant previously used to seal cracks in the frame.
How to hide a crack in glass with stained glass film
If cracks appear on the glass surface, you can cover them with stained glass film. First, adhesive tape is applied to this area on both sides, and then the standard stained glass film is applied, this way it will be possible to quietly eliminate the defect.
If cracks appear on the glass surface, you can cover them with stained glass film.
How to glue correctly?
General instructions for gluing film include the following steps:
Prepare the surface. It is necessary to wash the glass thoroughly, preferably with the addition of detergent. You should also carefully scrape away any remaining paint, sealant or other product, if any.- Measure the surface to be treated and cut the film. If in doubt, you can skip this step and remove the excess after gluing.
- Treat the glass and the adhesive side of the material with a solution of liquid soap using a spray bottle. Do not shake to prevent excessive foam from forming. Adding soap in this case allows you to move the material along the surface to the desired position.
- Apply the film to the glass, placing it around the perimeter of the window.
- To remove air bubbles, it is necessary to smooth the film. You should move from the center to the edges.
When the surface has become absolutely flat, all you have to do is wait for it to dry, after which you can cut off the remaining film, if this has not been done previously.
Difficulties and errors
The rapid adhesion of the film to the glass reduces the ability to maneuver to adjust it to the desired size. It should be taken into account that installation at high temperatures on a hot surface promotes almost instantaneous adhesion of the material.
Many difficulties can arise due to the low quality of the product:
- low strength;
- insufficient stickiness;
- peeling of the material - in this case, problems may arise even for a professional.
Therefore, it is important to approach the choice of product with the utmost care. It is best to buy from trusted sellers. When washing the coating, you must avoid using abrasives, hard sponges, and products with ammonia.
Which film to choose
Due to affordability and ease of installation, when choosing a protective film, it is the needs of the window owner that come to the fore - it is better to immediately purchase the necessary resource, so that later you do not have to re-enrich the store and suffer from replacing the coating.
The protective, matte and sun-protective versions presented above have their own sets of characteristics that make the product unique. But decorative representatives stand apart, they serve no purpose other than adding joy and mood to the house and its residents.
Sun protection
Such options look good in those regions where there is a frequent presence of clear and warm sun - one that can cause damage to wallpaper, linoleum, parquet, curtains and furniture by fading (ceramic tiles will not be affected).
When may dismantling be required?
The need for dismantling may arise for various reasons :
- there was a desire to change the color of the coating;
- there is no longer a need;
- the glass needed to be replaced.
Regardless of the reason, before dismantling, you should study the features and subtleties of this process.
Adaptations
The following tools may be required during dismantling::
- stationery knife;
- scraper;
- hard brush;
- construction hair dryer;
- scotch.
You will also need water with detergent and a cloth.
Procedure
The film is removed as follows:
- Pry up the edge of the film. This can be done using a regular or stationery knife, but there is a risk of scratching the glass. To pry it off safely, you can use tape, gluing it around the perimeter of the glass unit. However, this method may not work if the material has dried strongly to the window.
- Remove the film. Having lifted the edge, you need to slowly pull it towards yourself, helping with a scraper, until the window is completely free. If a break occurs, you need to repeat the procedure from the first step.
- Get rid of glue . To do this, you will need a stiff brush and a soap solution: two tablespoons of crushed laundry soap per liter of hot water.
You can make installation easier using a hair dryer. At a distance of 30-40 centimeters, you need to direct a stream of hot air onto the glass to soften the coating. After this, it will be much easier to pry and remove it.
Possible difficulties
the old coating leaves many small sticky spots , which are difficult to get rid of exclusively by mechanical means. In such cases, you will have to turn to solvents:
Medical or technical alcohol. Not a very effective method, but still allows you to cope with minor stains.- White Spirit. When using it, it is mandatory to use a protective mask and gloves.
- Schumann for glass ceramics. A powerful product that will certainly deal with glue residue. Protection is also required, and it is not recommended to leave liquid on the plastic.
After treating the window with chemicals, it must be thoroughly washed with a standard soap solution.
