Types Of Tints

Want to keep your car cool or keep off the sun from your eyes, or complement your car’s color scheme? Then, take no further time to go for window tints that help in protecting the car occupants from the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. A window tint, or solar control film, is a very thin film made of a polyester base with a scratch-resistant coating. Depending upon the quality and requirement, companies offer various styles of tints. Like, for dark windows, you can simply go for the cheapest options. However, for thermal insulation, you will have to fetch a few more bucks to get a quality product. While most car dealers offer this facility with new cars, you can also get it done as an aftermarket option as well. Know about the different types of tints available by glancing through the following lines.

 

 

True to its name, a dyed window tint is used for blocking the heat outside and is generally applied inside the window. These window tints have a mounting adhesive on one side and a scratch-resistant coating on the other. The adhesive is protected by a liner, which is removed before fixing the film onto the interior surface of the window. The tint is colored either by submerging porous polyester film into colored dye or dyeing the adhesive before applying it to clear polyester film. Dyed window tints are generally applied to protect the glasses against UV rays and risks posed by broken glass. Though they are the cheapest tints to purchase, always pick up ones of the highest quality as the cheaper ones are likely to fade within months.  

 

Deposited window tints are another cheaper option, though they are slightly complex and complicated than their dyed counterparts. The polyester film is passed through a vacuum tank containing the inert gas argon and heated ingots of aluminum, copper, and nickel-chrome. The heat forces the metal particles to deposit on the surface of the polyester film, thereby creating a reflective coating. This coating is protected by a second layer of film. Heat, when falls on the window panes, reflects back before it transmits through the window glasses.

 

Similar to deposited window tints, sputtered window tints are also created in vacuum and use metals, though the procedure is different. The process involves bombarding the surface of a metal, such as aluminum, copper, nickel, or steel, with charged particles, known as positive ions, from an inert gas, such as argon. The entire process occurs in a vacuum tube and hence, results in dislodging or sputtering of small groups of metal atoms on the surface of an ultra-clear polyester film. Due to less reflection, sputtered window tints offer a clearer view of the outside.

 

As the name suggests, a hybrid window tint is a combination of different procedures, generally a dyed film is merged with reflective metals. By combining dyes and metals, the negative effects of each type can be reduced without sacrificing on the performance. They can offer good heat and UV-blocking capabilities, with less reflection and less overall darkness.