For those who had disliked using window tints because of its boring effect, there is good news. Window tints now comes in color. There is no doubt that this latest innovation will sell like hot cake as you can now easily use color window tints on many glass surface in your house. This vinyl material used to be popularly applied in the automobile industry is its popularity is fast catching up in residential homes and commercial building, thanks to the current engineering technology and creative designs.

Home owners usually apply window tints when they want to block of glare from coming into a room or a house. They are also applied in order to prevent heat gain. Nowadays, there are more reasons to apply window tints in a house. Window tints had evolved into what is commonly known as window films. It is no longer dark in color. It comes in blue, red, yellow, green, turqoise and various other colors. The window films industry had certainly comes a long way. Even transparent window films are popular in the form of etched glass design.

Frosted window effect and stained glass effect are just some of the examples where modern window tints have been widely used. Dark window tints is a thing of the past. Color window tinting films have been successfully used to decorate residential homes and commercial buildings. They were successfully applied to many rooms on different types of glass doors and windows. Combinations of colors within one single window have also been successfully applied for six or eight-pane windows.

Many home owners have reported that by simply adding color window tinting films, the whole room atmosphere seemed to be different. In the past, color glass only comes in the form of stained glass, and its theme is usually medieval. You may find color glass on the entire window, but it was possible as part of the glass manufacturing only, not as an add-on. The addition of color window film makes so much difference that it is fast becoming a must-have for many home owners.

There are many benefits of applying color window films in your house. Besides, it is beautiful, and current window films technology make it difficult to tell whether the glass was originally colored or window films were applied over it to create the color glass effect.

Window films are able to filter out as much as 95% of infra-red spectrum of the sun. Infra-red is the longest spectrum of the sun’s ray and it is this ray that causes heat gain. With window films installed, your house will be cooler. During the day, heat is filtered out of the house, and you do not need to turn up the air-conditioning. During the night, the same film will keep heat within the house, and you do not need to turn up the heater. Similarly, color window films retain heat within the house during winter and kept heat out during the summer. Imagine how much electricity consumption you can save over the period of one year.

If you have a thick piece of glass, such as double-glazed window, you will need to be cautious about installing window films on these glasses. Glass films are installed on the inside of the room and when the sun shines on the glass, heat will still penetrate through the glass and stop in between the glass and the film. If the glass is too thick, it may crack as heat is not dissipated. However, there are hardly any reported case of glass cracking due to the installation of window films.

There is another spectrum of the sun ray that is harmful to your house. It is the ultra-violet (UV) ray. UV ray causes furniture, draperies and carpet to fade in color. Color window films not only filtered out the infra-red ray, it also filters out UV ray. As a result, your carpet, furniture and draperies can last longer. The ability of filtering out infra-red, UV ray makes it an excellent form of solar window film.

One of the most common reasons for the installation of window tints on glass windows is to reduce glare. With less glare, staff can work more productively, and you will not have the problem of watching TV and computer monitor. The interior of a room installed with window films automatically becomes more confortable and relaxing.

Color window tinting films also work well as privacy window films. As color window film block off view, much privacy can be added. You can install them in a shower enclosure or on the bathroom windows. If you buy it from a reputable merchandiser, the window films can withstand heat and moisture. Even though it blocks off view, color window film still allows natural light to shines in. Natural light shining on color glass looks very nice and provide a very warm feeling of whoever entering the room.

Color window tints not only works well on windows. They also works well on doors. Some owners install them on storm doors so that in the case of a very violent storm that broke the glass, the window films can still hold all the broken glasses together. They are even some who apply color window glass films on doors of glass cabinets. Combining few colors on one door panel seems to work well and it results in a very creative design.

There are still some misconceptions about window films that prevented many home owners from applying them in their homes. The first one is that they thought that the window films look cheap and adding color window films on a glass door or window seem so artificial and look “cheap”. Color window film today is so well-made that you can hardly tell the difference between a color glass with window films installed or it was naturally and originally colored using industry process. Etched glass film, stained glass film and various other films immediately turn your ordinary looking glass to look as if it causes hundreds of dollars.

