Sun protection, mirror and matte tinting for plastic windows: types, application, cost, nuances of application

The most common cause of discomfort is sunlight penetrating into the room. Bright light irritates the eyes and increases the temperature in the rooms. Tinting windows in an apartment is a way out for those who do not want to cover them with curtains. This method began to be used relatively recently, and is ideal for the southern part of an apartment or private house.

Previously, tinting was used only for cars and office premises. With the advent of plastic windows, this method has become popular in home use. The film is capable of repelling not only sunlight, but also ultraviolet rays that can harm the human body. In the hot season, it will be especially popular and will maintain a comfortable temperature.

Types of film

The film for tinting is made of polymer materials. A layer of glue is applied to one side, protected by a special sheet. For home tinting, sun control film is often used.

There are several types of it that allow you to further decorate the room:

1. Tinting film, which has a mirrored outer side, is widely used not only in business centers and office premises, but also in residential buildings. The product is capable of blocking almost 99% of ultraviolet light, and has gained popularity due to the fact that it completely hides what is happening inside. Mirror film can be external and internal. The first is attached inside the room or glass unit, the second, more durable, is attached outside, covered with a special protective layer. It is used to darken windows in multi-story buildings located close to each other. The only drawback is that with artificial lighting in the room its effect completely disappears.
2. Sun protection – prevents heating of the internal space, allows light to enter (75%). Installed on window openings located on the south side. In winter, the film retains heat and is capable of blocking 98% of ultraviolet radiation.
3. Protective tinting for apartment windows is an alternative to grilles. Mainly used in private homes or on the first floors of multi-storey buildings. It is thick enough to protect the glass from breaking and cracking.
4. Matte film is often used to complement or create an unusual interior; it gives texture to the glass and has a large selection of colors.

Using decorative film you can significantly improve the outside of your window. This method can be used to cover glass doors in the bathroom.

Advantages and disadvantages

Based on the results of many years of practice, it has been proven that tinted PVC windows have more advantages than disadvantages.

The first include:

• 
  protection of equipment and furniture in the room from burnout;

• increasing the decorative decoration of the facade;
• protection of privacy in residential premises and offices;
• increasing the mechanical stability of the window;
• increasing the heat and noise protection of the window unit;
• universality in scope, can be applied to windows, doors, windows in balcony glazing and loggias;
• reducing natural levels of ultraviolet radiation;
• Possibility of installing films on the window yourself.

On a note. The disadvantages include the high cost, especially of factory-made products, and the darkness of the premises in cloudy weather, which will require additional inclusion of electric lighting even during the day.

Reviews

Among the users who have tinted PVC windows in apartments or private houses, most of them are satisfied with the result, but there are also those who speak negatively about this process. Most often this is due to the wrong choice of protection system or unqualified installation.

For those who are planning to tint PVC windows in their home, you first need to read user reviews that can be found on online forums, here are some of them:

• Architectural films have the strongest adhesion to glass, so this darkening will last forever.
• Solar control films do not differ in appearance on glass; light passes through completely, but UV and IR rays are reflected.
• Mirror films do not worsen the lighting in the room, making the atmosphere softer, but in the evening you need curtains.
• Solar reflective film should not be installed on energy-saving double-glazed windows; during hot periods, there will be a thermal shock inside the package and it will burst.
• It is better to install factory-tinted double-glazed windows with a mirror coating; your eyes will not hurt from the sun and the apartment will not be hot.
• With tinted windows, you won’t be able to bask in the sun in winter, and you won’t be able to “turn off” the tinting either.

For more reviews on the use of PVC windows with different types of tinting, see here, here and here.

Tinting methods

There are several ways to tint a plastic window:

• Ready-made tinted glass can be purchased before installing a double-glazed window. It is manufactured at the factory with the addition of the desired dye.
• Spray a tint layer onto hot glass. When watching video tutorials, you can quickly figure out how to darken a window in this way.
• Vacuum tinting is performed at the factory.
• Using adhesive film is the easiest and cheapest way you can do it yourself. It’s not difficult to implement, just choose the appropriate shade.

Ready-made tinted steles have a high cost, but they are more reliable in operation and have a long warranty period.

Buy tinted windows in

In our company, clients can purchase window structures with tinted glass, made on the basis of plastic, aluminum and wooden profile systems.

