Blackout Store Windows

Businesses and contractors always call us about having us blackout store windows for them. In most cases they are planning to build a wall, set up shelving, or hide plumbing that is directly in front of a section of windows. This solution saves thousands of dollars and weeks of labor that would normally go into removing the windows to put up a wall.

Unfortunately blackout tint is not safe for most store front windows that are going to get hit with sun. This is because when exposed to sunlight, blackout tint causes glass to absorb high amounts of heat which can cause it to expand and break.

Fortunately there is an alternative to traditional blackout for store windows – whiteout film. Whiteout is an opaque polyester film which duplicates the benefits of blackout tint without the risk of glass breakage. Whiteout film is thick, so even framing, plumbing or shelving which is directly behind the film is completely obscured.

Here are some of the risks of using blackout tint instead of whiteout film:

Single Pane, Tempered

In most cases we only install blackout tint on windows that are tempered and single pane. Tempered windows are heat-strengthened (just like the passenger windows on cars), so they can stand up to the added stress of the tint without breaking.

Single Pane, Annealed (Not Tempered)

The only other type of glass we occasionally apply blackout tint to are those that are annealed and single pane. This can still be risky – especially on larger windows. If there are any unseen chips along the edge of the glass, or if the glass was not installed properly (not given a proper amount of room for natural expansion) – breakage can still occur when the glass is exposed to sunlight.

Double Pane, Annealed

Blackout tint applied to double-pane glass causes the inner pane (the pane that the film is applied to) to heat up and expand in the sun while the outer pane remains cooler and does nothing. Since both panes of glass are glued together, this leads to the two panes of glass fighting with each other until one of them breaks.

Double Pane, Tempered

Even if your double-pane glass is tempered, you may not have to worry about breakage, but you do have to worry about seal failure. Seal failure is when the airspace between the panes of glass is split open. Not only does this affect the insulative properties of the glass, but allows moisture to build up between the glass, which will eventually fog the glass and ultimately begin to mold.

Just to recap: The safest glass for blackout tint is single pane, preferably tempered. If your windows are double pane, blackout tint is not recommended.

If your application requires the black color of blackout tint you can always have the tint installed on the outside of the glass. Since the tint is exposed to cooling breezes, the temperature of the glass doesn’t get out of hand. This means that no matter what type of glass you have, you won’t have to worry about thermal breakage, only film longevity. You will probably have to remove and replace the film every 2-5 years if you install it outside, as blackout tint is not specifically designed to stand up to outdoor use. Whiteout film properly installed to the inner face of the glass lasts much longer and it will probably be around 10-15 years before you have to worry about any type of maintenance.

Another option we offer our clients is frosted film. Costing no more to install than whiteout film, you can get the beautiful look of frosted windows to hide whatever is behind the glass. The only drawback to frosted film over whiteout film is that the lower opacity allows you to sometimes see things that are closer than a foot to the glass. If this isn’t an issue for your application, you have the choice of using either product. The advantage to frosted film over whiteout film is that frosted film allows nearly all of the natural light to pass through the window while whiteout film almost blocks it all.

If you have an upcoming project in the Chicago area and would like to get a free quote, give us call at 800-683-8468 or click here to contact us.

Temporary Construction Window Film & Vacancy Film

Professional construction grade privacy film, or as we like to call it, “Vacancy Film”, is the elegant solution for temporary window privacy during construction and/or unit vacancy.

Vacancy film is a white, 4-MIL, opaque, professionally applied film that can offer a uniform appearance to your storefront during construction or vacancy, while protecting your glass from construction debris and paint.

Benefits of temporary construction film are:

• Opaque – you won’t be able to see the mess inside until you’re ready to remove the film.
• End-User removable, with no tools and no residue (for up to 80 days).
• Much more elegant than traditional temporary construction window coverings
• 4-MIL construction helps protect glass during construction.
• Keeps dirt, paint, drywall compound and sawdust off of the windows.

