General
ETCH GLASS VINYL, WINDOW TINTING or Opaque Vinyl – Which to use and where?
Feb
The Vinyl Corporation has been supplying Signmaking vinyl and SIGN MAKING MATERIALS to the sign Industry for over thirty years, during that time one of the most asked questions has been which material to use for WINDOW GRAPHICS to provide safety, security or privacy? there are several options, depending on the priority and importance of the objectives to be achieved, let’s examine the options:
ETCH GLASS VINYL
There are many grades and shades of window ETCHED GLASS EFFECT vinyl available on the market today, so which one to use? for a broad spectrum WINDOW ETCH FILM the LG ETCH MATERIAL is the” go to “vinyl, with this product 80% of light is allowed to pass through the material, whilst still obscuring the vision and direct sight, so if the client requires a privacy panels for offices or bathroom windows to be obscured, then the LG ETCH VINYL is the better choice.
WINDOW TINTING
There are several shades and grades of window tint available, but for flat glass office windows, to conceal the presence of computers or cash registers, while also reflecting the Sun rays from glaring and making computer screens difficult to see then WINDOW TINT is an ideal choice, fitting on the inside of an exterior window, NOT on an internal office partition, as the window tint works on the principle of the disparity of light outside being brighter than that inside, so always be aware if there are fluorescent tube lights sited close to the tinted window. The light transmission will depend upon the grade of WINDOW TINTING FILM that has been selected, TOP TIP : a 5% LIMO BLACK tint , typically used on rear car windows allows 5% of light to pass through -hence it being much darker than a 50% tint – So do not confuse the light transmission rating- So 5% is much darker than a 20%, 30% or a 50% tint.
OPAQUE VINYL
When a Shop window needs “Blacking out” or “Whiting Out” to conceal unsightly items – such as the rear of refrigerators or shelving displays, if the inside of the window can be easily accessed, then the application of some ORACAL 651 (after a thoroughly good cleaning down with some AVERY SURFACE CLEANER) will deliver the desired effect. Should the shopfitters have installed the equipment prior to the application of the window decals, then the installation of the window graphics can be applied to the exterior of the window, this is the least favoured choice, as it is more prone to vandalism and aesthetically usually looks better with an internal application.The above are just some hints and tips from The Vinyl Corporation and the Very helpful and knowledgeable staff are on hand to help you and advise you about the best methods to tackle your next project, whether it is window graphics or a full VEHICLE WRAP please call on 0115 930 1133.