Window tinting on the balcony: types of films, selection criteria and installation features

Advantages and disadvantages

In order to appreciate all the benefits of purchasing a mirror film, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the product's advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• protection of glass from formation of cracks as a result of mechanical impact;

• high-quality barrier in the summer from the sun's rays, which saves money on the operation of fans and air conditioners;

• creating a comfortable environment, seclusion from the eyes of strangers (important for residents of high-rise buildings on the ground floors and private households);

• safety when breaking glass (all chips will remain fixed on the film);

• improving the appearance of the facade, mirrored window openings give presentability;

• prevention of formation of condensate;

• additional protection of the premises in winter from heat losses;

• affordable price.

Among other things, the film does not belong to combustible materials, which increases the level of fire safety. It has the property of shielding electromagnetic radiation, anti-glare effect, which makes staying indoors comfortable.

Flaws:

• after the installation of the film, the need for thick curtains does not disappear, due to the transparency of the material when the light is on;

• in the cold season, it is not possible to get additional heating of the room through tinted windows;

• if the windows face the north side or the building has a garden with high dense crowns of trees, then the interior of the room will look gloomy.

Advantages and disadvantages of tinting

The benefits of tinting are not limited to the aesthetic appeal of balcony windows.

Tinted windows on the balcony and loggia allow you to solve the following tasks:

• get rid of glare on monitors and screens of digital and television equipment standing in the room;
• significantly reduce the percentage of window heating, which means the temperature of the balcony and, as a result, the apartment space;
• protect wallpaper from fading;
• protect all family members from glass cuts, since when a tinted window is broken, all the fragments remain in the film;
• protect flowers standing on a balcony or loggia from excessively bright light, which can lead to their death;
• protect your windows from prying eyes (relevant for residents of the first and second floors).

The disadvantages of tinting balconies and loggias include the following nuances:

• low light transmission, due to which it will get dark in such an apartment earlier than, for example, in the next one;
• the film fades sooner or later (especially inexpensive options made in China).

Kinds

The market is presented in a wide range. To make the best choice of sliding windows to the balcony, you need to know the design features of all their types.

They differ:

opening type:

1. Simple sliding - one sash is deaf, the other is movable.
2. Double-sided sliding - both doors are movable.
3. Three-leaf sliding - one deaf and two movable.
4. Sliding book.

according to the type of mechanical design of the opening device.

Double-glazed windows equipped with a lift-and-slide mechanism

When using this mechanical device, moving out to another plane, the sash moves up along the vertical guide grooves of the window frame when opening. The mechanism does not allow the open sash to fall down freely.

This type of mechanical design is also used for windows that open by pulling out the active sash and moving left and right along the guide. The design is more complex, but provides a sufficient level of tightness.

Such windows are popular abroad. But their cost is higher than hinged windows, so the demand for them is less.

Double-glazed windows equipped with a parallel-sliding

Sliding window systems with a parallel-sliding mechanism that are most in demand among consumers.

Opening windows, like doors in a compartment, it occurs due to the movement of the role mechanism along the grooves of the vertical sides.

Tilt-sliding windows

They open and close when moving along the guide, but in order to open such a window, you should:

• turn the handle-lock to open;
• pull the sash towards you so that the rollers enter the grooves of the vertical runners;
• move the sash;
• fasten with a clamp.

Shutters with this mechanism can be tilted to the ventilation mode.

Sliding accordion mechanism

This type of glazing is used for long window openings of balconies, loggias and verandas. Such sliding windows do not save space when opened, but they can completely open a window opening up to 7 m long.

According to the materials used for the manufacture of window profiles:

• plastic;
• aluminum;
• wood.

Plastic profiles are still the most popular in the domestic market. These are functional and durable windows. They have an affordable price.

Windows made of aluminum profiles are not inferior in terms of durability, and maybe even surpass them. But they have a higher price. They will glaze large window openings, as the structures are lightweight.