Your alternatives are months or weeks of looking at:

• Uneven soap solution
• Paint
• Newspapers
• Torn construction paper and masking tape
• Plastic garbage bags
• Sawdust covered clear plastic temporary drop cloths

Yes, believe it or not, these are the main methods used to cover windows during construction. Finally there’s a better way, thanks to the development of this revolutionary product. Vacancy film does not require experience to remove and comes off clean, which means anyone can take the film off with minimal effort – saving you money.

The likeliness that the windows will get damaged during construction is significantly reduced due to the films’ heavy duty 4-MIL composition, not to mention that all forms of errant debris and paint will just get stuck to the film – not your windows, making post-construction window clean-up a snap.

If you would like to know more, or would like to get a free quote in the Chicagoland area, give us a call at 800-683-8468 or click here to contact us.

Anti-Graffiti Window Film

Why are there different thicknesses of anti-graffiti film?

Not all anti-graffiti window films are created equal. If you intend on having the film installed outdoors, make sure that the anti-graffiti film is at least 6-MIL (six thousandths of an inch) in thickness. This is the industry tested gauge that can successfully stand up to diamond-tipped glass etching tools. Lighter gauge anti-graffiti films are meant to only hold up against attacks by the casual tagger, who would most likely be using a key or coin to scratch the glass. 4-MIL films are most successful when used on stainless panels in public areas or on bathroom mirrors inside retail establishments. The reason lighter gauge films are manufactured is because they use less material and are therefore cheaper to make.

How is anti-graffiti film different from security film?

The major difference is the adhesive. Security films are not meant to be removed and have an aggressive adhesive that is designed to hold the glass together in the event of breakage. The adhesives in anti-graffiti films are designed for easier removal.

Security film is meant to be installed on the interior surface of the glass and only has UV protectant in the adhesive layer of the film.  Since anti-graffiti films are meant to be used outdoors, they have a UV coat on the exterior of the film in addition to the adhesive to prevent premature breakdown of the film.

Although some “safety” films come in thicknesses as low as 4-MIL, the most commonly used “security” thickness is 8-MIL, about 25% thicker than the most commonly used anti-graffiti film.

Does the brand of anti-graffiti film matter?

Not to the consumer. As long as you are using an optically-clear multi-layered film with at least 6-MIL construction, you are good to go. The major difference between each brand is how easy the film is to remove. This is something that matters more to the company installing (and some day replacing) the film. Some films remove easily while others come off in small pieces leaving a lot of adhesive behind.

Is anti-graffiti film easy to install?

No. The most common problems that occur with the installation of anti-graffiti film are:

Peeling corners – the outer frames of windows hold onto a lot of debris. Even after several washings this debris will easily get sucked behind the edges of the film as it is being trimmed to fit the window. Not only does this produce a bubbly “rash” of grit behind the film, but weakens the bond between the film and the glass. Since the adhesives in anti-graffiti film are designed to be more easily removed, any amount of dirt that inhibits this already loose bond will result in the premature failure of the adhesive.

Wind – anti-graffiti window films are around 4 times thicker than average solar control window films. This means that even the smallest speck of dust will create a large bubble behind the film, because the film is too thick to mould around it. Storefront windows are big. To remove the liner on such a large piece of film, soak it with application fluid and get it onto the window without the wind catching the film or peppering it with dust is an issue every installer has to deal with, but only few are well experienced at preventing.

Is anti-graffiti film easy to remove?

Most of the time – no. Even though anti-graffiti adhesives are designed for easier removal – there is no standard adhesive formula across each manufacturer, so some adhesives start to cure over time making them stubborn to remove.

Depending on the age of the film, UV breakdown may have occurred, weakening the film to the point where it will crack apart as you try to remove it.

Even after you have the film removed, adhesive is left behind.  A safe yet extremely slow method of removing the adhesive is to use some type of solvent to soften the glue and scrub it off with a non-scratch sponge. We use the word “safe” because most storefront glass is tempered. Depending on how well the glass is manufactured, using a razor blade to remove the glue can be a bad decision. Most of the time we find that the glass was already damaged by the previous installer. Review our article on window film removal for more information.

If you are located in the Chicago area and are interested in having anti-graffiti film installed or replaced in your business, please give us a call at 800-683-8468 or click here to request a free estimate.