OVIEDO, Fla. – Cindy in Oviedo told us her new storm door is great for keeping out the bugs but not the heat.
She asked us if we could try installing some window film on her top storm door window. We warned her we’d never done it before but we’d give it a shot!
We purchased:
We brought with us:
Scissors
We recommend:
Finding a large flat surface like a countertop or kitchen table
Step 1
Clean the window! Clean, clean and clean again. Use a glass cleaner on the inside and outside (so you can clearly see any bubbles later on). We used paper towel first to clean off the dirt but then wiped the inside of the window with a lint-free cloth.
Step 2
Measure. We measured Cindy’s top window and added an extra half inch on each side. We unrolled the tint film on Cindy’s table and marked the measurements on the film.
Step 3
Rough cut. We used scissors to cut the film so we could get started putting it in place on the window.
Step 4
Wet the window. The soapy solution that came with the installation kit was key. More water is better! Soak the window until it’s dripping.
Step 5
Peel the protective backing off the film, spray on the soapy solution, and then place the film on the window. It should be so wet that it slides around – that’s the idea. You want to slide the film generally into place.
Step 6
Squeegee. We used the squeegee in the installation kit to push the bubbles and water out from underneath the film and out to the sides. Push out any large bubbles out by hand and then begin to squeegee out the smaller bubbles by pushing the water and bubbles to the side and down. Do this until there are no more bubbles. You may need to spray on more soapy solution as you squeegee so the squeegee slides.
Step 7
Final cut. We used the razor blade included in the installation kit. This is a bit tricky. Slice down on the sides against the edge of the window frame. When you get to a corner, hook the blade into the film and pull it up or over to your slice. The corners were the hardest part for us – they ended up looking a bit jagged. Take your time with the corners and your results will be better than ours!
Step 8
Final squeegee. After slicing off all of the excess tint, spray the solution on the film again and squeegee again. Squeegee down the edges so there are no bubbles anywhere. Let it dry.
You’re done! You just got results at home!
If you have a project you’d like Erik to tackle, send us an email at GettingResultsAtHome@wkmg.com and next week Erik might just show up at your door!