We are in the midst of a “do-it-yourself” revolution and although the cable home shows make everything look easy the real do-it-yourselfer has come to realize nothing is as easy as it looks.
The same can be said for DIY window film projects. To be more specific, let me separate DIY into automotive vs. so-called ‘flat glass’ installations.
AUTOMOTIVE – it is the strong recommendation of Tintbuyer.com that you do not try to install film on vehicles without proper training. The complex glass curvature and heat-shrinking are far too difficult.
FLAT GLASS – with proper instruction, patience, and extra film, you may feel you can learn how to install window film on your home of office. However, since the measuring and cutting of window film doesn’t look very hard, many have tried their hand at it – and failed. The main reason people fail at installing window film is inadequate training, preparation, and cleaning. Although it doesn’t matter if a few specs of dirt get trapped in your wallpaper, every speck in a window film installation will be apparent, trapped under your window film.
In addition, you have likely seen the commercials for professional hair products stating they cannot guarantee their products unless purchased at a professional salon. For example, www.paulmitchell.com states "Our products are only guaranteed when sold by a professional hair salon. If you purchase professional salon products anywhere but from your hairstylist, chances are it is diverted and it could be old, stolen, counterfeit, or tampered with." With window film you can add that the product may be second-quality and sold at a discount to a reseller and has no manufacturer warranty.
Lastly, DIY warranty coverage can vary wildly with some DIY manufacturers offering no warranty on the applied film at all – your only warranty is for the film as it comes out of the box. If it goes bad in 3 months … you are out of luck.
Again, it is the experienced recommendation of Tintbuyer.com that you do not try to install window film yourself.
The moral of the story – read Tintbuyer.com and the blogs about DIY film and trust your instincts.