Installing Car Window Tint - Page 4
Continued

Another good tip is to mark the outside edges of the window with a dry erase marker (with the window rolled fully up), then when the window is down a little and you are laying the film you will be able to tell where the edge of the film should be. As you know, the window shifts as it is rolled up and down, so this will let you position the film properly before it sets up to much to move.

To prevent gaps, stationary 1/4 panes should be cut slightly
oversize and the inner rubber should be trimmed
to accommodate the slightly larger piece of tint.

Cleaning the glass in preparation

This is the main thing about window tinting, keeping the dirt to a minimum. This may be hard to follow, but I'll try to keep it understandable. Most cars have a felt edge inside that guides the glass as it rolls up and down. When this felt gets wet it 'bleeds' tiny black felt hairs.

These really stand out when the film is dry. To avoid this I will roll the window as far down as it will go, and cover the felt with masking tape, then roll the window back up until the top of the window is about 1/2 inch from the top. Spray the window down with soapy water (10 drops of Joy dishsoap per pint) and clean it with a new razor blade. The blades wont scratch if they are new and the window is wet. Spray the glass again lightly, get a blue shop paper towel and wipe the edge of the glass and frame in one stroke to pick up heavier dirt, wipe your squeegee with a moist blue shop paper towel, and make one pass along the side of the window, wipe your squeegee again, start at the dry side you just did and squeegee side ways to the other side, repeat until you reach the bottom. Then a last stroke down the side you were squeegeeing toward and the window should be completely clean and dry. Next flush the window from the top down with soapy water keeping the very top edge dry. If you flush the very top edge, it will bleed dirt, as your squeegee wont quite dry the top. Flush the middle first, finish by flushing the sides.

Even after all this, if you dont handle the car tint well, it will get dirty. Peel and apply the film.

As you are squeegeeing, (on roll up windows) do the top first, work down avoiding the edges until last, stroke them downward, some times I will use a thin card, like a credit card cut into a triangle to squeegee the last stroke down the edges, it depends on how tight the frame is. Spray the film and squeegee it again, more firmly this time, to remove more water from under the film.

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