Aluminum sliding windows to the balcony are designed for cold glazing only. The profile of this material is single-chamber. They are easy to care for.

The wooden profile has high ecological and esthetic properties. Its cost is high.

Wooden window profiles are used to decorate luxury window openings.

Types of films for window glass

Coatings are divided into several groups, among them providing a protective function, energy-saving, etc. In the first case, you can influence the intensity of sunlight.Still such films for windows promote increase in durability of a light-transmitting surface. Energy-saving coatings do not always have color. Such materials are used to regulate the indoor temperature in winter and summer. In the warm months, films of this type prevent the room from overheating. In winter, energy-saving coatings help reduce heat loss from the room.

The film for tinting windows is characterized by a minimum thickness. Transparent coatings are not visible on the glass at all. Darker colors of the material are used quite often, because they do not cause discomfort when looking at the protected window.

Sunscreen

This type of coating prevents the penetration of sunlight into the room. As a result, tinted windows reflect up to 80% of the radiation. This prevents overheating of the air in the room. Thanks to such a film, furniture and appliances inside the facility also do not heat up during the daytime. The coating slightly darkens the light-transmitting surface. However, this does not affect the quality of lighting: the room remains bright enough, in such a room you can read, work at a computer.

Tinted double-glazed windows have another property. So, thanks to them, glare on glossy surfaces is eliminated. You can watch TV or work at the computer, but you don't have to close the windows with curtains or blinds.

Such films make life much easier in an apartment with south-facing windows. In this case, the room temperature on hot days is high for most of the day.In addition, tinted plastic windows look more attractive than transparent light-transmitting surfaces. A film with a slight darkening gives the object nobility. At a cost, this type of coverage is the most affordable.

Mirror

Such a film is similar in some properties to a tinted analogue, but a number of differences are noted. So, when using mirror tinting for windows, one-way visibility is provided. This means that the interior of the object will not be visible from the street. It will also not be possible to observe the movements of the owner, because when applying the film, a mirror effect is created. As a result, passers-by, when trying to look into the house, will not see anything but their own reflection.

Given these properties, it is recommended to use such a coating in a number of cases:

• a private house is located close to the border of the site, there is a sidewalk, a roadway nearby;
• apartment buildings are opposite each other, as a result, you can see what other residents are doing while at home - in this case, the problem of a wide view is easily solved with the help of mirror tinted glass.

According to a number of basic parameters, such coatings do not differ from tinted films. They reflect most of the radiation. Do not create the effect of complete darkening of the room. However, after dark, the effect of a mirror by a window with tinted glass disappears. When you turn on the light, everything that happens in the room will be visible.

Protective

The main purpose of such coverage is to ensure the safety of the facility. However, it cannot be used as a primary measure. The film can only be used along with other means of protection: alarms, motion sensors, etc.Such material is characterized by impact resistance, resistance to mechanical damage. In the event of a strong impact, the film holds glass fragments, preventing them from flying apart. If the mechanical load was not large enough, the integrity of the window is preserved, and a crack does not form.

There are different modifications of the coating, which differ in the degree of strength. When choosing, you should take into account the purpose of the room, the height of the windows and the level of the security system of the facility. For example, in a child's room, a film is used that does not allow fragments to scatter upon impact. It won't withstand heavy loads.

Matte

This type of coating is more often used indoors, for example, to divide the space. Also matte film is pasted on the door in the bathroom. It is inappropriate to use such material in the rest of the premises of the object, because when pasting the glass, the street will not be visible. As a result, windows immediately cease to perform their main function. If the question is how to darken the glass, a matte coating should be considered only for pasting some windows (bathroom, toilet) or doors.

tint film care

Any tinted coating is not too demanding to maintain. The owners usually manage with water or one of the non-aggressive means. But some tips make it possible to live with such protection as "happily ever after".

