Safety film Installation
Proper Techniques for Mounting 4 Mil Safety Films
PREPARING FILM FOR MOUNTING
4 Mil safety films can be installed successfully by either (1) pre-cutting to exact size or (2) pre-cutting oversize and trimming to frame.
PROPER USE & MIXING OF MOUNTING SOLUTION
We strongly recommend baby shampoo and distilled water for several reasons. First, better visual clarity is achieved after dry out period. The second is it eases the application and accelerates evaporation of the mounting solution (dry out time).
Once the window and surrounding frame has been thoroughly cleaned and dried you are ready to mount the film. When you are removing the liner, spray the adhesive side of the film with enough mounting solution to work the film, leaving no dry spots. Repeat this procedure on the glass surface. After spraying both surfaces, you now can position the film properly on the glass.
WETTING THE FILM SURFACE FOR SQUEEGEEING
Again, spray the film surface so you can squeegee the film to the glass surface leaving no dry spots so squeegee will glide smoothly over the film. Only use enough mounting solution to accomplish this task.
SQUEEGEEING TECHNIQUE
This is the most important part of your installation in achieving professional results. Use both hands and use your body leverage to your advantage. Each pass should overlap the previous pass by 50%. Angle the squeegee blade slightly away from the previous pass. Similar to a tractor blade when grading a dirt road. Use slow strokes, applying good pressure to push the mounting solution out. Squeegee blade should be 45 degrees from glass surface. The flatter your film is to the glass surface the better optics your installation will achieve.
STEP #1 FIRST SQUEGEE PASS
Spray the surface of the film. Make your squeegee pass using the #0608-6 aluminum squeegee, the #0606-8 power squeegee or the #0614 heavy duty squeegee w/metal handle. Start at center of the film and follow squeegee directions 1 and 2, squeegeeing horizontally (sideways) as displayed in diagram #1. Hold the film in place with your free hand as you proceed with your first squeegee stroke. This will keep the film from moving around on the glass. Following squeegee direction 1 & 2 will vertically divide the window into left and right halves and set the film in place on the glass. Complete pass 3 & 4 and if not already done, trim film along top of window now. Make sure you thoroughly squeegee and tack film to glass completely across top with pass 3 & 4. After doing this, wipe excess mounting solution from top of frame and gasket area to avoid solution from running down between film and glass. Continue passes as shown until you completely squeegee film surface. If film is not exactly pre-cut to fit, trim sides and bottom at this time.
STEP #2 SECOND SQUEEGE PASS
Spray the surface of the film. Repeat the above squeegee pass using pattern in diagram #1.This time making sure you have left no trapped water pockets and squeegee all excess mounting solution out from between the film and glass surface. Step back a foot or two and inspect your work, looking straight at the film and from an angle. Make sure all excess mounting solution has been removed.
STEP #3 DRY SQUEEGEE PASS
Use a five-way tool or hard card with two layers of a paper towel wrapped around the edge. Start from an upper corner, using short strokes approximately six to eight inches long, push any trapped, excess mounting solution out from between film and glass, working approximately 6 inches away from edge to frame. Repeat this procedure and continue around the perimeter of the window.
Proper Techniques for Mounting7 - 14 Mil Safety & Security films
PREPARING FILM FOR MOUNTING
Successful installations of 7 through 14 mil safety films can be best achieved by precutting film to exact size. This can be done using a Film handler machine or by first applying film to window with liner on film and trimming film to size. Some experienced installers can trim to exact size from pre-cut oversize pieces. However this is especially difficult for the less seasoned installer.
PROPER USE & MIXING OF MOUNTING SOLUTION
We strongly recommend baby shampoo and distilled water for several reasons. First, better visual clarity is achieved after dry out period. The second is it eases the application and accelerates evaporation of the mounting solution (dry out time). This is very important with the thicker films.
