Window Tinting FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about Window Tinting


Home & Office

Automotive Window Tinting FAQs

When I park my car, it still gets hot inside?

Well yes that’s right whilst the film reduces heat it does not reject it all and the car has a large metal body which is absorbing a lot of heat in the direct sunlight. The best thing to do when getting into your hot parked car is to roll the windows down and drive for a few minutes to let all the hot air escape, then put the windows up and air conditioner on and within a few minutes you will be driving in comfort!

I always see newer cars with dark back windows why can’t I have that on my car?

Can my front doors match that darkness? What you are seeing is privacy glass. Privacy glass is tinted glass from the factory, the colour is in the glass itself, not a film applied to the glass. The federal government allows all glass that meets European standard, Australian standard and United States DOT standard. When we apply film to glass it must meet state laws which in NSW is 35% visible light transmittance for all passenger vehicles and 35% on the front doors and no limit on the back for commercial vehicles.

What film is the best for my car?

We offer several films for different budgets and different requirements. The best film for heat rejection that we stock is our ceramic film with 56% total solar energy rejection for our darkest legal shade. Although it is more expensive it is still cheaper than most dealerships and more than likely a superior performing product.

Why do I see bubbled tint around on cars?

This is a very good question; there are many factors to why film bubbles like you are seeing. Generally bubbling is caused by the mounting adhesive failing. The sun breaks everything down over time, Ultraviolet light, infra-red light and visible light all contribute to this. Back windows especially are prone to failing faster than side windows because they are closer to a 45 degree angle which exposes the window to more sun over the day, they also are generally not flat which require heat forming to the curves off the glass often leaving the film left under stress. Most good quality films will last from 5-10 years but all of our darkest legal films are backed by a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty for peeling, bubbling and fading for as long as you own that vehicle.

I have just bought a used car and the existing tint looks ok but it gets real hot in there still, what are my options?

Firstly window films do not last forever, the greater amount of exposure to the sun they have the more they break down in one way or another. 6 years down the track the film most likely won’t be performing as well as it did the day it was installed, we recommend removing and retinting cars with old film installed to maximise the performance of the film whilst you own the vehicle.

What is the darkest legal tint I can have in New South Wales?

The window tinting laws are quiet simple in NSW, they apply to passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles, both being different restrictions.

Passenger vehicles such as sedans, hatchbacks, station wagons, coupes and people movers must maintain 35% visible light transmission on all side and rear windows.
Commercial vehicles such as utes, vans, trucks, busses and limousines must maintain 35% visible light transmission on the front doors and there is no limit to windows rear of the driver.

For both passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles the front windscreen must maintain 75% visible light transmittance and no film should be applied to the entire windscreen. The front windscreen may have a tinted band at the top which is 10% of the overall height of the glass or above where the windscreen wipers sweep.

Are all window films the same apart from their shade?

Window films vary in many ways from quality to construction and their overall performance. There are many brands and qualities of window films on the market. This enables a wide selection to suit different needs and budgets. You can get a cheap film installed and it look just as great as a premium film, so why should you spend a little more money for the premium film? The cheapest non-metal films are often not colour stable and can fade to clear or turn purple anywhere from 3 months to 3 years, these films also block very little heat.

Our mid-range films are known as high performance films or HP films they are a hybrid metalised film which has alloy oxide in the construction for added heat rejection and longer lifespan. These films are good and very popular.

Our premium films are a nano ceramic film which rejects the most heat by incorporating graphite infused titanium nitride in the film which rejects infra-red heat as well as regular heat from visible light. These types of films provide the most comfort for inside your vehicle.

So as you can see there’s a lot more to window films than meets the eye. At the end of the day you need to select a film that best suits your needs some people just purely want the car to look better but why not have it look better and feel cooler and more comfortable for a little more money.

How much is it to tint my car?

Pricing for car tinting in Sydney varies from model to model as all cars are different in size and different with their glazing, some cars may take 2 hours to professionally tint others may take 4 hours hence why there is different pricing for different makes and models. As a rough example say your car is $295 for our high performance film to upgrade to our premium ceramic film you would be looking at $395. So if you keep your car for 4 years that’s only $25 a year extra, for the added comfort that is a cheap investment!

*Prices used above are examples only and do not apply to all vehicles.

Home & Office Window Tinting FAQs

What benefits are there to having my home tinted?

Home tinting has many benefits. Window film can reduce solar heat transmission by up to 80% which is great in summer, it also insulates the glass on average of 15% which helps in summer with air conditioning and in winter with heating. All window films block 99% of UVa and UVb rays from the sun, UV is the highest contributor to fading and deterioration of furniture and flooring.

Please see our home window tinting page for more information.

Can people see inside at day or night when I have my home tinted?

Depending on which film you select will be the answer to this. For example if we install a 25% dual reflective film you may see inside at daytime a little if there is a window on the other side of the room or may see objects close to the glass but generally once you are a meter or so away from the glass you won’t see anything clearly.

There are darker and lighter films and generally the darker or more reflective the film, the greater privacy you will have.

Now night time is different, no matter how dark the film is at night time with the lights on you will still see inside. The only way around this is to have a greater light source outside than inside or we recommend you close the blinds or curtains.
As a general rule of physics, you will see the side with the greatest light source, at day the sun is the greatest light source and in most cases at night the lights in your room are brighter than outside.

How long does house tinting last for?

A good quality film should last around 12-15 years, location, climate and sun exposure all affect this. The films will stay on the glass for in excess of 20 years but they will most likely be breaking down in one way or another at that time frame. Most residential films carry manufacturers lifetime warranties, whilst that does mean you are covered it does not mean the film will last forever. This is an honest opinion on quality films. We won’t sit here and say they will last forever when they won’t! As mentioned you are still covered under warranty and each manufacturer has different terms and conditions.

How long does installation take?

Installation time can vary, obviously depending on the size of the job. Most residential jobs vary for a couple of hours to 1-2 full days. Removal of old film can be quiet time consuming so when we have to remove old film before installation it can double the amount of time on site.

Is there a wide selection of films available?

Because we are independent we are not bound by one manufacturer. This enables us to dozens of different film options. We can order in many brands of film specifically to best suit your needs!

Is house tinting expensive?

Compared to other fixtures in a home window tinting is one of the most affordable additions you can make to your home. It can come in 5-10x cheaper than external awnings and often cheaper than privacy blinds. The added benefit of heat rejection, UV rejection and privacy it makes it a sensible addition to any home.

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