Automobile Window Tinting Process: How Long Does It Take to Tint Windows?

A high-quality window film can provide several benefits for you and your vehicle. Some of the major benefits come from a window tint’s ability to reject harmful UV rays. Window tinting will preserve your car’s interior, increase comfort, and provide better temperature regulation in both summer and winter months. Not to mention the sleek look is appealing to most individuals.

However, a car window film is only effective when it’s installed correctly. That said, we recommend hiring a professional to handle the installation job.

If you’re searching for a reliable and experienced car tinting professional in Atlanta, Georgia, The Tint Guy is here to help! We’ve been helping drivers with their tinting needs since 1986, making us one of the top tinting experts in the region. We offer a wide variety of tint options, helping you find the perfect solution for your ride.

While hiring a tinting professional can ensure a job well done, it also helps you abide by any state laws. As tinting laws can vary from state to state, it’s important to research your local rules. Those in the Atlanta area can check out Georgia’s Auto Window Tinting Laws.

Wondering more about the window tint installation process? In this post, we’ll discuss everything you can expect from a professional window tint installation including how to prepare your windows, how the application works, and even some post-installation tips.

Automobile Window Tinting Process

When it comes to tinting automobile windows, a professional should always handle the job. Window tint isn’t cheap, so you would hate to waste this valuable material on a poor installation. Choosing expert tint installers can reduce the chance of your tint peeling, falling off, or losing its color.

Preparation for Window Tinting Your Car

Before the installation process begins, you’ll need to choose your preferred type of window tint. While you can find several varieties of high-quality tint, you should also be aware of the low-quality options on the market. Cheaper alternatives aren’t as effective at blocking light, and they’re also not a long-lasting tinting solution.

When looking for a high-quality window film, consider 3M. This brand has a long history of manufacturing top-of-the-line window tint for essentially any vehicle. Their films are backed by a limited lifetime warranty to ensure a long-term, quality window tint. The Tint Guy is the premier 3M dealer for those in the Atlanta area, offering a selection of 3M window films and guaranteeing expert installation services.

For a solid choice of window tint, try out the 3M Obsidian Series. This product is made with 3M’s Patented Infuse Technology, providing increased durability compared to several dyed films on the market. 3M Obsidian tint also offers powerful heat rejection and UV protection, including low reflectivity and a sleek appearance. In fact, the Obsidian Series blocks up to 44% of the total solar energy passing through your windows.

Want to take things up a notch? For something a little stronger than the 3M Obsidian Series, check out 3M’s Ceramic IR tint. This exceptional tinting option provides amazing infrared heat rejection, resulting in improved comfort while driving. The 3M Ceramin IR Series also comes in a gorgeous neutral color. This Ceramic IR tint was constructed with nano-ceramic technology, which creates its high level of infrared heat rejection. This absorptive technology blocks up to 66% of total solar energy, including up to 95% of infrared heat rejection for improved comfort. This tint also reduces the heat you feel on your skin from the sun.

If you’re looking for the best of the best when it comes to tinting your vehicle’s windows, consider the 3M Crystalline Series. This superior window film uses a proprietary, multilayer optical film nanotechnology, which combines over 200 layers into a very thin window film. This advanced tint is considered a breakthrough in car window tinting, featuring exceptional heat rejection without sacrificing the appearance of your vehicle. The 3M Crystalline Series rejects up to 62% of the total solar energy making its way through your windows, including 97% protection from infrared rays. This all results in a cool, comfortable ride!

How Long Does Window Tint Installation Take?

Before we dive into the specific steps needed for a successful window tint installation, let’s cover how long the process might take. It’s important to note that the installation time varies from one customer to the next. This is based on your type of vehicle, how many windows are being tinted, and if any old tint needs to be removed.

While a complete car can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, a full-sized truck can take one hour to an hour and a half. However, if you’re only getting your front windows tinted, this typically takes 30-45 minutes to complete. If any old window film needs to be removed, this time varies greatly. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours to remove.

If you’re hiring a professional installer for new tint, we recommend washing your vehicle inside and out before your appointment. This helps to remove any dirt and grime on your windows and more importantly creates a dust-free environment for the clean application of your film.

Our Vehicle Window Tinting Process: What to Expect

Here’s a basic overview of how we apply window tint to your car’s windows:

The first step is to give your windows a good cleaning. We ensure your windows, inside and out, are completely free of dirt, dust, and debris.

A soapy water solution is utilized throughout the tinting process to not only keep the film and window clean but to also provide a slippery surface to work on while measuring and cutting our film.

The film is set on the exterior to measure and cut based on your window’s dimensions. We utilize a heat gun to contour the film to your vehicle’s glass, which ensures a perfect contour to your window and accurate measurement. Our team of experts pays very close attention to detail during this process and utilizes an innovative laser computer cut machine to provide precise and safe cuts of your window each and every time.

Once the tint is accurately contoured to the window, we address the borders and corners around the film, removing any excess tint if needed. Our installers then remove the film’s release liner, which is used to protect the film from dust particles and other debris before the application. The next step involves applying the film to the window’s interior.

We use a few different tools, including a squeegee, for this process to help activate the adhesive and eliminate any excess air behind the film. This is one of the more delicate steps in the process, requiring an experienced professional and keen attention to detail.

Once everything is set into place, the installer touches up any areas if needed and fixes any imperfections.

With each and every film installation, you’ll tend to experience small imperfections or scratches that show up once the film is installed. This has nothing to do with the quality of the film or the installation and won’t affect the overall effectiveness of the tint. 

Post-Window Tinting: Important Considerations

After the installation is complete, it’s time to enjoy your brand-new window tint! However, to ensure a successful application and long-lasting tinting solution, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First things first, it’s vital to wait three days after the installation before rolling down your windows. This is needed for the curing process, and it also allows enough time for the film to adhere to the glass before the window is moved.

When it comes to the drying process, your new tint can take up to a few weeks to completely dry. If you notice any bubbles or patchiness after the installation, this is completely normal. While we use water to move and apply the tint during installation, a small amount of water is left over. This is what creates those bubbles and patchiness, but they should completely disappear within a few days, and possibly a few weeks in cold weather conditions. These bubbles go away on their own, so never poke or pop them.

Wondering how to clean your new tinted windows? We suggest using any ammonia-free window cleaner with a soft cloth or paper towel. Also, be sure to only clean your windows in the shade, and use a dry cloth for final drying to lower the chance of any streaks.

The Best Window Tinting Service for Quick and Reliable Tint Installation

Even if the steps above seem like something you can handle by yourself, we strongly suggest hiring a professional. Here at The Tint Guy, we have experienced professionals along with a controlled environment for our tinting process, allowing us to provide the best quality imaginable. We also have a clean, spacious facility, allowing us to finish installations in less time than our competitors. From smaller windows to larger windows, we can handle it all! Also, we can work on essentially any vehicle. Our team can tint the windows on a standard car, massive truck, limos, and everything in between!The Tint Guy is happy to be the leader in automotive window tinting in Atlanta, Georgia. Also, while we’re a massive business, we believe this works to your advantage. In fact, we complete more tint jobs in a day than our competitors finish in a week. As we continue to repeat and refine our craft through constant installations, we have the experience you can trust. Contact The Tint Guy today by calling 404-890-5518 or emailing us at info@thetintguy.com.