1. The ideal dust remover is a soft microfiber cloth.
2. A solution of liquid baby soap is the best cleaner for film tinting.
3. The use of hard sponges for cleaning windows is prohibited, this will cause scratches.
4. Wet cleaning of such coatings once a month is a minimum, but more frequency is welcome.
5. Smoothing the film starts from the center, ends with the edges. Only such a sequence will save from the onset of the "big army" of bubbles.
6. The bubbles that appear are removed with a syringe and water. First, the surface is pierced, then filled with water. Straighten the "blister" with a soft material (microfiber) or a spatula.

After analyzing all the pros and cons, getting acquainted with the features of the process, it is already possible and necessary to make a final decision about the purchase of this wonderful film. However, first you need to find out how such a tinted coating is then removed.

Types of structures according to the type of opening of the valves

Plastic windows also differ in type of construction, depending on the method of opening:

Sliding and hinged glazing

Types of windows differ in the way they open, they can be hinged, sliding. When it comes to swing blocks, plastic, aluminum, wood are used, which support an ordinary double-glazed window.

Such sashes may differ in opening mechanisms:

• swing-out: enough space is needed to take full advantage of this function. In addition, here the sashes can recline, which allows you to save a little free space;
• sliding: here the aluminum frame contains a single-view package with a large thickness. To open the system, you just need to move the sash to the side.

opening type

As a rule, most of the balcony glazing is made in a blind design - this provides a good luminous flux and helps save money.But it is also necessary to provide for opening doors - the systems are presented in a wide constructive variety, each of them has its own characteristics. The ease of use of the window structure will depend on the correct choice.

Pros and cons

You can stick a tint film for glasses on a balcony and loggia in any apartment. With its help, first of all, it will turn out to reduce the lighting. This is especially true when it comes to the location of windows on the sunny side.

Here artificial dimming is a real salvation. Tinted windows have their pros and cons. Let's consider them in more detail.

Among the advantages, it can be noted that tinting does not require careful maintenance, as is the case, for example, when windows are closed with wrinkled and dirty curtains. Cleaning up dust is easy

In addition, space is saved, which is especially important for small balconies. The use of fences can significantly reduce it.

Tinting will last a long time. Direct sunlight does no harm to her. She is also not afraid of adverse weather conditions, such as rain, wind, heat or frost. The room will be reliably protected from ultraviolet and bright light.

For example, with its help you can ensure that from the street it will be impossible to look inside

This is especially important for residents of the lower floors. In addition, it is possible to significantly increase the surface strength

Also, the use of the film gives room for imagination and the possibility of decorating the balcony in various ways.

One of them is the constant darkening of the apartment.In some cases, this leads to the fact that it is impossible to do without artificial lighting. In cases where tinting makes windows impenetrable from the outside, but at the same time has the ability to transmit light well, there is a high probability of dim lighting. Especially these nuances are noticeable in cloudy weather, when an additional darkening of the room is created.

How to tint glass yourself

Do-it-yourself tinting of a balcony or loggia with your own hands is a fairly simple job, provided that the workflow is properly organized and the necessary tools are at hand.

What will be required

To work on tinting balcony windows, you will need the following tools:

• stationery cutter;
• spray;
• thin needle;
• rubber spatula;
• tinting film.

Balcony glass tinting

To perform tinting of balcony windows, the glass itself does not need to be taken out of the wooden frames at all. Also, do not remove the sealing gum in the case of plastic windows.

Balcony glass tinting works as follows:

