How does the Window Tint sticks?

On every window film, there is a clear protective liner, usually made of polyester, which is used to cover the adhesive part and protect it from contamination before installation. Window film technology has a variety of adhesives, but they generally fall into two categories: a dry and a sticky. What’s the difference?

Dry adhesives are typically used on window tint destined for use on flat glass windows. You won’t notice anything sticky when you remove the protective film. The adhesive is water-activated (WAA) usually by spraying with a solution of soap and water and can be moved and repositioned on the window before squeegeeing into place.

The recommended used for dry adhesive type of window film are residential houses, commercial buildings and especially a large, flat expanse of glass. At Tint View, we use films with dry adhesives for any flat-glass projects, follow these links to read more about what we offer for homeowners and businesses.

Sticky adhesive is sticky to the touch. Also known as pressure-sensitive (PS), this type of adhesive is most commonly used in automotive applications, and will retain a high adhesion, even on the curved glass. Pressure-sensitive window film is specifically tested to ensure a high optical quality with an undistorted view through combination of glass and film.

The curvature of the glass is why pressure-sensitive films need to be used on vehicles. The application of window tint with a pressure-sensitive adhesive still includes a soap and water solution, the film also requires it to be heat-shrunk to uniformly cover the curved shape of the windows. This is where added pressure from your squeegee is a necessary step to ensure maximum window film performance. This is where the term, “pressure-sensitive” originates.

Learn more about the various automotive tints we have available by reading here.

You might have noticed us in this article using the words “tint” and “film” nearly interchangeable. In the business, we generally refer to houses getting window film, whereas cars get tint (think of “tint” as lingo for “automotive window film”). All of the automotive tints we use at Tint View are pressure-sensitive, and we heat shrink every installation before curing under infrared lamps to guarantee you a perfect fit and finish every time.

Do you have window tinting needs that aren’t being met? Give us a call, we would love to talk to you about your options.