Installation

[bk2design 1]

Ok, got a question for you tint experts...

First, back many, many years ago when I worked for a custom shop we also did tint installation. Mostly the dark dark limo tint for government surveillance vans, can't tell you who or I'd have to kill you.    If I remember right I was taught to squeegee out all the solution so there were no bubbles. Never had one come back the few years I was there.

Yesterday my brother-in-law went to get his windows tinted on his work van. There were bubbles all over the place. He said the guy told him they would go away in a day or so. I am finding this very hard to believe. I told him to take it back and have them re-install it.

Is there a new magical tint material that you can do this?

[Guest Terry]

Well years back your right, the haze would take a few days but I never seen bubbles go away. Maybe now, but I doubt it.

[showaride 0]

Well, we I had all mine done the place would say there might be a couple of bubbles. They would tell me to bake it in the sun for 3 to 4 days. That should help dry it out and get rid of the bubbles. I would have one or two that wont go away but I still think they should try to get most of them out when applying.

I would love to see a vid on this as I will be trying to do tint very soon.

[darkdan 3]

water bubbles dry out.  You'll know if it's water because it gives a fish eye view when you look through it.

Air bubbles will not dry out.  They appear white or silver from the outside.

[bk2design 1]

Yeah, the water will evaporate but the tint won't magically suck up to the window right? You'll stive have some sort of defect there.

[firemalt 10]

It shouldn't... I think you'll be fine as long as they aren't air bubbles.

[haumana 1,220]

Not sure why the tint shop really has bubbles in the first place. I've gone through a LOT of vehicles and have tinted all of them. Not once did my tinter ever leave bubbles on any of the windows. If the window curvature was extreme, then those windows would be done in multiple pieces (with the cuts being hidden one the defrost lines). If anything, it takes few days of decent heat for the adhesive to cure well enough to roll  your windows down. Sometimes there is very minute shrinkage too.

If there's bubbles, then tinter should find a different method of application. You can give them the benefit of the doubt, but if the water dries up and there is still a bubble left - you'll get visual deflection, and there's a good change the bubble(s) will haze, and an even better chance that the bubble will eventually crack after some time and then it'll start tearing.