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Wide window film one person install

gnubler

gnubler

Active Member
I have an install coming up and am torn on how I should do it. Frosted window privacy film 4ft wide x 6ft tall, I'll be on a ladder for the top portion. Solid film, no cut graphics or app tape. Usually with privacy film I wet the window, lay the face of the film on the wet window, peel off liner completely, wet the back of the film, flip around to install on glass. This seems cumbersome for a large piece like this, up on a ladder. Can I install this as I would with vinyl, with a top hinge and then pull off the liner as I work my way down, spraying it as I go?
 
MikePro

MikePro

Active Member
bring a folding picnic table or declare a clean area to peel&wet the vinyl, fold in half (3x4) sticky-side-out, spray the piss outta the window & slap that baby up!
lock-in a hinge somewhere near the top, light/medium squeezee-up, finish light/medium squeegee-down, then spray the piss out of it again and finish with hard-squeegee and trim. ezpz.

keeping everything clean is key during the peel&climb&slap step. worth a vacuum of the area (even drop-ceiling tiles if they're nearby), wipe-down of the ladderer, & wearing clean clothes is key here to keep bits of dust/debris from contaminating your vinyl.
 
gnubler

gnubler

Active Member
weyandsign said:
hinge 6 inches from the top, get the top stuck on, then work your way down peeling and wetting as you go.
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This is what I did and it didn't turn out well. Some areas of bubbles that I couldn't work out, I struggled with the wide material width. I've never done a window film wet install like this, with a top hinge. The customer was okay with it and I gave him a discount for the defects.

I wanted to use MacTac Glass Decor, I've done big windows with that before and it goes on easy. I couldn't get that and ended up with 3M 7725 dusted crystal. Has anyone used this with good or bad results?
 
JBurton

JBurton

Signtologist
gnubler said:
Has anyone used this with good or bad results?
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Great stuff, if you have the time and money to install it. I like to mask it, even if its solid, just to get enough thickness to handle. Of course that causes hell with mask removal, so soak the center, rub it until the mask tears, then peel out from the inside. Lots of rapid tac, lots of resqueeging to ensure it's down. I'd wet the whole window repeatedly, not 'as you go', second set of hands in this scenario would be necessary for a flawless install, at least by this guy.
 
gnubler

gnubler

Active Member
JBurton said:
Great stuff, if you have the time and money to install it. I like to mask it, even if its solid, just to get enough thickness to handle. Of course that causes hell with mask removal, so soak the center, rub it until the mask tears, then peel out from the inside. Lots of rapid tac, lots of resqueeging to ensure it's down. I'd wet the whole window repeatedly, not 'as you go', second set of hands in this scenario would be necessary for a flawless install, at least by this guy.
Click to expand...
Good info, thanks. I'd never used 7725 before, I figured if it's 3M it's good so I went into this one blind. Funny, I thought of masking the whole thing but then wrote it off as move overthinking on my part.

This was the only material I could find in 48" width because I didn't want a seam. Yes, having another set of hands would have been helpful. I was sweating bullets near the end, it kept getting more and more stressful. :oops:
 
gnubler

gnubler

Active Member
That was a recipe found somewhere on the forum. Some members have posted a formula without any IPA at all.
 
JBurton

JBurton

Signtologist
Indian Pale Ale? I can't see that working for sh*t in a vinyl solution. Now post install clarity? Nothing beats Lagunitas.
 
W

weyandsign

New Member
For window film I would probably triple your baby shampoo and ditch the india pale ale. that stuff is really bad for you.
 
W

WindowTint-0909

New Member
Installing wide window film solo is definitely possible, but it depends a lot on your experience level and the size of the glass. For anything over 36–40 inches wide, it gets tricky to manage alignment, keep the adhesive clean, and avoid creases without help.

A few tips that can make it easier solo:

Use plenty of slip solution so the film floats for longer.

Apply a temporary hinge in the middle to stabilize the film.

Use a wide squeegee and start from the center outwards.

Work in a dust-free area and pre-clean thoroughly — wide film really shows every little speck.

That said, for really big panels or anything with height, it’s usually safer and faster with two people. You can do it alone, but it’s definitely a test of patience and precision.
 
D

djp

New Member
I use a 8x4 sheet of Correx prop it up against a near wall, spray soak the Correx with slip and then lay the film face down on it, the slip will hold it in place while you peel away the backing, soak the exposed adhesive side and the window, grab the file by top corners flip over and apply to window then squeegee out
 
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