Exterior Film Installations

[John Fox]

Hey Tint Dudes,

 

     We just started getting into exterior installations, and on one of our first installs we encountered bubbling around the edges on a couple pieces (pic below). This was a rooftop skylight job, and we sealed the pieces with caulk a couple days after install. The material we used was Avery Dennison: R Skylite 20. The bubbling didn't occur until 3 months after the install. Has anyone encountered anything similar? Does anyone have any potential solutions or any advice, in general, when it comes to exterior installs? 

[Tintguy1980]

This looks as though it could have been installed on the interior; why exterior?

 

Product:

If it were me, I'd be using Hanita's exterior film products with a close second in LLumar products. Both these brands are known for longevity.

 

Sealing:

What thickness was the film; 4mil, 5, 6, 7, 8? This is important in terms of dry time. I would think 4mil would seal well in a couple days (of sunny) time however, I believe sealing should have been done at no less than 7 days out. The thicker the film the longer wait time needed until sealing edges. This is so the sealant won't put lateral pressure on the film as it cures. Also best to use a neutral cure (sealant) caulk such as Dow 1199. Standard caulks emit caustic gases that can impact the metal in the film along the edge.

 

Possibles:

1. The areas in question may not have had sufficient sealant at the edge. At least that's what it appears to be; water seeped under the film edge.

 

2. Or, was there a protective layer that needed to be removed after squeegeeing the film down (the milkiness indicates this)?

 

3. Did the caulking lift the film edge during curing; just enough for water seepage?

 

This is the best I can give since I am not there to see it in person.