Tinting car windows has gained popularity in the last 40 years. Tinted windows offer more privacy, protect against dangerous UV rays, reduce glare, and insulate the cabin. Before, it was the car manufacturers that held the monopoly on window tinting. But, today you can add tint to an already-made car. Not only that, but you can choose between several types of window tint.
There are three basic vehicle window tin types. Those are dyed, carbon, and ceramic. Ceramic tint is the most expensive, but it offers great UV protection and is resistant to scratches. Carbon tint has a matte finish that will not fade over time. It creates a heat-blocking effect that works great both in the summer and winter. The dyed tint is the most affordable. It will do a decent job of blocking UV light but will fade over time.
When choosing a type of tinting for the vehicle’s windows, you need to know their features. If you have a specific need, you should get a better look at all the options on the market. We will go through all the popular tinting options, and their pluses and minuses. After this article, you will know what to look out for, and how to best choose the tint for your needs.
Understanding Window Tinting: Functional & Aesthetic
There are several reasons for tinting windows, and their priority depends on the driver and users of the vehicle.
- Tint offers privacy. Tinting blocks you from the outside view. When you are holding on to a stop or a traffic light, you will be saved from curious views. Tinted windows will also reduce the chance of theft. This is especially important if you have a habit of leaving valuable things in the open.
- It maintains temperature. Tinting works as a type of insulator. No matter if is it cold or warm outside, if your AC is working, the car will be well insulated. It will offer heat protection which will lower the cabin temperature. That will help the AC to keep a comfortable temperature inside. In the winter it will keep the warm air inside longer by providing insulation to the windows
- Tint protected against UV rays. Prolonged exposure to UV rays raises the chance of developing skin cancer. Window tinting film will lower the negative impact of UV rays. Every type of tint has a different level of protection against these dangerous rays. A driver should look for his features, especially if he lives in a climate with a lot of sunny days.
- It offers glare reduction. A sudden glare can be dangerous for every driver. It is hard to anticipate it and it can blind everyone in a moment. Depending on the type of tint, a windshield tint will offer a certain layer of protection from glare
- Tinting protects the interior of the car. Seats, upholstery, and steering wheel are susceptible to damage from direct sun. No matter what material is used, cloth or leather, some of the elements, like door panels, are glued to the car. The glue can lose its features if it is exposed to a lot of sun and heat. The steering wheel sustains most of the damage. On it, sweat is mixed with warmth and temperature. That is why drivers so often need to use steering wheel covers. The tinting keeps the light out and lowers the overall temperature, keeping the leather and cloth materials looking good longer.
Different Types of Window Tint Material for Your Car
There are three basic types of window tint. Some will mention some other examples, but technically they are either not tint or just a variation of one of those three. There is no perfect tint type, and every one has its benefits and drawbacks. If you are looking for the basic short-term option, dyed window tint is fine. But for any specific needs, you will need to spend extra money on either carbon or ceramic window tint.
Dyed Window Tint
Dyed tinting is the most affordable option for automotive tinting. This is a common type of tinting that most drivers use. The tint is composed of several layers of film. The dye is sandwiched between an adhesive layer and a protective polyester coating. Depending on the density of the dye, it will offer a different level of sun and view protection.
Pros
- Offers decent UV radiation protection. While the protection will wear off over time, it is, at the beginning, very decent.
- It is often the cheapest option. When looking through the tinting offers, dyed window tint is almost always the most economical option.
- Protects from hot temperatures. Those extra layers of tint will first absorb the heat and then move it to the glass where it is reflected outside.
- It offers privacy. A driver chooses a dense dye option which can almost completely shade off the cabin.
- It is resistant to scratches. The top layer of the film will protect the glass from most of the regular scratches.
Cons
- Dyed tint fades away with time. The more UV rays the car is exposed to, the tint will fade faster.
- It is less durable. Since it is applied in layers, in time, layers can peel off the vehicle.
- It can be difficult to install. When installing the tint, special attention must be paid to avoid the forming of air bubbles below the layers. If left unchecked, they can be easily spotted once the tinting is finished.
Carbon Tint
A carbon window tint is the most complex of all tinting options. It is made of hundreds of thin microlayers composed of carbon and polymer. It adds to the aesthetic of the vehicle with its distinctive matte finish.
