Roach

That's what they were using... but Home Depot was out.

I told the customer if three were any problems I would redo it with real film....

Just for future reference in case anyone comes across this film - This is what customer support told me:

So I have a client that has been frosting windows as needed over time. He was supplying the film... Gila frost. We used up what he had and asked me to get some. Went to home Depot and they didn't have any frost. Ended up getting Artscape brand. Pulled off the linee and it wasn't sticky. Anyone know about this brand? It doesn't say it's a stick cling type film... Maybe the water will activate it. I know they try to make the diy films as easy to install as possible... Just boggles my mind....

Just thinking... I wonder how the UV rejection is doing at this point... becuase 1st.... its a 50% film.... 2nd that it's 23 yrs old. sans the couple panes I replaced.

Seeing how the film is as thin as tissue paper... I would agree. It has two layers. The front and the back.

This happened on 3 panes out of all those done. (I didn't count, but I'm going to guess about 25 panes) I'm more curious as to the possible timeline... not really the cause. Just whether or not fingers could develope years after the windows being tinted.

Film installed 23 years ago according to the homeowner. She says the fingers only recently appeared... within the past 1-2 yrs. From everything I know, these would have formed at the time of install and not 20 some odd years later. True? Or is it possible they are new'ish?

I know this is a super old, dead topic... but I just watched one of his latest videos, which is probably the first time since this post was made.. so 5 yrs.. and he is still a tool. That is all.....

In addition to what was mentioned, I usually give them the example of CSI type shows where the detective is behind a '1 way mirror' watching and how in the room it's bright as day but when they show the hallway, it is always, always dark. "People convinced against their will are of the same opinion still"..... Some people just don't *want* to understand because by understanding it means they can't get what they are looking for.

That was my thought too... all depends what the material is and how it was printed.

I can email you a screenshot.. not gonna post it here. Yes, that's how I cut onsite. Box on the floor... knife in what I need it cut, pull out and cut horizontally along edge of box.

One thing I've learned over the years is everyone has their own system of doing this type of stuff. Most of my jobs usually have the same sized windows, more or less. So to do all that, for me, isn't really needed. I've done jobs for other companies that do something similar, esp larger commercial jobs that span many rooms/buildings. So there is def. a benefit with those types of projects. I just write down the window sizes and rooms... get home and put that into excel and figure out how much film to get using the best width sized boxes. I'll just look at what I need and how to cut it.. like.. if I need a bunch of 48" x 60" pieces, but also a coupe 18" x 30" - I'll order a 72" roll... cut the 48" and 18" from the same pull... but I don't draw that out. I just make a note of how I'm going to cut the film on my 'workorder' paper so when I get on site (I usually always cut onsite rather then before hand) I can start cutting and know - well, this room I cut like this, which these 3 windows go here, and these others are for the windows in this other room - type stuff. There's no right or wrong way to do thing. The important thing is to be clear in how you do it so as to not make any mistakes... not ordering enough film, forgetting windows, wrong sizes, ect.

The only drawings I'll do is if it's for something like an arch with true divided panes... I'll sketch the arch and how the panes are laid out. When I'm doing the est. and measuring the windows, I'll note things like if the windows have locks that I can't get behind and that edge would need to be a factory edge... and anything else that would cause me to cut the film one way over another. Sometimes I'll take pics of the windows if there is something out of the ordinary about them.. but I mean, all windows are squares... but not all squares are windows. 😛 Anyway.. I follow K.I.S.S.. no need to overly complicate things. Its more important to take accurate measurements.

I usually do mine using Excel.

Another post worth a million bucks. Not much to add... I agree with both views. Both are 100% correct. I think, just like in any business, there are many areas to focus on and ways to do things. Saying you want to switch from auto to flat (or vise versa) is super broad... And there are def. ways to minimize the downsides to flat, or auto really... I do think there is a much larger learning curve to flat, in terms of what films and what glass types people have. Tinting a square is a lot easier then car windows... but any film can't go on just any glass. One thing I will add, with regards to that... at least here in my area, most homes and office buildings have the same types of glass, generally speaking, So I pretty much know what I need to know for my market. If I went somewhere else, I have no doubt I would have to learn more. But... since I know what is used around here, I only need to focus my skills within that scope. In the super odd chance I come across a type of glass that I don't see often, well.. that's what my peers, and to some extent, film reps are for. There are subsets of flat glass... Deco films.. safety films... solar control... new homes.. old homes... new office construction... etc. Can focus on one type, or some, or all.. Just like cars.. you can focus on every day drivers, high end market, etc.

He pretty much covered everything and more. That being said, you couldn't pay me enough to tint cars. Different strokes.

Yeah I usually will take them off when I'm on any type of ladder.... but, if you're careful, it should be fine. Until that one time it's not.

Wow! What an awesome house and views!

Installed Gila frost to a couple sets of doors... customer supplied film. Came out good for the film used.

With regards to flat glass film, I've seen it from time to time. Not often... but it happens. Can't say that's what this is - but the possibility is there.

Installed safety film to the closet doors...

Horrible install. *If* it were weld splatter.... then the side windows should be perfect. Given they aren't even close... bad install.

And then post here cause although I'm not a 3M dealer, I'm curious as well.