First Flat Glass install, any tips?

Hi guys ive got my first flat glass install at the weekend, will make a change from cars! Ive got about 70 panes of glass in wooden frames. 3 different sizes max size of 29cm x 50cm the frames have recently been painted and seem not too dirty or flakey etc. Im pre cutting the film slighty oversize and will trim them once installed. The customer has gone for Armourcoat 2mil clear (there choice not mine!) Am i right in thinking spray water/slip solution onto the film before installing and not the window pane, is the slip solution the same mix as i use on cars? And once on as the panes are pretty small blue max from top to bottom and not towards the sides until these have been trimmed with the 5 point tool. Any other tips gratfully recieved, looking forward to this!!

With wood frames you are going to have to go around the whole frame of the window with your olfa cut down the frame on any excess paint then turn your knife towards the frame and you should see the excess flaking off (also do this dry, not wet) then after cleaning the frame with your olfa then use your triumph scraper to clean anything else left. Then you have wood shavings on the sides and bottom of the frame, i use canned air which really cleans all that gunk out or you can use a paint brush and bush the shavings out. Then cut your film about an inch longer and wider than the glass, a good straight edge on the film for lining up the top so you don't have to trim excess is nice but not a necessity.
That film your using is probably a ps adhesive so i personally would wet the glass and the film but try to stay away from wetting the edges of the frame too much, line you top up if it's a straight edge, if not overlap a little then make a squeegee pass vertical in the middle of the glass then go to top of glass and make horizontal passes one side at a time and work it down to the bottom. Then i use a 5way, especially since it's wood frame trim the sides top to bottom then trim the bottom. Squeegee one more time then wrap a couple towels over your 5 way and hard card the window and your done, hopefully

Good advice there!! Also when you make your first squeegee pass stop short enough from the edge so as to not push down the egde you are going to cut! If you go too far the film will lift back up before you make your cut and make a large sucking sound!!! Edge sucking can be a nightmare!! After you cut and the film is down, you're good to go!!

Great advice guys....

maybe use less soap in the slip solution. you ideally want zero movement of the film once you fit an edge.

Since it is clear film, I would pre-cut 1-2mm shorter all the way around to prevent any contamination from trimming the film once it is on.

In a word... ...word.



If you're at all seasoned at auto work, flatglass should be a pretty smooth transition, though wood frames are more challenging. This is all solid advice, especially what tallscott said, though I don't recall ever hearing a sucking sound. The key is to have as little movment of the edges as possible. If you squeegee far enough toward an un-trimmed area, the film edges will pull back up slightly. That pulling, along with the water under it will create a suction effect and pull contamination out from behind the frame. Sorry if that mad absolutley no sense. If you have some scrap, try playing around with it and even intentionally doing what we've told you not to do. The best way to avoid these issues is to see and understand how and why it's happening.





I would not recommend this, especially if it's a residential job. Doesn't matter how much you tell them to look through the window. They just spent a good amount of money on your product, they're gonna' look at it. Good luck to ya bro.

The "sucking sound" wasn't the film, it was the money coming out of my wallet on do overs!!!

I hear ya there.

NEVER close the box and pack up the film before the last window is at least trimmed. The Tint God will get ya if you do

No doubt man. Don't know how many times...

He speaks the truth.

The all powereful "Zuesdude"

Just go there, clean the glass really well and DONE! Tell them not to pick at the edges

for your first res job you surely picked a difficult one. All the points listed are correct. I use a paper cutter normally for 8 mil and up films in this situation. A 2mil film will be a little more tricky making sure your cuts are right and that nothing moves while cutting, but it is possible. Clean as directed in the previous responses, the only thing I do differently.. Well, when your installing, start at the top, work your way down. I never got too picky with the cleanliness of the lower panes, cuz even when you spray the film and not the glass b4 instalation, the water you push out will attract debris and drain on all the lower panels. *gravity* So take a 4-6 inch unger cleaner blade, clean them as you go, dry them very good, then repeat each step per every horizantal pane section.. hope this helps!! Good Luck!

Oh crap

I wondered when you would see that mug

Cheers guys good tips there, off in the morning to make a start, will let you know how it goes, cheers

im an auto tinter and im really getting in to the whole flat glass thing it really kicks ass

That's where the money's at...if you can get the jobs.

i hear ya its been pretty good when they come through about 1 or 2 a month i would like to see more soon