It offers excellent protection against UV rays, glare reduction, and cabin insulation. It doesn’t cause any signal interference or electronic hampering. The downside to carbon tinting is that it is an expensive option, which puts off many drivers.
Pros
- Offers excellent UV protection. Carbon window tint coatings stop most of the dangerous UV radiation coming into the cabin.
- It is highly durable. It won’t fade away or peel off in time. Carbon tint will last very long.
- It is a great insulator. It will keep the temperature in the cabin, both in the sun and the winter. Once you set the temperature, the carbon window tint film will help keep it adjusted.
- Carbon greatly reduces glare. Although nothing can eliminate the negative effects of glare, carbon will minimize it.
Cons
- It is one of the priciest tinting options. For most drivers, this aftermarket tinting method takes too much money from their pockets.
Ceramic Window Tint
The ceramic tint is made up of just three layers of film. The first is the adhesive layer, on top of which comes the ceramic layer, and finally, the protective topcoat layer. The middle layer is made of ceramic particles, which will not affect the visibility from the cabin. Ceramic tinting offers superior UV protection and temperature insulation. They are also durable and will protect windows from shattering.
Pros
- Ceramic tint is highly durable. It also protects the glass from scratches and makes it shatter-proof. It will last very long without any impact on its features. It won’t fade away like died tint
- It doesn’t impact signal and electronics. That means that the tint won’t affect cell phones and radio signals
- Ceramics offer great insulation and protection from glare. Like carbon tint, the ceramic also grants great insulation features, during all types of weather. Also, it will block off most of the glare.
Cons
- Lower privacy level. Ceramic tint doesn’t offer privacy like other tinting methods
- High price. Ceramic tint is more expensive, even from carbon tint. It is easily the most expensive option on the market.
UV Protection Comparison of Different Types of Tint for Cars
If UV protection is the first thing on your mind, you can choose between ceramic and carbon tint. Both of these tints offer high UV protection, and you will not make a mistake in either case. The buyer should look at other characteristics and make a decisive choice on them. Sometimes, the price can be a deal breaker, but for some is the aesthetic element.
The only tint to avoid in this case is the dyed tint. It is not durable and will fade away with time, resulting in low UV protection.
Best Car Window Tint for Heat Reduction: An In-Depth Look
When looking for heat reduction, the best choice is a carbon tint. The carbon particles provide the best heat reduction of all other tint options. In close second is a ceramic tint, which we also recommend. The dyed tint has a problem with durability, which also lowers heat reduction properties over time.
Car Tint Comparison: Laws and Regulations to Know
Every state has its car tint laws, regulations, and limits. It is important to know the tinting terminology so you can know what you can and cannot do when tinting a vehicle.
- Visible light transmission (VLT). It is indicated in percentages (%). It designates the amount of light that gets through just the film or the film and window altogether. A lower VLT percentage means that the inside of the vehicle will be darker. A higher VLT percentage implies that more light will enter the vehicle.
- Front-side window tint %. It shows how much the front windows can be tinted. Front windows, in most cases, have a lower tinting tolerance since the police need to be able to see the driver.
- Back-side window tint %. This percentage shows how much a driver can tint the back-side windows. This percentage depends on the laws in each state
- Rear-window tint %. This is a defined amount of tint that can be applied to the rear window.
- Windshield. A windshield cannot be legally tinted. The exception is the AS-1 line, which can be between 4 and 6 inches from the top of the windshield. That way, the driver can be protected from sun glare.
- Reflectivity. The value indicates the amount of light reflected away from the windows. When the level of reflectivity is low, less light is reflected away from the window. Reflectivity impacts the protection from glare and reduces heat buildup in the vehicle.
Every state has tint laws that define values for each of these characteristics. Before you decide to tint your vehicle, check the local laws.
How to Install Window Tint?
Installing a window tint is a detailed task that can become tedious without patience. We will go through the steps, and you can judge whether are you capable of tinting the vehicle yourself.
- Find an appropriate place to tint the windows. It is the best to work in a closed, clean space
- Prepare the windows. Remove any stickers, and dirt from the windows.
