How dark to tint windows.

[MambaJack]

Looking at tinting all my side bus windows and curious what percentage everybody uses. Looking at the lexen brand.
https://www.amazon.com/Lexen-100FT-...indow+tint&dpPl=1&dpID=41RxDtmB3NL&ref=plSrch

Thanks!

 

[o1marc]

Depends on how much vision you want out of your windows. Limo tint is 5%, then there's 20% and 35%. 35% is all that is legal on front seat windows. from there back anything is legal in most states. Tint is like a one way mirror, you can see into the lighted area. Which means at night and the lights are on everyone can see in. you can't see out. I owned a tint shop in the 80's and ended up taking some tint off my windows because on dark rainy nights it was just dangerous to see out of. Gila makes some of the best products for the pro and the DIY'er.

 

[1olfart]

About 2 weeks ago I watched a video (I believe it was a YouTube vid.) about a new (to me)tint that not only came in various tints, but also reflected heat. the video was from a van guy, and I remember the shop, that was used, was D&D or something close to that, and they were in Dallas, Texas. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I thought that new product was "golden". They even had a lighter tint, that could be used on the windshield.
Worth looking at, IMO.

 

[o1marc]

About 2 weeks ago I watched a video (I believe it was a YouTube vid.) about a new (to me)tint that not only came in various tints, but also reflected heat. the video was from a van guy, and I remember the shop, that was used, was D&D or something close to that, and they were in Dallas, Texas. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I thought that new product was "golden". They even had a lighter tint, that could be used on the windshield.
Worth looking at, IMO.

If you're looking for tint to help with insulation, there are commercial and residential films made just for this purpose. The heat reflective films are usually mirror reflective. It reminds me back in the early 90's the CNN building in Atl. had a radio station on the first floor with window walls that looked into the lobby, so you could walk right up and watch the dj's doing their thing on live radio. They asked me to put a film on that would allow the public to see in, but they can't see out. An odd request as I would have thought they wanted the opposite.. He said the problem was too many woman were coming up to the window and flashing the DJ's and it was becoming a distraction to the live DJ's.

 

[MambaJack]

Now that is funny. Poor DJ's...

Really just looking to tint to help with taming the sun, privacy i don't think will be a big issue. It seems like now might be the time to do it since i have all of my windows out and am getting ready to clean them. But i guess i could always try the way it is now, then go back and tint later if i needed to.

Appreciate all the feedback. It seems like the 20% might be the way to go when id I do tint.

Thanks!

 

[magnakansas]

thanks for me too!

I have been watching this. I wanna say thanks too.

william

 

[JDOnTheGo]

There is absolutely nothing scientific about this... However; here is a photo I took a while back when I was tinting my windows.

The window in the center is tinted with 5% 3M film. The two to the sides are not (yet). The difference is huge. I've lived with this for nearly 1.5 years and it is wonderful when sunny (much less light and heat) but it can get a little dark inside on dark/cloudy days. I don't find that to be a big negative as I have some neat little electrical gadgets in the ceiling that will light the interior when requested.

 

[Whatthefak]

Mine came tinted, I like it alot. The main drawback is in the shop the overhead lights do nothing to light the inside to work. Outside with sun/part cloudy it's bright enough without being too much or too hot. With tinted windows and a white bus it is cooler in the bus than in the sun.

 

[MambaJack]

Thanks again. I think I am going to go with Lexen 15%