The products can use double-glazed windows with various additional options:

Energy-saving double-glazed window

Thermal package

Multi-functional double glazed window

Noise-proof glass unit

Impact-resistant glass unit

• energy-saving - significantly increase heat saving indicators;
• thermal packages - reduce the level of heat loss and increase noise insulation due to the use of inert gas to fill the chambers between the glasses;
• multifunctional - reflect heat towards a higher temperature (indoors in winter, outdoors in summer), suitable for rooms with windows facing south or southwest;
• noise-proof - significantly reduce the level of external noise, recommended for installation in windows facing noisy streets;
• shockproof - resist mechanical damage from thrown stones or bottles, and withstand attempts by attackers to break glass for a long time. An excellent alternative to gratings.

* PROMOTION! When ordering windows from our company, you will receive a thermal package (an innovative development in heat conservation) at the price of a regular double-glazed window! More details can be found in the “Promotions” section.

We will be happy to help you make the right choice!

Work examples

Home window tinting

The south and east sides of the house are most exposed to sunlight entering the room. This can lead to undesirable consequences: fading of interior decoration, interior items, fading of curtains and hailstones. On the ground floor of a multi-storey building, you can hide what is happening from unwanted views in this way.

Tinted windows in the house have a stylish appearance, they look beautiful, unlike curtains, they do not turn the room into a closet. It is enough to give them a light tint, or apply photo printing on film as an interior decoration, which will make a pleasant aesthetic impression.

If the glass accidentally cracks or breaks, the film will hold the fragments and prevent them from scattering. Dismantling will be easier, faster and safer. You can even use armored film for home windows. It protects not only from excessive heat and slight mechanical impact, but even from bullets.

There are many video lessons on the Internet, after watching which you will not have any questions about tinting. Step-by-step work will help you easily glue the sun protection film yourself at home.

To do this efficiently, you will need the following tools:

• stationery knife (you can use a blade);
• rubber spatula;
• container for preparing soap solution;
• plaster or tape;
• rags;
• spray.

When working, remember the following rules:

• Before gluing, it is necessary to carefully prepare the surfaces, wipe off dust particles from them to evenly distribute the film.
• The window should be washed with a non-abrasive detergent (for large dirty areas, you can use a scraper).

• The humidity in the room should be from 20% to 80% (at low levels, you need to periodically spray water from a spray bottle near the work site).
• The temperature in the room should not be less than 5 degrees and above 40.
• Finished glass cannot be washed for 7 days to avoid damaging the coating. Next, you need to wash it with a soft cloth without much effort. Do not use abrasives, hard brushes or scourers. If dirt forms on the surface, do not immediately scrape it off. Simply moisten with water or soapy water and wipe with a rag or lint-free cloth.

Concept

The tint film is based on a polymer that does not emit toxic substances. The material is highly elastic and durable, and is not subject to rotting or burning.

The polymer is coated with a metallized fine layer, including nickel, copper alloy, bronze, titanium and aluminum. The high-quality composition is distinguished by a multilayer structure, and a wear-resistant laminate is located between the layers. The latter is necessary to provide additional protection against accidental damage.

Manufacturers set the following material parameters :

1. Degree of light transmission . The higher the percentage, the more transparent the finished coating becomes. It seems that it is better to choose a tint with a minimum transparency, but this will only create complete shading and the light will simply stop entering the room.
2. UV protection . The parameter indicates the degree of penetration of ultraviolet radiation into the internal space. The maximum indicator provides protection for human health, protects against discoloration or destruction of the surface of interior items.
3. Protection from exposure to infrared rays . Tinting with reflection of infrared radiation gives the optimal temperature in the room. This means that the heating rate of the room is significantly reduced, as a result of which you do not have to constantly use the air conditioner.

The main purpose of installing the film is to reduce the level of exposure to ultraviolet radiation. But you should not use a film that is too cheap or dark, as it will completely darken the room. As a result, only artificial lighting can be used.

When is it used?

Tint film is applied in the following cases :

• 
  the room faces southwest, southeast and south, and there is no natural shading;

• southern climate in the area of ​​construction, which is characterized by high temperatures and most sunny days;
• It is necessary to create comfortable shading in the room.

However, not all rooms should be tinted. If the room is cool and the windows face north, northeast or northwest, the air will slowly warm up.

This solution is also not suitable for those who work near a window in natural light. This is especially true if the activity requires extreme visual acuity. In winter, the windows cannot be opened, so almost no sunlight penetrates.

DIY window tinting in an apartment

It is worth noting that the film may shrink after complete drying on the glass, and unpasted areas will appear on the surface. Drying time may take several days, therefore, when removing a double-glazed window, it is necessary to install a sheet of plywood in the window or cover it with film.

The installation of sun protection film should be carried out by specialists. But tinting a window yourself is not difficult.