First you need to clean the glass from dust and dirt.
Then the glass is degreased. For this, a soap solution is prepared: 5 drops of liquid soap or detergent are added to 1.5 liters of water. The resulting solution is applied to the glass with a spray gun. It is necessary to try to process each section of the glass surface. Of course, it’s not worth pouring everything around with soapy water, but it’s also not advisable to save the solution.
To prevent the glass from being too wet, after applying a soapy solution to it, walk along the window with a rubber spatula.
The next step is to prepare the protective film patterns.To do this, the glass of a balcony or loggia is measured along the perimeter, after which pieces of the film are cut with a clerical knife. The pattern is done with a small margin.
After preparing an accurate pattern, you should thoroughly wash and degrease your hands. It is best to use cologne or vodka for this purpose, pouring a little liquid into your palms.
Next, the protective layer is separated from the tinting itself. It is better to do it together, because. The film tends to wrap and wrinkle.
The film is then applied to the glass. This is done carefully so that horizontal creases do not occur. The protective film should adhere to the glass quite tightly so that air gaps do not form.
If the layer is nevertheless formed, it must be carefully pierced with a pre-prepared thin needle or pin to allow the air to come out. After that, the fold is smoothed out from the edges to the hole, which will allow an additional volume of accumulated air to come out.
Lastly, you need to cut off the excess film strictly around the perimeter. This is done like this: the blade of a clerical cutter should be carefully guided along the junction of the frame and glass

It is important to do this carefully and with non-trembling hands so that there are no gaps along the perimeter. They will spoil the whole effect of toning.

If you glue the film on glass without a frame

The procedure for working with film in this case:

Clean the glass and degrease it.
Cut a piece of film to the size of the glass, leaving a small allowance.
Apply water from a spray bottle to the glass surface.
Peel off the film from the protective layer and carefully attach one of its edges to the top of the glass.
Carefully stick the film on the glass, carefully smoothing every centimeter of it with a spatula.
Bubbles arising under the film are expelled either with a towel or a spatula.
Cut off the excess edges with a utility knife.
Insert the glass back.

You can use another method if you are afraid that dust will get on the glass or film. You can glue the film by lowering the glass completely under water. All actions will be the same, but after gluing the glass with the film must be allowed to dry before inserting it into the frame.

If you act very carefully, following all the above rules and tips, you can achieve the perfect overlay of the film on the balcony glass.

When should it be used?

Actual use of the film in apartments, houses, offices, where there are many windows or a large area. For example, panoramic windows occupy an entire wall, they can cause trouble in the form of overheating of the room, heat loss in winter.

Windows located on the southern facade of the building need to be glued with a protective coating: to create the optimal temperature, you have to use air conditioning, furniture upholstery, wall decoration regularly lose color.

Living room interior with panoramic windows

If we compare the energy-saving film with similar glasses of the "I", "K" class, the film material is more practical and convenient. The coating does not affect the transparency of the glass. Installation of the material guarantees a comfortable temperature in the room all year round, reliable protection from solar radiation. The cost of the material is less than double-glazed windows.

Types of films for tinting

Sun protection films

Solar control films are able to reflect up to 80% of solar energy, absorb glare from sunlight and eliminate solar glare on computer monitors and TV screens, which ensures comfortable indoor conditions on the hottest and sunniest day.

Solar control films, created using modern technologies, improve the appearance of the building, and at the same time save energy. These films can safely be called the best, and at the same time inexpensive, invisible protection of the required room temperature.

Solar control films for windows are offered in a wide range of colours, degrees of “mirror” and darkening.

Tinted window films

Window tint films are the general name for films that have the property of filtering sunlight when used on window panes and visible light when used on office glass partitions. It is these types of films that are used to tint the windows of buildings.

Toning films are intended for installation on glass and giving them decorative, non-shattering and other properties that the stylistic properties of the general appearance of a building have.

Toning films have a very large range of colors (bronze, gray, green, blue, etc., etc.) with different degrees of light transmission and protection and can satisfy any wish of a modern customer.

Mirror films

Probably the most popular film in use. This window film gives the effect of one-way visibility and at the same time is the best protection from the sun.

It should be noted that mirror films are offered in a variety of color shades, degrees of “specularity” and dimming.

These films can fully match the stylistic idea of ​​the designer without standing out from the overall style of the building.

What is especially important today, since style determines a lot. Corporate style or the general style of a private house can only benefit from a well-chosen film.

