Successfully tinting your own car, truck, Jeep, or SUV windows can be such a rewarding experience. It can also be a nightmare if the proper tools and preparation aren't exercised. Professional installation is always recommended, since the pros will guarantee their work against bubbling, which can happen when window tint is improperly installed. Tint professionals also take on the risk of raw material costs, such as having to use an extra sheet of film if they cut a pattern wrong. However, you're looking for some quick advice on how to tint your vehicles windows, and AutoPartsToys is here to help!

Step-by-Step Automotive Window Tinting:

1.Purchase the tint you want to use. Most window tint will have a guide on the back of the packaging to help you determine how much of their film you'll need to cover your specific vehicle. On average, a small 4-door car will need about 12ft to cover all side windows and the rear. Trucks and SUV's can take 15ft-20ft of film. You can purchase special 3-piece kits for the rear window which will make your life much easier.

2.Purchase a tint application kit. A good kit will include an exacto knife, 5in squeegee, hard card (with felt or rubber edge), lint-free cloth, spray bottle (for tint solution), and scraper with razer insert. Don't waste your money on tinting solution. Place two or three drops of Johnson's Baby Wash in the spray bottle and top the bottle off with (preferably) distilled water.

3.Wash vehicle. Wash the exterior of the vehicle, including the windows, to reduce possible dust contamination. You'll be using the exterior of each window to cut the tint film, so make sure they're clean!

4.Clean inside windows, moldings, and trim. In order to do a professional job, window cleaning and prep should take just as long as the tinting itself. Start by vacuuming the car completely. Next wash all the window trim and moldings inside, ensuring there is no dust or dirt anywhere. Then wash the interior windows three times. Once with cleaner and lint-free cloth. Once again with tinting solution and lint-free cloth, running the scraper with blade held at a 45-degree angle along the entire interior surface of window to remove stuck on gunk.Then once more with cleaner and lint free cloth.

5.Cut film and apply tint. It should go without saying that you should be in a clean, dust-free area when working with the film. You will need a tint roll, hard card, squeege, application solution, and exacto knife. Trim the tint to size using the outside part of the window, then apply tint using the instructions in this great video from Gila. The rear window requires a slightly different technique shown here.

6.Leave windows rolled up for 48 hours while tint cures. Also avoid turning your A/C up too high during this time. The tint needs heat to fully seat to the glass. Tell Your Friends! We really hope this guide helped you out. Don't forget to leave your comments down below and also feel free to share this post with your social media friends so everyone can benefit from this post. AutoPartsToys.com carries some helpful products that can cut down your tint install time. Check out the new Tinted Window Louvers from DefenderWorx and T-Rex. If you're a Jeep owner, you'll love the 3-Piece Tinted Window Kits from Rampage.