The other misconception is that you need a group of professionals or builders to install the glass film for you. On the contrary, window films today are designed in such a way that anyone may be able to install it on their own. If you plan to install glass window films on your own, choose those that is adhesive-free or self-adhesive window films. This type of window film does not need any glue to stick it to the glass. They will adhere to the glass surface through static actions and for this reason, they are popularly called static cling window films by many in the industry.

You will require the following tools if you want to install color window film on your own – a squeegee, a spray bottle, a measuring tape and a utility knife. Some merchandiser that sells self-adhesive window films even provide you with the tools, bundled into the sales. The first step in installing window films is to thoroughly clean the glass window off any dust and paint remnants. You would want to spend some time ensuring the glass surface is thoroughly clean as dust or any other remnants will prevent the glass film from properly adhering itself on the glass surface.

Take proper measurement of the glass. Always get a film that is slightly larger than the size of the glass. Using the spray bottle filled with diluted window cleanser, spray the glass surface. Then, peel off the backing paper that comes with the film. Be careful that the back of the film does not touch or attract any dust. Place the glass film on the glass surface. Spray more solution on the front face of the glass film, then use the squeegee to squeeze out all the solutions and along with it, air bubbles. As the solution and air bubbles is squeezed out, the glass film will stick to the glass surface by itself. Finally, use a utility knife to trim off all excess glass film.

The installation of a piece of color window film on a typical window size will usually takes less than fifteen minutes. Installing them on a large piece of glass such as on a sliding glass door will take around half an hour. In no time, you will be able to be your own expert in installing window films. You can install the glass film all by yourself or you may want to work in a group of two person. As your confidence grows, you can then tackle the installation on your own or install them on the larger glass pane.

Cleaning a glass window installed with window films is just like how you would clean an ordinary glass. It is unlikely that the window films get scratched so easily. Color window films have their own shelf life, just like any other products. Most manufacturer would offer a warranty of three to five years, but the life-span of the glass film can easily last twice as long. That would means that some window film can last ten years, but by then you might have redecorated your home.

To remove the glass film, you just need to simply peel it off. It is that simple. If the glass film is still in good condition, you may even store it or use it on other windows. That is the advantage of using adhesive-free window films. You are not able to do this with adhesive-based window films. To remove adhesive-based films, you will need a team of professionals to do it for you. That is why we suggest that you use adhesive-free window films.

How much does color window tinting film cost? The cost of the window films differs between merchandiser and it also depends on the size. It will be within the financial capability of any home owners. As a matter of fact, many home owners started wanting to install glass films on one piece of glass window, but ended up as returning customers and purchased more window films to be installed on all the glass windows in their home.

Installing color window tinting film is not only simple and beneficial, it makes a good activity to be carried out by the entire family as a family time.

When it comes to decorating their windows, many owners would loved to have their windows etched. There are numerous ways on how to have a glass window etched. The most traditional way is to take down the window, and send it to some factory to have the glass etched. This is the most expensive of all the methods. The other way is for you to do it yourself using etching cream. The first two methods is not reversible. Now, there is another much better way – you may use etched glass window films. It is economical, easy to install by yourself and the process is reversible.

The basic idea of having a glass etched is to make it look frosted. There are many reasons why home owners would want to do that. Most owners wanted to make their glass opaque for the purpose of adding privacy. Others simply do it for the purpose of decorating their windows. There are different etched glass window films that is able to fulfil these functions.

Etched glass window films are fast becoming popular mainly due to the high technology employed to produce such films. Many had avoided using these types of vinyl films as they look fake and cheap. Nowadays, it is difficult to tell apart whether a piece of windows is originally etched or if it has been stick with window films. That is why nowadays, not only home owners look for them, even interior decorators and architect uses them for their projects too.

Besides, etched glass window films come in different pattern and designs that suits your every needs. If you wanted to add privacy, then you can use a fully-frosted design or a lightly frosted design. Frosted window film makes a window opaque and is popularly applied on shower doors and bathroom windows. The vinyl films can withstand both moisture and heat, making them very suitable in showers. Another benefit of having frosted window film on shower doors and windows is that while it obscure view, natural light can still shine through, meaning that you do not need to spend additional on turning on electrical lights.

