- Squeege
Lint Free Cloth or clean paper towels
Water Spray Bottle
Dish Soap
Heat Gun (If you plan on it looking good without having to cut so many strips)
Razor Blades
Side Windows:
1. Make sure you are in a dust free, lint free environment, this is important otherwise you will get dirt particles trapped in-between the tint and the window. If you're in a garage it may be a good idea to wet the floor down as well to stop any dust coming from the floor when you are moving around.
2. Clean the windows (inside and outside) by spraying a soapy water solution (only adding a small drop of soap to the water bottle), then squeege the window off using your squeege going in a horizontal motion from top to bottom so all the dirt runs off the bottom of the window. Try to clean off the top of the door panel as well if you can incase you do happen to make the mistake of touching the tint to the inside of the door panel later on, this may not be necessary if you're careful enough.
3. Apply to tint to the outside of the window, do not take the adhesive shielding off yet. Make sure the sticky side of the tint is facing out (towards you) other wise your cuts will be all backwards. If this is your first time tinting and you make this mistake you may be able to apply this piece to the other window so don't freak out just yet.
4. Squeege all the water out from in-between the tint and the outside window.
5. Start cutting with a razor blade along the edge of the window, use the edges as your guide or a straight edge while cutting so your cuts do not come out jagged. The corners are the hardest when cutting so take your time.
6. When you have a perfect fit, now it is time to apply to tint on the inside of the window. As a precaution clean the inside window again, to make sure it is 100% clean. Now slowly peel the adhesive off the tint while spraying it to eliminate static.
7. Spray the window really good, soak it with your soapy water solution.
8. Squeege all of the air bubbles and water out of the tint. DO NOT CREASE THE TINT Creases will not come out of tint, once you do it. To avoid this go gentle. While trying to form what is called fingers on the bottom edge of the window. Fingers look like fat smooth long ripples in the tint, make sure they are horizontal. You can heat shrink these fingers to make the tint conform perfectly with the window. Take your time when heat shrinking. I suggest you practice heat shrinking before you try it on an entire car to get the feel of it. Heat the fingers until they react and create a zigzag effect then squeege them out with a lint free cloth, and just keep doing it to the rest of the window. You may not be able to get one finger out at a time just go to a different one then come back to it after it cools down some.
9. Your done, the tint may have a film look to it after you are done. You need to leave your car in the sun for about a day and it will go away.
Rear Window:
1. Follow Steps 1-4.
2. Cut the tint just past the black edge of the window, about 1/4 inch.
3. The heat shrinking process on the back window is done on the outside of the window because you can't possibly heat shrink inside the car.
4. During your heat shrinking process if you notice the window is too curved that you can't possibly get all of the fingers out with your heat gun, try cutting the tint in half following a defroster line to hide the small seem. Our aveos shouldn't have to be tinted in 2 pieces because our windows are small, but you may have to for other cars. Follow some of the same methods in step 8 when heat shrinking.
5. Follow steps 6-7
6. Apply the tint on the inside of the car now following the same methods in step 8 when applying window tint.
7. You're done.
Not Heatshrinking Rear Window:
-All the same steps apply except for the heat shrinking part obviously. Instead you need to cut several horizontal strips in the tint following along the defroster lines, to hide all seems. I do not recommend this way because it can be a pain and you might not get the seems to line up perfectly with the defroster lines.
Tips:
-Take your time: No need to hurry, that is if you want it to look good.
-Use a soapy solution: This lubricates the tint and makes it easier to apply to the window and acts as a cleaner.
-Never use an ammonia based product to clean a tinted window or prep a window to be tinted.
-Make sure your tint is heat shrinkable if you are planning to heat shrink. Gila tint at Autozone is heatshrinkable, that is what I use. I would only use the highest quality which is Ultrashield because it lasts longer.
Video Tutorial:
Heat Shrinking A Side Window
Heat Shrinking Rear Window
