Best Residential Tint for Privacy

wufpakman21 · December 7, 2022

I bought some cheap tint on amazon (MKbrother) just to see if I had the skills and/or desire to tint my home's windows. I should've read the reviews before I purchased it but I didn't. The reviews all commented how hard the tint was to work with. I quickly found that out. I struggled to peel off the outer layer without having the film stick together simply because it kept wanting to curl up. After a few wasted pieces, I finally got it on the window and had success moving it in place. No bubbles. My trim work sucked. But it was at night so I think I could've done better with some daylight. With that being said, the one thing my wife didn't like about the tint was it had a bluish hue to it. If it has to have any color at all we'd rather it be a brownish hue. Honestly we'd rather it just be dark grey/black with no color hue. The tint is for the front windows on my house. We want privacy from the road out front and any visitors that come up to the front door. The darker the better. We don't care anything about letting sunlight it. We just want to be able to see out. I really don't want to go thru any more trial and error buying tint, to see which would be best for my situation. Can anyone recommend tint that would.... A) provide ultimate privacy (like a limo tint) and B) have either a black/grey hue or at worst a brownish hue. (Can't deal with the blue hue)

Also, my windows are 30 inches wide. I have 28 windows (14 top & bottom) to tint. It would be nice to find 30 inch wide tint so I could avoid 2 extra cuts, if that's an option. Thanks for any help.

Roach · December 7, 2022

Not sure anyone makes film in 30" widths. 36" is standard.. 24, 36, 48, 60, 72. 3M has some widths that are around those... they like to do things their own way. :lol

As for privacy films.. With residential windows, the glass is usually just regular annealed glass. If you use a dark film that is not reflective, the glass could crack. So the darker films tend to be reflective, which is also what gives it the privacy factory.

I don't use DIY films, so I can't offer any suggestions on brands.

wufpakman21 · December 7, 2022

What VLT is dark enough on residential windows to keep folks from being able to see in during the day? Is it necessary to get the lowest VLT I can find or would a higher % accomplish the same thing?

Tintguy1980 · December 7, 2022

A dual-reflective, 30-35% visible light transmitted, would provide sufficient daytime privacy and lessen the threat of glass breakage and or dual pane seal failure. Limo dark would definitely cause problems relating to thermal shock and seal failure in dual pane glazing systems.

A 35% VLT dual-reflective (DR film) barely changes the appearance of a dual pane window (looking from street to home). However, it does enhance privacy (comparable to having sheer curtains). Just don't stand within a few feet (<6') of the window with your birthday suit on ... most especially when the sun shines directly on that window.

Edit: when peeling liner from film (especially film with sticky glue), use your mouth as a third hand to hold one corner and the free hand to peel the liner down. Or have someone peel and pull down. To keep the film from curling onto itself, do not peel the liner completely off; let 1-2 inches remain attached at the bottom to weight the film down.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Tintguy1980

wufpakman21 · December 7, 2022

So for privacy at 6 feet what's the VLT you would recommend?

Tintguy1980 · December 7, 2022

Just now, wufpakman21 said:

So for privacy at 6 feet what's the VLT you would recommend?

25% VLT IF it is safe for dual-pane glazing however, 25% will increase the reflective look when looking at the glass from the street.

Story: I had a girlfriend that wanted to have sex next to a large window facing a major highway in a local office complex that had me come over to give an estimate to remove and replace. It was tinted with a 20% VLT, high reflective tint (mirrored) and there was a Mc D's across the street. I says, No F'in' way; we'd have to be a bit further back from the glass and even then someone with a keen eye could spot something amiss on the inside of that glass since the sun was hitting that side of the building. Different if it was a shaded side.