Film looks different - same VLT - two different master rolls

Roach · August 2, 2015

Tinted this home last summer with Suntek SYDS35. In one area of the house, there are four casement windows side by side. One of the panes broke (bird flew into it) and they replaced the window.

I went out and retinted the window and the film was noticeably darker then the other three panes. I called Suntek to verify the film used for the initial install, which it was SYDS35.

I know rolls can differ slightly.. but this, IMO, was more then slightly.

I offered the homeowner the option of redoing the others in order to have them all match, which I'd do on my dime. He greatly appreciated the offer and would let me know.

Has anyone had films not match up to the extent that it's very noticeable?

I've redone windows years in between with the same VLT and haven't had any problems... Granted, it hasn't happened a ton of times, but here and there. With many different manus. But this is the first I've had the films not match.

Haven't contacted Suntek yet.. .so I'm not sure what they would offer. But I'm not super concerned about that... I'll do what I need to do in order to make the customer happy. That tops all.

TTS · August 2, 2015

Love the SYDS35 ! :thumb

Ocala · August 3, 2015

Sounds like the glass installed is of a different shade itself. :dunno

Go2Guy · August 3, 2015

To add to Ocalas thought. . ., I used to work in the glass industry and when we would replace panes t they come in 3 standard shades . . clear, bronze and grey. . the grey is quite neatral while the Bronze , has a obvious brownish color, , , I could definitely see this changing the look drastically comparatively speaking , while the grey just making it a tad darker

Roach · August 3, 2015

Hmmm.. I guess the glass could be different. It appeared to be clear, but kindof hard to tell with nothing to compare it to. It was a standard casement window....

I guess if homeowner ever takes me up on the offer to retint the others, and I go ahead and do that... and then it still doesn't match... then it's the glass. lol

Ryker · August 3, 2015

I had the thought about this today and the glass being different.

I spent 3 trips to re-do a window once many years ago. It was a simple broken out window and film seemed simple enough. I installed what I thought but that didn't match. I got a piece of the same film that was on the window from the shop, new owners that don't tint, and did it with no better luck. I ended up putting on something that made a close match. The glass was a bronze glass with a bronze tint film. The new glass was clear and that made a huge difference!

H.G. · August 4, 2015

Film usually isn't that noticeable color wise between lot no's. say as carpet or tile, but a couple of years may make a difference, and depending on the exposure , film will fade in color density. Don't think I would have offered to redo the other ones non gratis due to all the variables , but if it works out you have a customer for life! :thumb As others stated , might be a different glass

Go2Guy · August 4, 2015

Just another tip. . . when looking out through colored glass either bronze or grey , it is extremely difficult to tell whether it is clear, grey, or bronze, when there is nothing to compare it to. Something that helps tho is to open the window, once you open the window you can then see the contrast in color if there is any determine if there is a color to it.

Ocala · August 4, 2015

The difficult part is because there are windows already tinted next to the glass that was replaced, how can you really tell if there is any color to the glass without removing the film? If indeed the glass had a slight grey/bronze tint to it, the glass company should have removed a section of the film on the broken window to verify color or see if there was a stamp on the glass to identify it.

Ocala · August 4, 2015

We had a similar situation happen about a month ago. We installed film on a customers sunroom and a window was broke because of a golf ball about a year later. One of the glass companies that we use was in charge of doing the replacement. They brought the glass to us to tint since we already knew the shade and we decided not to do it here because it was only single pane, annealed glass about 3'x6' in size and didn't want to take a chance of breaking it without it being installed in a secure frame. We went out a week later and installed the film and the color was off. Come to find out the other glass had a slight bronze tint and didn't match up to what was replaced and the glass company had to go out and replace what they already done because of their error, not ours.