Window Tint Recs

[Holden]

Called a window tint place yesterday thinking that requesting a quote would be the most difficult part of the process. Turns out, the guy said they really don't do boats bc the film they use is not made for marine environments.

Now, I thought that the process involved "dyeing" the window, not a film. I guess I need to know if I'm off in my thinking and, if they don't "dye" to tint, is my best bet a film?

 

[shore]

so people that live on the beach can't tint their windows? lol.

 

[Loneranger]

Window tint is all a polyester film that has the light/UV/heat/reflection reducing properties that one desires to be installed. The film is either dyed or has a metal layer vaporized onto its surface. (They also have hybrid films with both a dyed and a metal layer.) In the past the dyed films were terrible because they all faded to purple. I think the dyed films of today are better at fade resistance but the metal films are still better.

I don't see why they could not be installed on a boat unless salt water would cause problems for it? I do not know of a process to tint glass after it is already in use without applying a film to it. I think to have tint part of the glass itself the glass has to be chemically treated at the time of manufacture.

http://www.llumar.com/en/Automotive.aspx

John

 

[Carver370]

Basically they found a nice way of telling you they didn't want to deal with installing the film on your curved windows. If this is for your 180 it's very difficult to get under the front windows to lay the film on perfectly.

 

[Holden]

Thanks for the replies and education. If I can, get a metal film - got it. There are some mother's window tint places here locally- I will call them. Anything else I should watch out for?

 

[Loneranger]

If you have it done, have them use a solid piece of film for each window if possible. Most installers for cars will use a single piece of film for each window including the large back glass. Occasionally a cut into the film is needed if there is a large amount of curve. You do not want strips of film placed (it is easier but you will always be able to see the joints).

John

 

[Firerooster]

There is a third type of window tint as well, ceramic tint. It is even better then the metallic. Insulates against heat better, thus keeping ur dash and gauge panel cooler etc. I have it in my truck including my windshield. My truck is black and even in the AZ summers my cab stays cooler then it did without the tint. I am gonna have my windows on the boat done with it next week.