How to remove brittle window tint and find exterior film
Old window film becomes incredibly brittle and separates into two layers, with the clear bottom layer being so stubborn that even applying heat does nothing. Once you finally scrape it off, finding a replacement for a skylight is frustrating because nearly all UV blocking films are made for interior use, not exterior application.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1keep replacing the film on the outsideDid this help you?
- 2install film on the insideDid this help you?
- 3replace the glass with the factory applied coatingsDid this help you?
- 4put some interior only static cling film in the outsideDid this help you?
- 5Picking at the layers manuallyDid this help you?
- 6Applying heatDid this help you?
- 7Blowing compressed air under the edgesDid this help you?
- 8Using denatured alcoholDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“So, i have this awful tint on my glass door. It was already here before we moved in, so who knows how long it's been here. It's incredibly brittle and seems to be in two layers, the tinted layer on the outside, and a clear (even more brittle) layer on the inside.”source ↗
“If I spend enough time picking at it, I can get the tinted layer, but the clear layer is much more difficult. I've tried applying heat, but that didn't do anything at all. I think it's just too damn old.”source ↗
“I need to replace the peeling window film on this skylight. I’m having trouble finding what I need, when I’ve searched for UV blocking window film I keep finding products meant for interior applications when the film I need to replace is adhered to the exterior.”source ↗
Where this came up
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