Once the window and surrounding frame has been thoroughly cleaned and dried you are ready to mount the film. When you are removing the liner, spray the adhesive side of the film with enough mounting solution to work the film, leaving no dry spots. Repeat this procedure on the glass surface. After spraying both surfaces, you now can position the film properly on the glass.
WETTING THE FILM SURFACE FOR SQUEEGEEING
Again, spray the film surface so you can squeegee the film to the glass surface leaving no dry spots so squeegee will glide smoothly over the film. Only use enough mounting solution to accomplish this task.
SQUEEGEEING TECHNIQUE
This part of your installation is the most important in achieving professional results. Use both hands and use your body as leverage to your advantage. Each pass should overlap the previous pass by 50%. Angle the squeegee blade slightly away from the previous pass. Similar to a tractor blade when grading a dirt road. Use slow strokes, applying good
pressure to push the mounting solution out. Squeegee blade should be 45 degrees from glass surface. The flatter your film is to the glass surface the better optics your installation will achieve.
Step #1 FIRST SQUEEGEE PASS
Spray the surface of the film. Make your squeegee pass using the 0608-6 aluminum squeegee, the #0606-8 power sgueegee or the 0614 heavy duty sgueegee with metal handle. Start at the center of the film and follow squeegee directions 1 and 2, squeegeeing horizontally (sideways) as displayed in diagram #1. Hold the film in place with your free hand as you proceed with your first squeegee stroke. This will keep the film from moving around on the glass. Following squeegee direction 1 & 2 will vertically divide the window into left and right halves and set the film in place on the glass. Complete pass 3 & 4 and if not already done, trim film along top of window now. Make sure you thoroughly squeegee and tack film to glass completely across top with pass 3 & 4. After doing this, wipe excess mounting solution from top frame and gasket area to avoid solution from running down between glass and film. Continue passes as shown until you completely squeegee film surface. If film is not exactly pre-cut to fit, trim sides and bottom at this time.
STEP #2 SECOND SGUEEGEE PASS
Spray the surface of the film. Repeat the above squeegee pass using pattern in diagram #1. This time making sure you have left no trapped water pockets and squeegee all excess mounting solution out from between the film and glass surface. Step back a foot or two and inspect your work from straight on and from an angle. Make sure all excess mounting solution has been removed.
TIP: HARD TO REACH AREAS
If your installation has some situations where part of the glass area is difficult to reach, a good tool to use is the #578-6 Unger SS channel with 6” blue power max blade in a #575 Unger Pro handle. This tool will enable you to reach and push out solution in difficult, hard to reach areas while still applying enough pressure to remove mounting solution. However, make sure you overlap the previous squeegee stroke by 50%!
STEP #4 DRY SQUEEGEE PASS
Use a five-way tool or hard card with two layers of a paper towel wrapped around the edge. Start from an upper corner, using short strokes approximately six to eight inches long, push any trapped, excess mounting solution out from between film and glass, working from approximately 6 inches away from edge to frame. Repeat this procedure and continue around the perimeter of the window.
STEP#5 FINAL INSPECTION
Step back a few feet and inspect the installed safety film from a straight on view and from an angle. You should not have any water pockets. If you do work them out with the five way tool or squeegee
PROFESSIONALLY FINISHING YOUR INSTALLATION
Upon completing your installation it is recommended to clean the surface of the recently installed film by using a widow film cleaner or simply spray the interior surface with your mounting solution and squeegee off the surface and dry the edges with a paper towel. This will leave your window surface clear and clean of any streaks or residue of water and soap that were used in the installation process. Presenting your installation to your customer in this manner will enable them to see through the recently treated window clearly.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Keep in mind that several conditions will greatly affect the drying period of safety and security Film. The exposure of the windows to direct sunlight overhangs that partially shade windows, weather, exterior screen panels and enclosures, partial shading from plants, trees and adjacent buildings. As well as metalized coatings and the thickness of the film used.
Because all the above factors affect the dry out time it is important, as a professional, to squeegee these films properly and inform your customer prior to installation.
