Removable silicone tint based on a static film is becoming increasingly popular among car owners. Darkening the windows in this way allows you to give the car a more impressive appearance. The tint material can be removed at any time. The film can be rolled or rolled without loss of quality. It can also be reinstalled on the car windows at any time, which is very convenient.
The silicone film can be removed and reapplied many times. At the same time, it is not subject to deformation and does not lose any performance characteristics. After the next installation, the film should be thoroughly dried. This is necessary so that the tint acquires the necessary transparency. If the installation is done correctly, the car owner need not be afraid of fines from the traffic police or any other problems.
Let's see what this silicone tint is, consider its main disadvantages, advantages, and performance characteristics.
Features of removable silicone tint
Darkening car windows with silicone film looks more aesthetically pleasing. In appearance, this material is no different from ordinary film. The product can withstand any frost well. During installation/disassembly, the silicone tint film is not deformed and is not subject to mechanical stress. It is durable and practical. Removable silicone tint also does not transmit ultraviolet radiation and does not lose quality due to exposure to direct sunlight.
Using this material, you can reliably protect the car interior, as well as the people in it, from the sun's rays. In this case, normal illumination will not be disrupted. The film absorbs the glare of the sun, thereby eliminating the effects of mirrors and glare from the headlights of oncoming or passing cars.
What law governs
The installation of tinting on a car is subject to strict regulatory standards for the light transmission of vehicle windows. You can install a tint film if the following conditions are met:
- The percentage of light transmission of the front and side panels is at least 70.
- The percentage of light transmission of the windshield is 75%.
If the tinting does not meet these requirements, the owner will have to pay a fine. Currently, the fine is 5,000 rubles; until 2021, the fine was five hundred rubles.
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Protective function
In car accidents, side and rear windows often break and shatter into small pieces. These fragments can be quite dangerous to humans. If removable silicone tinting is installed on car windows, the glass will not crumble as a result of an accident or because of stones flying out from under the wheels of oncoming cars. Even if for some reason it breaks, its fragments will not scatter in all directions. All of them will be held on film.
Tinted car glass is much more difficult to break than regular glass. Therefore, darkening is also an additional protection against thieves. Plus, fewer people will look into the car on bright sunny days.
Is it allowed by law?
When planning to glue tinting, you should know the requirements of Russian legislation governing these operating conditions.
To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the following documents:
- GOST 32565-2013 “Safety glass for land transport”, which came into force on January 1, 2015, replacing GOST 5727-88.
- Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR CU 018/2011 “On the safety of wheeled vehicles.”
They reveal details affecting the standards for tinting car windows:
- In accordance with 5.1.2.5 GOST 32565-2013 “The light transmittance of glass providing visibility to the driver must be at least 70%.” This applies to the front windshield and front side windows. Thus, the previously existing requirements for glass throughput of 75% have been cancelled.
- The rest can be sealed with any materials, provided there are external mirrors on both sides of the car.
- The next question regarding these standards concerns the requirements for the windshield stripe. Its width for passenger cars should not exceed 14 cm. Subject to this condition, it can have any coefficient: for example, 50 percent or be completely opaque.
- In addition to GOST and Technical Regulations, the regulation of tinting rules is carried out by the Road Traffic Rules. In the List of Faults in clause 7.3 there is the following entry: “the vehicle has foreign elements or coatings that interfere with the driver’s visibility.”
Based on this, even a coefficient of 35% of light transmittance through the front windows of a car is punishable under clause 3 of Art. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation “Driving a vehicle in the presence of a malfunction or condition that does not allow its use”, the fine in this case is 500 rubles .
Features of silicone films
Silicone tinting has a lot of positive qualities and features. Thus, the so-called static attraction is used as a fixative. There is no need for special adhesives for installation. The material can be glued and removed at least five thousand times. Even experienced professionals will not be able to tell the difference between high-quality removable and regular tinting.
Initially, these types of films were used on glass in residential buildings and offices. It is worth noting that the material itself is in no way protected from scratches. Therefore, silicone tinting is more vulnerable in this regard than other hard-based materials.
Price
As mentioned earlier, the material is sold by the meter, so as an example we can give the cost of individual elements for installation on different glasses:
| Name | Price |
| Windshield | 1,000 – 1,500 rub. |
| Stripe on the windshield | 500 – 750 rub. |
| Front/rear side windows | 700 – 1,100 rub. |
| Windows | 300 – 400 rub. |
| Price by meter | 500 – 650 rub/m2 |
The application technology is simple, so installation costs an average of 300 – 400 rubles. for one element, and when tinting the entire car 1,200 - 1,500 .
Benefits of silicone tint
After analyzing the positive characteristics of this material, you can see its most important advantages. Thus, a one-way visibility effect is created, which provides fairly high confidentiality. The film increases the level of safety and reliability of auto glass.
With the help of this tinting material, the upholstery and interior elements are protected from fading in the sun. The film is resistant to ultraviolet radiation. Also among the main advantages is the possibility of its repeated use.
A huge advantage of this tinting method is its high durability. It is enough to apply this material once and not worry about it anymore. Silicone tint will not fall off after a month. It will stay on the glass for a long time. The material is not afraid of dense rubber seals in car doors. The tint adheres securely to any glass surface. The material significantly reduces the heating of the car interior in summer.