You need to prepare the necessary tools, know the sequence and technology of work:

1. After measuring the glass area, it is necessary to cut off the required piece of film with a margin of 1 cm at the edges.
2. To tint PVC windows, you can remove the glass by first removing the glazing beads (for more details, see the article: “how to remove glazing beads from a plastic window”), do not forget to number them.
3. Degrease work surfaces.
4. It is more convenient to cut the raw material if you apply it to the surface, having previously moistened it with water.
5. Prepare a solution of water with shampoo (a few drops per three liters).
6. Apply the film to the glass and secure it to the corners with adhesive tape.
7. Slowly pull the corners of the film covering the adhesive coating so that it comes away from it. You need to start from the top.
8. To prevent the sheets from sticking together, you need to pull off the film in small parts.
9. Smooth out all unevenness (thanks to the soap solution, the film will not have time to set quickly, which will make it possible to carefully distribute it).
10. Having previously sprayed the front surface with water, use a soft cloth to expel any air and remaining bubbles.
11. Trim excess material at the edges with a utility knife or blade.
12. Wipe the glass with a dry cloth.

Tinting on apartment windows began to be used not so long ago. This is the best option for those who are forced to escape the summer heat in the summer. By sticking a sun protection film, you can do without air conditioning. In country houses this is especially convenient. When choosing options for how to tint a window, the option of solar control film will be more budget-friendly.

Why us?

Tinting of glass facades, shop windows and windows is one of the main areas of work. Working on the market since 2009, we have trained highly qualified personnel, gained extensive experience in solving complex problems and earned the authority of a reliable business partner.

Our company offers a full range of services for tinting building facades and applying tinting coatings to any glass surfaces. We use only high-quality materials and modern technological equipment.

The most optimal option for cooperation is to perform turnkey work, when one contractor is responsible for the final result. That is why we offer our clients a full range of services:

Read more about.

Benefits of tinting

Tinting plastic windows has a lot of pros and cons. To come to a final conclusion, you need to consider both sides.

Advantages:

• You can stick the film on glass in any room (on a loggia or balcony). It absorbs ultraviolet radiation, allowing only 1% to pass through. The room is provided with a comfortable temperature, furniture, curtains and wallpaper do not fade.
• Tinting the windows of the loggia will reduce heat loss, making it suitable for living in the summer.
• Protective function. On the first floors there is a risk that a window may break. Thanks to the film, the glass will not fall inside the apartment and will not fly down. They will adhere to the film, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
• During the day you can see everything that happens outside, but you cannot see what is happening indoors. Even on the first floor you don’t need to use curtains.
• You can use a film with increased impact resistance for maximum protection.
• To determine the degree of darkness that is comfortable for each person, you can choose any shade of the film.
• Provides optimal light supply for indoor plants. The film will prevent them from dying in the summer heat.
• Protects glass from minor external mechanical damage.

Why tint windows

• I want to say that the eastern and southern sides of the house are subject to significant exposure to sunlight. If your windows face these sides of the horizon, then you have probably noticed that wallpaper and curtains fade there very quickly. Tinting windows in such rooms will help solve this problem.
• Window tinting will help protect the human body from exposure to ultraviolet and infrared rays.
• If you live on the first floor of a multi-storey building, then everything that happens in the apartment can be observed by anyone passing along the street. Window tinting will be a great option to hide your privacy from prying eyes.
• Tinted windows are quite stylish and beautiful. You should not make the room a real closet. It is possible to simply darken the windows, or give them some shade. This solution can significantly decorate the interior.
• If you use a tint film, options for tinting car windows are suitable, it will protect the surface from mechanical damage and contamination.
• In the summer, window tinting saves you from the heat and significantly lowers the temperature in the room.

Disadvantages of using solar control film

Disadvantages of tinting window glass with solar control coating:

1. The light transmittance is reduced, so the apartment will be twilight. For southern regions, this option will be an excellent solution; there will be no need for frequent use of air conditioning.
2. In winter, the apartment will not heat up from the sun's rays. This is a big drawback in homes with a faulty heating system.
3. In the evening, when artificial lighting is turned on, a view from the street opens up. It is not possible to completely abandon the use of curtains.

How to apply car tint to apartment windows

Film coatings for cars have the best protection against heat, so some people decide to glue them in the apartment. There are some nuances in the gluing process:

• Use a special solution, not just soap and water, to ensure an even distribution of the coating over the surface;
• To treat difficult areas, the surface is heated in these places with a hairdryer, which leads to the film being leveled.

To treat difficult areas, the surface is heated in these places with a hairdryer, which leads to the film being leveled.