How to Tint Your Own Windows
Tinting a car's windows may seem like something beyond the scope of the average car owner, but it really requires no more inherent talent than, say, making an omelet or juggling rabid cats. Doing it right is mostly a matter of patience, organization and planning ahead. A DIY tint job doesn't require any special tools, but there is one you can make yourself that will help to leave your tint job looking just as professional as anything that rolls out of a shop.
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Things You'll Need
- Window tint
- Dish detergent and water
- Spray bottle
- Razor blade
- Lint-free cloth
- Straight edge
- Plastic scraper or rubber spatula
- X-Acto knife
- Leather gloves
- Three quarters
- Electrical tape
Instructions
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1
Fill your plastic spray bottle with water and drop a few drops of dish detergent into it. Spray the inside of your window with detergent and water and scrape it in a methodical up-and-down pattern with the razor blade. Getting the window completely smooth and clean is essential to ensuring a smooth and bubble-free tint job, so take your time. Wipe the window down with a lint-free cloth afterward.
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2
Spray the outside of your window with soap and water to hold the tint in place while you cut it, then lay a piece of tint on the window with the liner side facing out. Trim the bottom of the tint perfectly straight so that it sits flush against the bottom of the window from. Trim the top of the fill to a size that is one inch larger than the window.
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3
Pull the clear liner off the tint, then spray the inside of the window with liberal amounts of soap and water and transfer the film to the inside of the window. Flatten it out from bottom to top.
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4
Spray the inside of the tint itself with soap and water. Use your rubber squeegee or spatula to push the water out from under the film, working from the bottom to the top to minimize the water that trickles onto your door's interior panels. You could also use a credit card, but you run the risk of scratching your tint. Continue until all the water has been squeegeed out.
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5
Hold three quarters in a stack, then slide the top quarter so that its edge protrudes about a quarter of the inch past the bottom two. Wrap the assembly with electrical tape to hold it together. This handy little tool will act as an edging guide.
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6
Run a razor blade around the top and sides of your window to trim the tint completely flush with the glass or window frame. If the top of your glass is exposed, lay the edging tool's protruding quarter on top of the glass and hold a razor blade against the window flush with the bottom of your trimming guide. Run the guide and razor around the glass to leave a perfect trim line around the edges of the window.
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7
Flip the trim guide over to trim interior windows set into frames. Push the two quarters against the inside of the window frame and use them to guide your blade as you trim the tint.
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References
- Photo Credit Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images