Self-sticking
In how to glue self-adhesive film on glass, there are no mandatory requirements in relation to the skills, experience or professionalism of the worker; everyone had to place sticky notes on their notebooks or children's tattoos on their shoulders - the essence is always the same. Perhaps it requires a little more preparation and tools, but it’s easy to get the necessary set without even leaving home.
At the same time, you can apply the protective self-adhesive without the support of a second person: since there is a small area to cover, and there are no steps that require an immediate reaction to what is happening, the second person will rather get in the way than provide full support.
During the gluing process, it is recommended not to rush, carefully checking the position, and all bubbles and excess soap solution must be eliminated immediately so as not to spoil the final result.
Caring for a Tinted Window
For the first 7 days after gluing, it is forbidden to wash the glass unit; when gluing is completed, you can wash the window using the usual method. Cleaning with abrasive agents and rough brushes is unacceptable. Dirt from the tint coating is easily removed by moistening the area with soapy water and after a short time removing it with a soft sponge.
For the first 7 days after gluing, it is forbidden to wash the glass unit; when gluing is completed, you can wash the window using the usual method.
The article described how to apply tinting to windows in an apartment correctly. This product will help make being in a room more comfortable in hot weather and will provide additional protection from prying eyes. It is important to choose high-quality material to make gluing easier.
Advantages and disadvantages of reflective film
The main task of a reflective or tinting film is to block intense sun rays in the summer, and in winter to keep the room warm; in addition, the film performs parallel functions:
- The pasted film will protect the glass from breaking into small fragments; everything will remain on the adhesive surface.
- Hides your life from prying eyes. Relevant for residents of private houses and ground floor apartments.
- Reduces fading of furniture, wallpaper, and decorative items.
- Reflects the sun's rays, they pass into the room with less intensity, therefore, the interior space heats up more slowly.
- Used as a way to reduce exposure to ultraviolet radiation to almost 100% and infrared rays.
- Does not violate the transparency of the glass, slightly muffles it.
- Light dimming blocks bright light and eliminates glare from your computer monitor and TV screen.
- Variety of species according to special characteristics.
- An economical option when creating a microclimate.
- Environmentally friendly - does not emit toxins.
- Used as a decorative element.
But light-protective film for windows also has disadvantages:
- It is difficult to remove.
- When you first try it, it is not easy to stick it on a surface without air bubbles.
- In cloudy weather the room is a little dark.
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Became three times thinner
The film has become three times thinner compared to previous years. The manufacturer saves on production. Because of this, it is not convenient to glue it even with tape. I ran out of three years' supply, so I decided to buy more. And in the end it turned out that it was something fragile, barely perceptible in the hands. Quality, accordingly, affects both results and expectations
How to stick decorative film on glass
If you want to decorate the glass in your closet doors yourself using film with your own hands, then the information in our article will be useful for you. To apply the film to glass, you will need wardrobe doors with transparent glass inserts and the decorative film itself.
| Rice. 1. The inserts in the compartment doors are made of plain glass |
With a little physical and material effort, we will get a sliding wardrobe that is original in design. This is shown schematically in the sketches.
| Rice. 2. Sliding wardrobe with glass inserts decorated with Oracal color film |
Everything is clear with the compartment doors, but where to get the film. Decorative film can be purchased from advertisers, which will be easy in big cities. In small towns, online stores will help with this.
Thermal molding
Apply a soap solution to the outer surface of the glass using a spray bottle. Place the cut material with the liner (transparent protective layer) facing up.
Using a squeegee, draw a horizontal line in the center of the film and two vertical lines on the sides to form the letter “H”. This way you will fix the coating in these places exactly in the desired shape. On both sides of the horizontal line, excess film is formed, which must be deposited using molding.
Set the industrial hair dryer to a medium heat level and heat the surface at a distance of 15-30 centimeters. It is important not to linger in one place so as not to overheat the glass. Warm up and smooth out folds and “bubbles” with a squeegee from the horizontal line of the letter “H” upward. Try to work as carefully as possible, without sudden or strong movements. Warm the lower part and smooth it from the horizontal line of the letter “H” down.
Thermal forming ends when the film is completely in the shape of the glass. Now you need to trim the material so that it extends beyond the black glass frame by about 5 mm. After this, the tint is completely ready for installation.
