How to tint your windows
By Steve2k
 
First off you’ll need the stuff to do it with. Otherwise you certainly wont be tinting anything!
 

Although you don’t need to take the window out of the car, I’m sure u can agree it would be a lot harder trying to work around interior trim etc.
I wont go into how to take the windows out here (refer to Haynes manual or likewise for your car) but in my car it was a case of removing the door card to get at 2 screws securing the window. When undone, the window is tilted forward an withdrawn towards the back of the car.

Right now to get started. Important things first I suppose…….try not to crease the film. Be careful coz there are sharp things involved (I assume you’re all old enough not to need to say seek parents permission) an try not to break the window.
An it also makes it easier when you have some help……my supervision wasn’t very helpful……….


 

Yes it is a cat!

Right so now to actually get started. Lay the window on the floor like so

Remove any stickers for alarms etc, on mine as u can probably see, is a line of dirt just under where the window shows in the door. You may also noticed I haven’t removed the channel the window sits in….didn’t see the point as u don’t see about an inch above it anyway. An give u a reference for how far down to tint the window.
So basically get the worst of dirt etc off. I used a Stanley knife blade.

Next step I trimmed the film. To make sure u trim it the right way. Stick I piece of tape onto the corner on each side so u can pull them apart. This is to find out which side is the film and which the liner

The sticky side of the tint needs to stick to the inside of the glass. So make sure it’s the right way or you’ll waste film. I left about an inch waste around the edge of the window as excess can be trimmed when dry

Now to get wet……..make sure u give the window a VERY good clean. Ideally as clean as possible. I used a brillo pad (not sure if that’s right, the pink scourer things?) which is also good for if u need to take the tint off coz it gets the glue off. But try not to scratch the window

The way I did it next was to spray the soapy water onto the window lying on towels on the floor…..outside face down. Make sure its nice an wet. The next to the window peel the film off but keep spraying it to keep it wet (this is where help is really needed. I did it the hard way) then place the film on the window. Pretty much spraying everything all the time.

Once its on the window an you’ve moved it into the rough position. It moves quite easily. U can start squeegee’ing it down. Best way I found and that the instructions said was to go horizontally across the top and then go down vertically from there. This stops it from getting a ‘windmill’ effect

Heres a quick pic in the middle of doing everything


That’s near the end now I suppose……but I’m sure when you’ve been squeegee’ing you’ve noticed little bubble and cresses round the edge?
Well with the bubbles u may just want to try an squeeze them out. (always keep the film wet. Never squeegee on dry film) or could pop them with a pin and flatten them by finger
I had lots of creases along the vertical edge of the window because of the window curve. I tried a few ways to get rid of these
1. make a slice and flatten either side…….but line is still noticeable
2. hairdryer to dry an heat the film to keep it to the curved shape……didn’t work especially well
3. or I left it. Didn’t work too bad but leave to dry next to a radiator so the film in effect is shrunk onto the glass.

An I think that’s about everything that I can pass on so here's the final article

Before

After

And just a quick note……if it goes wrong. Don’t blame me :P

 
 

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