FAQs

1. How is the tint applied to the car?

Professional window tinting is most commonly done this way: First, the film is formed on the outside of the car's windows and cut out to fit -- on some vehicles heat shrinking the film is required to form the film to fit. Then, the film is installed on the inside of the windows.

2. When is it safe to roll the windows down?

This depends heavily the time of year. Stick To It Window Tinting uses a specialty tape to cover your window buttons and/or window winding knobs to help you avoid rolling the windows down prematurely. It is recommended you wait 1 day in the summer and 48 hours in the winter.

3. Why do I see little water bubbles under the film?

After the application of the window tint, there will be a thin layer of water trapped between the window film and the glass. This is normal. It takes time for the thin layer of water to completely dry out and vaporize through the film. Do not worry, it will dry out although it may take up to 30 days depending upon you geographical location. The more sun and heat the car gets, the faster the water will dry out.

4. Why do I see little round circles in the window film on my car?

When auto glass is manufactured, iron oxide is used in the process to create some shading effect to the glass. Almost every vehicle manufactured after 1938 (the first introduction of tempered auto glass) has this iron oxide in the glass. And you can rest assured that if it was not in your vehicle's windows, you would burn up from the heat buildup in your car and you would be unable to comfortably drive your vehicle. If you wear POLARIZED GLASSES OR SUN GLASSES you will easily be able to see the circles of iron oxide impregnated in the glass -- it is not the film.

5. What makes the film bubble and change into weird colors?

Basically, there are two kinds of film, dye/metalized film and carbon film. The film industry first had only dye film which, due to time and sun exposure, was negatively impacted by UV rays -- the film can turn purple and fade. The adhesive then can give out (commonly referred to by window tinters as adhesive failure) and the film can start to bubble up.

Dye/metalized film has a metalized layer that is sputtered on, making it more resistant to fading from the sun. It also resists the adhesive failure that could occur after a certain amount of time. Most dye/metalized films have a lifetime warranty, but the warranty does not cover fading. Most (not all) dye/metal films have a color stability expectancy of about 2 to 5 years depending upon the amount of exposure to the sun. With my extensive experience as a window tinter this life expectancy for this type of film is common throughout the window film industry and typical for almost all manufacturers.

Do not use ammonia based cleaners every time you clean your film. The chemicals can and will, over a period of time, break down and destroy the glue that holds the film on the glass and can affect the dye in the glue of the window film. That’s what turns the film purple.

Most carbon films do not have dye in the film to create the color -- carbon is used to create the color. Therefore, they have a lifetime warranty against fading and other potential defects. The standard grade carbon films do not block as much heat as the dye/metalized films and they look similar to the dye/metalized film. So if you are looking to block out heat the dye/metal film is generally your best "bang for your buck".

If you are capable and willing to spend more money you can obtain many variations of high-end carbon and/or ceramic films that are more durable, thicker and have better optical clarity. Stick To It Window Tinting offers dye/metal, standard carbon and high-grade carbon. All films come with a lifetime warranty.

6. What should I use to clean my window tint?

First, let me tell you what you should not clean your window tint with and why. Never use ammonia-based cleaning products on automotive window film. If you get some soda-pop, jelly or other kind of goo on your window tint, it is okay to use your ammonia-based cleaner to break down the mess. But do not use ammonia-based cleaners every time you clean your window tint. Ammonia-based cleaners can cause bubbling and color change over time. Never use a coarse or cheap paper towels to clean your window film. If you use this type of coarse towel, over time you will start to see micro scratches in you tint. Stick To It always uses Bounty paper towels. We also recommend an aerosol foam glass cleaner that is ammonia-free called Spray Way. You can find Spray Way at your local Wal-Mart. Most automotive parts stores have a variety of glass cleaners that should be marked as "Safe for tinted windows" or at least it should say it is "ammonia-free".

7. How easy is it to scratch the tint?

All of the films out today have a scratch resistant coating. This coating keeps the tint from getting scratched when rolling the windows up and down and helps to reduce scratching when cleaning. A pet could scratch the film or if a child should play with a toy across the film it could scratch.

8. Can a scratch or hole in the window tint be repaired?

Unfortunately, window tint cannot be repaired. If you have damaged your tint, you will need to have the single piece replaced.

9. Why do I see a rainbow color on my tint?

This coloring or rainbow colors that you see is called iridescence. Iridescence is defined as the exhibition of rainbow-like colors on a surface. It usually results from interference when light composed of different wavelengths is reflected from the superficial layers of organic or inorganic substances such as minerals, mother-of-pearl, bird feathers, an oil slick and, of course, window film. It is the material the window film is manufactured with that creates the rainbow-like appearance. Another description would be a rainbow-colored effect exhibited in various bodies as a result of interference of light in a thin film or of diffraction of light reflected.

10. How long does it take to tint a car or Truck?

This depends on the tint installer and the vehicle being tinted. Some tinters can spend an entire day on a vehicle while I've seen a car tinted in 30 minutes. I average 2 to 4 hours per car, depending on how difficult it is. I always clean the entire outside of the car when I am done tinting and I take care to keep a clean environment. When you call for a price estimate and to schedule an appointment I can give you an estimated time to complete YOUR particular car.

11. Why are there chips in my tint?

Something to be careful about, once you have window tint, is your seatbelts. A lot of people are susceptible to flinging their seatbelt clasp after removal. Over time, you may notice little holes or chips in your window tint. This is from the seat belt clasp "clacking" into the door glass.