Another popular reason for the installation of etched glass window films is for the purpose of improving the aesthetics of windows. The most popular etched glass designs among home owners consist of repeating geometric pattern such as orthogonal block or leaves pattern. You can be very creative when using such patterns. For example, some owners install small leaves pattern on glass doors that open out to their garden.

Specifically, the following designs proved to be the most popular among home owners (in no particular order): Chateau Glass Block, Austin Privacy, Pebble Etched, Monte Carlo and Orleans Decorative. When you install these patterns on your glass window, even the most plain looking window will be instantly transformed to look as if it costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. There are many ways how to make your window design stands out. Try adding decorative accent at the corner or at the middle. Or, try using it as a border.

You may install etched glass window films entirely by yourself. The product itself is designed as a DIY product.

All window films usually are self-adhesive (adhesive-free) or adhesive-based. We recommend that you purchase self-adhesive types as these are easy to install and to remove. The installation of self-adhesive etched glass film as a DIY project requires few tools and equipments and most of these are bundled as a package when you buy them from a good merchandiser. You will need a utility knife, a spray bottle with soapy solution and a squeegee. Installation on a small window will take less than 15 minutes and for very large glass panes, you may want to work in a group of 2 person to install them in less than 30 minutes.

The following video demonstrates how easy it is to install etched glass window film:



There are many other benefits of installing etched glass films. The vinyl film is able to resists up to 90% of ultra-violet ray from the sun spectrum and it also rejects heat. Your upholstery can last longer and during the daylight when the weather outside your house is hot, it helps to filter out heat. At night, it will help to retain heat within the house. Similarly, during winter, the window film will help to retain heat within the house and during summer, it will help to keep heat out. This way, you save on both your air-conditioner bill and your heaters bill.

The warrantee of etched glass film usually ranges between three to five years, although the life of the product may be twice as long as its warrantee. Not all window films are created equal and when purchasing, always check on the reputation of the merchandiser and the manufacturer. There are many ways to purchase window films. These include getting them from home mart, DIY store, hardware store and if you want more convenience, simply purchase them online and have it delivered to your doorsteps.

Of course, besides using etched glass window film, you may also try etching your own glass. Etching a glass on your own may be a simple but not so convenient way. You shall need the following tools to begin. To start you will need a pattern. Try to start your project with one that does not have too many small details. You can get plenty of inspiration from clip art or colouring books. You should also clean the surface of the window thoroughly.

Get a clean or plain contact paper. White contact paper is the best. You can make simple stripes by using masking tape. Use carbon paper to trace your pattern onto the contact paper. You will also need a utility knife to cut out the pattern out of the contact paper. Buy etching cream from local crafts store. Get some foam brush that will be used to apply the etching cream. Etching cream can also be applied using paper towels. Finally, you should work with a pair of latex gloves to protect yourself from the acidic etching cream.

Before you start with your glass etching process, make sure that you wear your latex gloves and long sleeves are also recommended. Note that the etching cream is acidic and will basically etch anything that it comes into contact with. Using a window cleaner, clean your glass thoroughly. Ensure that it is dry and free of all dust.

Prepare and cut a piece of the contact paper to be few inches larger than your pattern. Then, place the contact paper on the glass where you intend to do the etching and smooth out all wrinkles and bubbles. Placing the carbon paper between the contact paper and the pattern, trace your pattern onto the contact paper. You may want to secure the contact paper, the pattern and your carbon paper with small pieces of masking tape. Remove the carbon paper and the pattern when you are finished with the tracing.

Use a sharp utility knife to cut all the details out of the contact paper. Make sure that all edges of contact paper are stuck tightly to the glass. Use the foam brush to spread a thick layer of the etching cream on the exposed sections of the design. You should apply thick layer, otherwise, your etched pattern may look uneven. Let the etching takes effect, this usually means leaving the glass for about 15 minutes. Remove the etching cream by running water. Once the etching cream is washed off, remove the contact paper to reveal your etched glass design.

Compared to etching glass on your own, you will find that applying etched glass window film is a far more easier process. Removing etched glass window film involves no more than simply peeling them off. You may even store it for future usage or use it on other pieces of windows.

Considering the ease of installation, small wonder that so many home owners are installing etched window glass films on their home windows.