Window Tinting Basics and Introduction

The Right Environment

• Clean #1 enemy of tint is dirt.
• Light
• Space
• Temperature
• Air movement
• People movement
• Safety

The Right Equipment

• Cutting/peel board

• Straight edges

• Aluminum trim guide

• Film Handler (flat glass film)

• Plotter

• Heat Gun

• Work light

• Blank plates

• Cordless screwdriver

• Panel Pullers

• Panel/gasket pickers

• Sockets

• Bits

• Buckets with tool organizer

• Pressure sprayer

• Pressure spray nozzle and hose

• Tint Meter

• Spray bottles

• Joy dishwashing liquid or Baby shampoo

• Window cleaner

• Window tint adhesive remover

• Microfiber Towels

• Lint Free Paper Towels

• Olfa Knife

• Olfa cutting stainless steel blades + carbon blades

• Single edge razor stainless steel blades

• Single edge razor blade handles long + short

• Squeegees (Whatever you feel more comfortable, and able to accomplish the job) Blue Max blade in Under or Fusion handle recommended

1. Slim Foot

2. Big Foot

3. Red Devil

4. Slammer

5. Angled Bluemax 5”

6. The conqueror

7. Angled Clearmax 5”

8. The Bulldozer Auto

9. Cropped Orange Crush 5”

10. Orange Crush 8”

11. Lidco- silver card 4”

12. Lil Chizler

13. Hard Card Gold 4”

14. Easy Reach Gold

15. Bull Dozer Scrubber

16. Card Sharpener

17. Platinum Smart Card

There’s hundreds of different squeegees out there, you should try many, and find out what works best for you.

• Squeegees handles (Whatever handles better according to your personal feel)

1. Fusion Grip 5” Short Handle

2. Fusion Grip 5”

There’s different kinds of grips out there, this is what I like best *a 5” is much preferred over an 8”. The 8” is too wide and tends to give very uneven pressure and poor water removal. I would remove the 8” as an option.

• White Scrub pad

• Tool belt/pouch

1. Your film supplier has pouches available.

2. Carhartt Men's Adjustable Duck Nail Apron

• Tool holder

1. CLC Custom LeatherCraft 5-Pocket Cell Phone/Tool Holder 1105

• Card sharpener  ** You listed this already on #16 above I would delete this

• Gasket wizard

• Bone gasket jammer

• Telescopic Magnet

• Rearview mirror removal tools

  • Spring Latch Rearview Mirror Removal Tool

• Window regulator clip remover

• Steamer

• Heating lamp

• Clamps

• Tire inflator

• Infrared Thermometer

• Slip Tape

• Dryer sheets

• Templating film

• Black marker

The right film selection (Auto window film)

• Film Sizes matter, for savings and easiness to handle

• 40”

• 36”

• 30”

• 24”

• 20”

• Color and Shade selection matters

• A 50% film will read on the glass in between 40-48

• A 45% film will read on the glass in between 35-40

• A 40% film will read on the glass in between 33-38

• A 38% film will read on the glass in between 30-35

• A 35% film will read on the glass in between 29-33

• A 25% film will read on the glass in between 18-23

• A 20% film will read on the glass in between 14-18

• A 5% film will not matter, its just very dark!

The right handling of the customers cars matter

• Walk around the car and check for pre-existing conditions

• Rims

• Side panels

• Doors

• Door handles outside

• Columns

• Trunk lid

• Windows working properly

• Door panels

• Interior column covers in place and in good order

• Door screens

• Interior door handles working properly

• Interior door handles burnt marks

• Dash electronic screens

• Seats - are there cuts, holes, seam problems?

Prepping the car for tint

• Dust

• Rear quarter protection

• Rear glass prep

• Obstacles

• Door panels protection

Prepping the film for the car

• Templating

Cutting template film

1. Place template film on glass windows

2. Cut template film the exact size of visible part of the glass

3. Mark the film with necessary notes: size, year, model

Most window tint shops do not use templates, why do I use it and teach it?

1-More control and opportunity to practice

2-The opportunity to save it and speedup the process on future cars

3-Better quality of final film

4-Less wasted film

• Film cutting for side windows

1. Place film on board with liner facing board

2. Place film over film on board with liner facing you

3. Place template over films on board

4. Cut film following template leaving extra on sides and bottom to cover whatever space you need to cover according to each car need

5. Place film on car window for top edge trimming

6. Check for the curvature of glass and possible shrinking

7. Place film on cutting board for final corners trimming

• Cleaning the window

1. Spray glass with window cleaning solution

2. Scrape glass with 1” stainless steel single edge razor blade

3. Wipe glass

4. Squeegee glass

5. Spray glass with lubricating solution

• Applying the film to the window

1. Spray the film removing the liner

2. Take film from board and apply to glass

3. Squeegee top edge sideways + bottom up about 2”

4. Dry top edge

5. Squeegee it into the channels from center to sides overlapping lightly first than firm

6. Raise window squeegee and dry bottom

7. Make sure bottom edges are flat and dry

Film cutting and shrinking of rear window

1. Apply the moist dryer sheet to the entire back window should be first then make the H Pattern on glass.

2. Place light inside if needed/blank plates to increase visibility when cutting the film

3. Make sure that you have a fresh Stainless Steel blade tip

4. Place film on glass with liner facing you

5. Cut film 1” larger than size of window (In most cases)

6. Stretch film to lay flat over the H pattern

7. Divide film in 4 quarters

8. Shrink each quarter, use finger to split the larger fingers to successfully heat shrink them down without creasing them.

9. Trim film around the edge of black border allowing for about 1/8” overlap.

10. Make sure pealing board is clean

11. Spray film and move it to the board

12. Clean outside of window

13. Clean inside of window

• Scrub it

• Squeegee it

• Spray it

1. Spray film as you peel it

• Hold liner away from any contamination

• Place liner back on film passing about 2” on side line and 4” on top line

• Cutoff excess liner

• Roll the film liner in

• Bring film inside the car, unrolling it and placing it on glass with the liner facing you

• Gently spread the film and get rid of major fingers by hand

• Squeegee from center to sides to anchor it on glass

• Squeegee top line bottom up about 2” from top then sideways and dry

• Squeegee remaining film from center to sides

• Squeegee bottom of film center to sides + top to bottom and dry

• Hard card the film to remove most of the water out of it.

• Wipe film clean

• Check for remaining fingers on bottom and top, if needed, heat them up and flatten them down

Front strip

1. Clean windshield, check if mirror needs to be removed.

2. Make level marks according to the width that the customer requested

• Never make the decision for the customer on the width of the strip!

1. Measure the length of glass

2. Cut film on the board according to length

3. Place drop cloth over dashboard

4. Place light inside car

5. Place film on the glass and trim film around the edge of black border allowing for about 1/8” overlap

6. Check for fingers and the need to heat shrink

7. Trim around mirror base

8. Place film on peel board

9. Clean the outside of the glass

10. Clean the inside of the glass

11. Spray film as you remove the liner

12. Place film on glass and squeegee it center to sides

13. Squeegee it bottom to top + top to bottom and dry it

14. Wipe it clean

Reposition every obstacle removed back in place checking for possible problems, wipe glass clean.

Place do not roll down label and you are done.

The more you tint the more discerning you will become and the more efficient you will become, you will also become more demanding on the quality of your finished work. Perfection is rarely attained in window tinting, but it must be your goal every time you do it, a flawless tint job requires a lot of practice, but the desire for a flawless job will separate you from the others, and on the long run it will not only give you pleasure but it will also create a good reputation and a long list of happy repeat customers.