- Clean the windows. For this, you will need a mix of warm water a drop of dish soap, and 1 inch of razor blade. Spray the mixture on the windows, and use a blade to remove any glue, dirt, or grime. Do not forget to clean the edges and seals.
- Dry the windows. Use a clean rag or a cleaning cloth
- Take the layer and determine which side is adhesive. Before applying the layer, spray the outside of the window with soapy water. It will help you in securing the first layer. For now, the adhesive side will be turned to you.
- Unroll the tinting to cover the whole window. For best results, leave up to 3 inches of extra tint in every direction. Do not remove the liner. You are still just measuring it. Cut the tining layer into a shape that resembles a window.
- Spray the front of the tinting film with soapy water. Use a precision knife and cut along the bottom and left edges of the window. For the best measure follow the edges of the window.
- Pull the tint film towards the left edge. Leave around 1 inch so you can have enough tint left to cover every edge of the window.
- Cut the right edge of the film. Then pull the film to the center of the window, so you have a half inch of the film on all sides.
- Pull the tint film about one inch. The bottom edge of the film needs to be lower than the window. Lower the window for half an inch, and then you can use the window to cut the film at the top. When done, lower the film toward the center, and you should have about half of inch of tint extra on all sides.
- Remove any extra film from the corners of the window. Realign the tint, so it fits the window perfectly, with some extra tint on every side. Reaply the soapy water if the tint is not in a fixed position.
- With the help of a card and a heat gun push the bubbles to the bottom of the film.
- Prepare the inside of the window. For this process, you will need a lot of soapy water and the help of the squeegee. Once done, apply soapy water to the whole window.
- Peel the top half of the film’s release liner. Spray the exposed section with water.
- Lower a window a bit and align the top of the window with the top of the film. Fold the film so it goes a bit under the seal. Add soapy water and use the squeegee to remove any air bubbles.
- Roll the window up, and prepare the rest of it for adhering to the tint. Spray the bottom half of the window with soapy water. Now remove the remaining release layer and spray the exposed tint with clean water.
- Use your fingers to tuck the bottom edge of the tint into the seal. Again spray with soapy water and with the first help of the fingers and then the hard edge of the squeegee push the film down into the window. Use the hard edge to smooth out the window and push all water and air out.
Check Out How To Tint Windows – Window Tinting For Beginners – Learn To Tint Windows – Tint Training Classes:
FAQs
Are Ceramic Tints only Dark on The Outside?
The ceramic tints are much darker from the outside than from the inside of the vehicle. Small ceramic particles are to be thanked for this feature.
What Is A 3M Window Tint?
A 3M window tint is a tint provider that provides three main tint options with different features and prices. All 3M tints bring premium protection from UV rays, strengthen the windows, and keep the car cool in the summer.
Why Is Black Window Film Chosen over White?
Black window film offers a higher level of security and privacy when compared to white film. Black film is also better at blocking dangerous UV rays and protecting the interior of the vehicle. Last but not least, black film is less visible and eye-catching than white film.
What Happens if Your Window Tint Exceeds the Permitted Tinting Levels?
If the window tint exceeds the permitted tinting levels, a driver will receive a fine. Also, a vehicle can be taken for testing to determine the levels of tint protection. The timing levels and fines are different in every state.
What Type of Tint Lasts the Longest?
The ceramic window tint lasts the longest. The durability of every tint is also determined by the climate where the vehicle is used. The temperature and amount of sun and UV rays are important factors in this equation. But, when everything is taken into account, ceramic tint can easily last longer than 10 years.
Do You Need to Inform Your Auto Insurance Company if You Get Your Windows Tinted?
In case you get your windows tinted you need to inform your auto insurance company. Call your insurance and get the correct information, just in case. Tinting glass can impact the ability to get covered and may affect the premium.
Final Considerations: What’s the Best Type of Tint?
Window tint doesn’t only add aesthetics to the car, but will also insulate the car from hot and cold temperatures, and protect the passengers from UV rays. Choosing between these automotive window tint films can be difficult if you are not sure what you need.
Most of the drivers are satisfied with basic dyed tint films, but if you want something that offers better characteristics, you should go for the carbon or ceramic tint. If you do not have a problem with money, we recommend carbon tinting. It improves privacy and offers good all-around protection and isolation from the sun, glare, and extreme temperatures.
