Black-out vinyl with clear adhesive?

[GAC05]

Hi list.

I have some store front windows to black out that are behind counters that can't be moved.
There is very little space to do the install.
The windows are 4'x'4, aluminum framed, 12 retail stores total.
I have to do it from the inside so I need a black material with clear adhesive.
I'm thinking air release would help a great deal with the install but don't know of a cast material that has both the air channels and clear glue.
3M's black 180c has only the grey glue backing. They do have 180c with clear glue but it is only offered on transparent and lighter colored rolls.

Anyone know of a quality material out there like this?

They want it to last as long as possible so I can't sell them on dark tint.
Tint will not hold up more than a few years out here before it starts to fail. (we do commercial tinting too.)

I could order regular cast black and have it laminated onto the 180c Clear but that is going to double up the material costs.

Worst case I will float some cast vinyl onto the windows figure a way to work the water out the bottom.


I'm open to alternative ways this could be done if anyone has any ideas.


thanks
wayne k
guam usa

 

["Deposit Please"]

My Opinion. Oracal 751 cast opaque. You Don't need the air release, save your money. Apply wet, simply add a little baby shampoo in the spray bottle, this will allow you to slide or reposition the film on the window. Clean & spray window, then, take backing off(helper needed) spray vinyl & apply. Just have a nice size rubber squegee handy to push all the water towards the edges. Guaranteed a bubble free install every single time. You just need a helper. Just don't install lettering on a window wet.

 

[Malkin]

Every roll of 180c black that I have ordered has had clear adhesive, so appears black both sides. This is with the v1 type air egress.

 

[klemgraphics]

Why not a black out window film? As long as you use a good quality film it will hold up for a long time. We do comercial tinting too and this is what I would use. I'm not talkng about a 5% auto film, a true 0% vlt black block out window film.

 

[GVP]

Be aware that blocking out a window like that can cause thermal shock - I've seen several with cracked glass. Black is likely to be worse, too.

 

[Gino]

I think you'd be fine with plain cast black vinyl and float it on. It comes in 48" rolls. If not abused... they should last quite a long time.

The air release stuff is just overkill and expensive.

Anyway, 3M and Oracal both sell air release with clear adhesives if you still need to go that route.

 

[CentralSigns]

Never used air release does it work good, who sells it? Sort of a little off topic but maybe not.

 

[GAC05]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
The main problem with the install is there will only be about 4" between the counter and the windows. Whatever I use will have to be dropped in from the top and then a way figured out to work out the air or water with something long enough to get to the bottom of the window. I figured the air release might give me a little more wiggle room to get it to lay out smooth.

I have admit that I don't know anything about a 100% block out tint, I'll have to look into it, but I have seen just about every type of dark tint installed here fail within a few years. On our old metal building I had some 3M cast vinyl on the exterior that held up for almost 14 years before it cracked and failed.
They want this to last forever so I was going to go with what I know.

I don't know if the air channels would help or not but I was going to do a few test windows with some white 180c I have here to see if it could be backrolled wet down into the gap. And get some feedback on what effect if any the channels would have on the install before placing the order for materials.

The 3M product sheet lists the black as grey adhesive only so I'm going to call my supplier on Monday to check that out.


Its not going to be fun no matter what I end up doing but I'm hoping to ease the pain any way I can.



thanks again

wayne k
guam usa

 

[btropical.com]

Would be nice to run black vinyl on outside simple and easy put on like tint , peel vinyl off backing apply soap and water black rubber squeegee and then cut with olfa . If you do it on the inside precut allmost all the way up to the top then hand cut what ever custy can see . I would run vinyl over tint easier to squeegee out water and curing time .