How to Install Pre-Cut Window Tint

A pre-cut kit removes the hardest skill in tinting, which is cutting film on the glass. What’s left is cleaning, spraying and squeegeeing. None of it is difficult, but every step matters. Work in a garage or a shaded, still spot. Wind and direct sun are your enemies.

What you need

• Spray bottle with slip solution (water plus a few drops of baby shampoo per quart)
• A second spray bottle of plain water, or a wetter mix, for cleaning
• Hard card squeegee and a soft or felt-edge squeegee
• Razor scraper and a scrub pad for glass prep
• Lint-free microfiber towels
• Heat gun (for curved rear glass and windshields)

The Titan Install Tool Kit includes everything except the heat gun. You can add both in the builder.

1. Sort your pieces

Lay the pieces out and match each label to its window (driver front, passenger rear and so on) before any backing comes off. Plan to do the front doors first. They are the flattest and easiest windows.

2. Clean the glass, then clean it again

Roll the window down about an inch. Spray the inside of the glass, scrape it with the razor at a low angle, then squeegee it dry. Wipe the seals and the edge of the door panel so you don’t drag dirt back onto the glass. Then do it again. Dust and hair trapped under the film are the most common first-install flaws, and they can’t be fixed once the film sticks.

3. Spray everything

Soak the glass with slip solution. Wet your fingertips too, since dry fingers leave prints on the adhesive. Peel the clear liner off the film while spraying the adhesive side as it comes off. Don’t be stingy. More solution means more time to position the film.

4. Lay the film

With the window still down about an inch, put the film on the glass, adhesive side against the glass. Slide it until the top edge sits about 1/16″ below the top of the glass and the sides line up. Spray the outside face of the film so the squeegee glides.

5. Squeegee from the center out

Anchor the film with one stroke down the middle, then work outward and down to push solution and air to the edges. Raise the window, tuck the bottom edge under the rubber seal with the card, and squeegee the bottom section. Wrap the hard card in a towel for the final passes around the edges to soak up water.

6. Rear glass: shrink first

Curved rear windows usually need the film shrunk before install. You shape it on the outside of the glass with a heat gun, then clean and apply it inside. See do you have to shrink pre-cut tint? for the full method.

7. Let it cure

Keep windows up for 3 to 5 days, longer in cold or humid weather. A little haze or small water pockets are normal for the first week or two and dry out on their own. Don’t clean the inside of the glass for about a week, and when you do, use an ammonia-free cleaner.

Common mistakes

• Not enough solution: the film grabs before it’s in place
• Working in sun or wind: the solution dries and dust blows in
• Pressing too hard on defroster lines: use the soft squeegee there
• Rolling windows down too early: the bottom edge peels

Questions