The mirror film reflects and absorbs up to 90% of sunlight and up to 80% of solar energy, completely protecting the premises from ultraviolet radiation, heat and bright light, creating a cozy and comfortable environment inside

Due to its properties, the mirror film makes it difficult to see from the outside, which is especially important for rooms located on the lower floors.

And given that global warming has long been an unresolved problem on a global scale, it is quite obvious that the need for mirror film will only increase year by year.

The mirror effect will seriously help to hide privacy from prying eyes, and will also help protect many valuable things that are inside the room from fading. And given that global warming has long been an unresolved problem on a global scale, it is quite obvious that the need for mirror film will only increase year by year.

And, of course, it should be noted that the film applied to the glass surface makes it possible to make the glass safe. Broken glass (double-glazed window) does not crumble into fragments, but remains on the film.

Mirror films can be with one of four protection classes (K4, A1, A2, A3), as well as create additional security, coupled with an alarm.

Protective films

Protective window films increase impact resistance and make the glass shatter-proof. Such films are especially relevant if there are children in the house. Even broken glass does not always require immediate replacement, while continuing to protect against bad weather, noise, and dust.

Protective films can be an ideal means of protecting the windows of a country house in the absence of owners. Any heavy object thrown into the glass, or uninvited guests, will face invisible protection, which, coupled with an alarm, will help prevent many unpleasant moments.

Matte films

Matte films are one of the most popular types of specialty films.
With the help of the texture of their coating, matte films retain high light transmission up to 77%, while almost completely eliminating visibility.

Matte films allow you to find interesting design and interior solutions for shops, offices, restaurants, apartments. A wide range of colors of matte films (white, gray, silver, brown, bronze) allows you to choose the desired color shade that suits the interior of the room.

Mirror tint.

There is a special one - mirror tinting, which, by applying it to the glass of the balcony, can protect its interior from unwanted glances of curious subjects who want to take a closer look at what is happening inside the room. At the same time, being on the balcony space through the mirror tinting, you can clearly see what is happening outside."SLR" as well as a regular tinted film saves from excessive scattering of glass in the event of a heavy object falling into the window.

If you look from the side of the street, you can see that mirror-tinted windows look much more attractive than ordinary ones. Caring for them is not particularly difficult. The applied film adheres firmly, and cleaning the window with it is carried out in the same way as if you were washing ordinary glass.

Panoramic glazing, types and features

Panoramic is called glazing, which occupies the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe fence of an architectural ledge. The main advantage of this design is a perfect overview. But this feature in some cases makes it impractical to install glass systems.

If the balcony overlooks an industrial area, a parking lot, a territory for garbage containers, the opening panorama will not provide the proper aesthetic effect. Full glazing is performed if it provides an opportunity to admire beautiful natural, urban landscapes.

In particular, will the balcony slab, albeit designed for a safe weight, withstand the additional load from glass, metal, and plastic. A few more layers of insulation with heating will be placed on the stove itself. Glass also has weight (6 mm thick), and even in metal packaging and with a triple layer.

You will also have to obtain permission from the authorities for such installation. And they do not like precedents: having allowed one, tomorrow they will receive a flurry of similar statements. In a word, everything needs to be weighed.

In choosing the design of a panoramic balcony, many important factors are taken into account:

• type of glazing;
• dimensions of the architectural structure;
• purpose of the zone;
• style of the room.

If the balcony after the conversion becomes a continuation of the room or its year-round operation is planned, plastic, metal-plastic systems are used in the glazing to ensure a comfortable temperature. The installation of frameless type cold structures or with aluminum profiles is advisable when using the zone in the warm season. Panoramic glazing visually expands the balcony.

The purpose of this zone plays an important role in the choice of design. It should provide comfortable conditions for rest or work. Glazed balcony is part of the living room, bedroom or kitchen. When it is designed, a harmonious combination with the room is ensured. One style or similar design directions are chosen, a combination of shades and materials is taken into account. Numerous photos of balcony designs with panoramic glazing posted on the Internet will help you find the best option.