Silicone static tint is the most effective and high-quality material among other removable types of films. It does not change its shape and properties at any temperature. The material is not subject to rubbing and can withstand the mechanical effects of sand and dust. Having minimal skills in working with films, you can apply it to glass yourself.
It only takes a few seconds to remove tinting from glass. This is convenient in various situations (for example, if you need to cross a border). The laws of some countries prohibit driving cars with tinted windows. You can remove the film right before moving, and install it after passing through the control zone.
Flaws
Along with the advantages, removable silicone static tint also has disadvantages. They are revealed during the operation of the material. Unlike more traditional tinted films, it distorts the image slightly. This effect can be observed if, for example, S TONIR FILM film was used on glass. The effect can cause serious inconvenience to the driver. At the same time, tinting does not in any way affect traffic safety or visibility characteristics.
Dimming with silicone film (if you compare it with any other types of removable products) has another disadvantage. It lies in the fact that unprofessional installation can not only make the view worse, but also affect the safety of passengers and the driver.
Therefore, it is best to entrust the installation to professionals. As for the shortcomings of the material itself, which the owners identify in practice, it is necessary to analyze what the users themselves write. Nowadays silicone static tint is very popular. Reviews from real users will better show the shortcomings of the product. We'll look at them a little later.
Necessary materials
To make removable tint we will need:
- PET or rigid PVC sheet 0.5-0.8 mm thick. No more and no less, because if you take it thicker, the plastic will not fit well under the seal, the glass simply will not open or close. Plastic can be purchased at any advertising company in your city or at a store that sells polycarbonate.
- Pattern of your car glass. We will look at the pattern making process below.
- Tools. A blade, preferably an industrial blade with a handle holder. Scissors that can easily cut our plastic, a pressing tool for smoothing the film (rubber and plastic), a spray bottle with a soap solution (proportion of 4 drops of shampoo per 0.5 liters of water).
- Tinting film.
Application methods
To install silicone tints, it is not necessary, but it is advisable to have certain skills in working with these materials. So, before applying the Gila film, it is recommended to pre-wet the glass with plain water. The manufacturer also recommends, if possible, using a soap solution. This approach will help to correct errors during application in a timely manner and change the position of the tint during the installation process.
After preliminary installation, the film is aligned along the edge of the glass. It is best if the tint is 2-3 mm below the edge. This is what those who have removable silicone tint write. Reviews from those who installed it themselves show that to smooth it out it is best to use a rubber spatula - it’s much easier.
After the material is carefully aligned on the glass, the ends of the film are placed under the sealing rubber and the alignment process is repeated again. Also, to get a good result, be sure to remove all the liquid from under the film. It is necessary to constantly monitor the tension level of the material.
DIY installation
Applying silicone film yourself causes virtually no problems. The main condition is the absence of small particles of dust and lint flying in the air. You can perform such repairs yourself within a few minutes.
The procedure is as follows:
- The surface to be treated is wetted with clean water or soap solution. You can do this using a flower spray.
- The material is wetted using a similar method.
- The material is glued with the light side inside the car. To do this, you need to attach the canvas to the glass in several places.
- Press with a rubber or plastic spatula, dispersing air bubbles in different directions from the center.
- After application, it is advisable to dry the surface with a regular hairdryer.
Complete drying time is about 2 days. During this period, you will notice that the very cloudy film will gradually clear, and visibility through it will improve.
During this time, it is advisable that the vehicle is not driven. After complete drying, you need to trim the edges with a stationery knife.
During the work process, there are a couple of nuances that it is advisable to know:
- Firstly, this concerns the use of a soap solution: by using it instead of water, if necessary, you can move (move) the canvas over the surface much easier.
- Secondly, when smoothing with a spatula you need to be careful not to damage the surface of the film.
- Thirdly, when gluing tint to the side windows, it is advisable to step back a couple of millimeters from the top edge. Otherwise, the material will ride up and come off over time. If necessary, you can always move it.
Manufacturers
There are different removable silicone tints on the market. Reviews from car owners who have used it allow us to identify leading manufacturers. Thus, films such as ASWF, Silicon Tint, Jhonson have been proving to consumers a high level of quality and durability for many years. For example, Silicon Tint products earned their trust back in the early 2000s. The company still has this reputation today.
For those who are planning to darken their car windows in this way, it is better to choose quality products. You should not choose cheap products of questionable quality. This saves on your safety.
Reviews
Whether to opt for silicone removable products or choose regular permanent tinting is up to everyone to choose for themselves. Some people don't need this option at all. It is very difficult to talk about tinting objectively. Therefore, reviews are the best way to tell about this.
So, many traveled with regular permanent film. After checking the transparency, traffic police officers force such tinting to be removed. Drivers explain that silicone tint is better instead of permanent tint. Reviews say that it can be dismantled at any time. Those who have just installed such material on their glass note that at first it was unusual. But after a few days nothing is noticeable - the material is laid and everything returns to normal.
Silicone tinting is also relevant for taxi drivers. Reviews are only positive. If you have a choice between an inexpensive self-adhesive film from China, then it is better to purchase a removable one - the quality will be noticeably higher. Many people like the fact that this material can always be removed and installed with their own hands.
But there are other reviews. Some people write that despite the ease of installation, installation/disassembly requires special skills. This is not true - installing a silicone tint coating requires minimal skill. The main thing is that the glass is perfectly clean.
