reflective film for windows?

[Rod Smith]

G'day
Any body know much about this stuff, sources, costs, effectiveness, security and installation?
cheers
Rod

[soundman]

Crikey rod you could open a bb on this subject alone
Installation.
The care of the installer is very important with this product for long term results a smmooth eeven finish that dosn't bubble or ripple a few years later is result of real care & skill. Look at the shabby tint jops in any car park.
effectiveness
Reduction of heat & UV transmission can be dramatic particularly with mirror type tints.
Transperency & distortion performance is a measure of the quality of the film & install
job.
Scratch resistance
Its plastic It will scratch if you try hard enough. The better flims will hold up very well under the proper cleaning methods.
Security
All window tints will increase the glass strength somewhat and reduce shatter risks.
There are special secutiry tints such as PROFILON and a 3M product that are very good and resist atacks with hammers & the like. The galss will break but a security tint will tend to hold the glass in one piece in the frame.

(I sold a bit of security tint about 10 years ago.)

Price, too long ago.
Check out major tint companies.
Cherrs

[Rod Smith]

Cheers soundman
I definately take your point about installation quality, car parks do tell the story.
cheers
Rod

[Iain]

We used to have a reflective (mirror) film on a large window and one of the kids rode their bike into it, the window crazed but held together, probably saved a lot of blood and surgery.
Bear in mind that the mirror effect reverses at night and everyone can see in but you cannot see out, good if you are an exhibitionist or a voyeur http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/wink.gif

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[Zsteve]

Rod,
We used to have a house that had a tinted window. It was westerly facing window and i assume the tinting was put on to reduce the amount of sun coming in. It wasn't the mirror type tint and it did look professionally done.

It reduced the intensity of the sunlight getting in, but in summer that window got too hot to put your hand on - and it effectively acted like a heater.

Don't know what the room was like without the tinting as it was like it when we bought the house. We put shade cloth up outside which fixed the problem.

Regards
Stephen

[Jon]

Bunnings sells window tint by the roll. I think the colours are smoke and bronze and comes in 3 roll lengths.
I have put on windows in two rooms at home and it works a treat in keeping the rooms cooler.

Tips. make sure the window is really clean before you start.
Wet the window with soapy water before you start to allow you to position the film easier and work the air bubbles out.
I use a painters 500mm broad knife(I think that is what it is called) as straight edge and very sharp knife for trimming.

I am currently looking for somewhere to buy it in bulk rolls as I am about to do Mum's place and the windows are rather large.