Window tinting

[Dbraw]

Finally Spring time in Tennessee. Beautiful 75 degree day with lots of sun. We added tinting film to all our windows today in our '71 Safari and didn't have any problem. Bought Gila brand film from Pep Boys in dark smoke color. Followed the directions and it worked great. I did have to remove the screens frames in order to apply the film rom the inside.
Made quite a difference in the look as well as keeping out the heat.
Even washed the camper and getting ready to head to the Southwest.
Dan

[wahoonc]

Dan,
Stop it! you are making me sick I am in N, Va at the moment...mid 40's with snow showers this morning. BTW where in TN is Lebanon? We have connections in Tri-Cities.

Aaron

[zduke4x]

Am trying to decide whether to go with the silver tint or a dark shade......was it that easy? How about laying out just how you did it for me? Thanks..jem

[RivetED]

We'd like to get our's tinted, Texas can get hot. I'm not sure if this is a do-it-yourself job or not.

[qqq]

Doesn't it make the interior feel dark (darker...) & it must spoil the scenery to look thru shades 24/7, it also prevents you to see thru your rearview mirror.

Hart

[wahoonc]

zduke,
the silver looks really neat. Check out my photos. Some of my curbside windows had the silver tint. I ended up scraping it off, for a variety of reasons.

Ed&Debbie(still together I see ) It can be a do it yourself job, if you have the paitence. If you can do wall paper you can do window tint. You can buy it at most home improvement centers.

Hart,
I am with you. I would rather have the clear glass. If I am indoors it is because the weather is too bad to be outside and I want all the natural light I can get. I do plan to make some thermal shades out of the silver bubble material. Friends of ours in PHX did that for a south facing bedroom window and it made all the difference in the world. But they are still easily removable if you want the extra light.

Aaron

[Dbraw]

Lebanon is about 25 miles east of Nashville.
Applying tinting material to windows is not that hard to do. First time we had tried it. No problem. Good directions come with the material. It helps to have another person. The color or shade is a personal choice.
The process is to first scrape the window with a single blade razor blade, then clean the glass with water, not Windex. Next trim the tinting about an inch over size. The outside of the window is a good place to do the trimming. Spray the inside of the window with a mixture of water and baby shampoo. Using two pieces of scotch type tape, separate the backing material from the tinting. The tinting has an adhesive side. Place the tinting on the wet glass and start "squigging" out the bubbles. Trim to exact size and finigh by using a credit card to work in the corners and tight aread. If you let the tinting adhesive side touch itself, you will have bubbles that won't come out. Also, if you let the tinting crease, forget it, they won't come out no matter how hard you try.
Total cost for our 23' Safari was $29 which included a $9 installation kit.
Dan

[Rick Alston]

And to make it easier, I removed the windows from their frames and that made it real easy because you can lay the window down on a flat surface (indoors with no dust) and work in a comfortable position. I can't image what tinting the kitchen window would be like if one had to lean over the countertop!

Rick

p.s. the privacy a tinted window provides is especially nice with a rear-bath model!

[mtpalms]

Originally posted by wahoonc
... I do plan to make some thermal shades out of the silver bubble material. Friends of ours in PHX did that for a south facing bedroom window and it made all the difference in the world. But they are still easily removable if you want the extra light.

Aaron

I did that with our previous trailer, it gets hot enough here in the summer to melt and/or brownify vinyl blinds, rot curtains, and fade out upholstry, and distort a cd player's innards, just to name a few things. I've already ordered a 2' X 10' roll for our Safari that we're getting the 6th of April.

My husband thinks it makes it look like a 'tweaker's trailer', but it's the best stuff for keeping out UV rays and excessive heat.

I don't like the tinted windows in my car, although they are a necessity here in the desert, so I don't think I'd like them on my trailer. I'd rather be able to just remove the bubble foil.

[gregg]

I put on Gila Heat Control Insulating Film. (les241).
the claim is 70% summer heat reflected---55% winter heat retained. It is platinum color and doesn't darken the interior much.... I didn't do vista-views and they are only a little brighter....it's like magic. I guess it works. I'm happy.

[Pahaska]

Some years ago, I tinted all of the windows in my Scamp 5th-wheel. I used a high-quality, neutral film that did not darken the interior substantially. The difference in heat load was immense. We were stranded by a broken truck for a week in Barstow, CA at peaks as high as 115 degrees and the AC kept the trailer liveable.

It pays to buy the best film you can lay hands on. I bought mine from a friend who tints home windows. His films were a lot better quality than those found in stores. I have since had him tint all of the exposed windows in our new house with the same film.

[fundave]

Beings as I'm a glass tinter by trade... I tinted our 61 Safari w/ LLumar's Vista 14 film. I think that it makes the trailer look better-if that were possible, adds privacy, and helps the AC in the summer. For those purists I can see not haveing them tinted.
The key to applying window film is a clean surface. Other than that I think ya'll are on track.

[ALANSD]

good ideas....after seeing the dark glass on the NASA Airstream coach it makes me want to do the same..of course theirs are fixed plexi windows, but the tint would accomplish the same concept.

[zduke4x]

I plan to give it a try in 2 weeks....your support and info gives me the gumption to try it......now to decide on dark or silver....jem

[wahoonc]

Originally posted by zduke4x
I plan to give it a try in 2 weeks....your support and info gives me the gumption to try it......now to decide on dark or silver....jem

I vote for silver... gives it the space craft look!

Aaron

[zduke4x]

I like the silver solar tint but i know i will like the darker tint for sure...looking at the pics and trying to get the nerve to go silver...jem