EXTERIOR Window tint or wrap??

[rv_safetyman]

Hi Folks.  For a while I must leave the bus windows in place.  I have 4 great RV windows and the rest are stock Eagle 10.  I don't think it looks too bad UNTIL the sun shines on the side of the bus and you can see the aluminum insulating material I have placed in the windows we do not use. 

I will pull the windows we don't need later, but with the interior mostly in place, that is a huge job (bad part of converting as you go, rather than doing a full blown conversion).  I may get to that part of the conversion later this year, but realistically, it may not happen for a long time, as it is not a FUNCTIONAL issue.  So, I am looking at a way to blank out the windows from the outside.

I can't find an exterior window tint.  Wrap material (both the solid and perforated window versions) seem to be very expensive and it looks like they would need to be processed to be black (it looks like they come in a printable version only and it looks like that is a clear color). 

I have thought about using a good epoxy primer as a bond and painting the windows black, but not sure that would work.

Any ideas?

Jim

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Jim,

Paint the inside of the window black, then install your insulation.... Done!

Good Luck
Nick-

[Hartley]

Oracal Makes many different types of exterior vinyl material
in just about any color that you can think of.

In a situation where you simply want to black out or block the windows.
Just use sign vinyl cut to size. It will stick to the glass and generally last a couple
of years or more.

Comes in various widths and 150 foot long rolls.

Go to Sign Warehouse and you can order what you need.
It has a backing paper so precutting is easy, then wet apply with a squeegee..

I will send you the link by email...

Dave....

[Tenor]

To tag onto Dave's post, you could put this on the inside too.  It would last for ever there, if you have access still.  Do your windows still swing out?

[niles500]

Cheap - but won't last long - contact paper - still very cheap - FWIW

[rv_safetyman]

Sorry, I had specifically tried limit the discussion to exterior, but did not say why. 

I have installed lots of things that make it almost impossible to get to some of the windows that I need to cover (behind the shower, washer/dryer, and fridge, for example).  So this needs to be on the outside. 

Dave, I like the idea of what I call decal type vinyl.  I had thought of that a few days ago and then my pea brain lost the thought.

One of my struggles with this whole process is whether to only cover the windows with a tint/wrap/vinyl or paint.  If I paint, I will probably go white with the special two part epoxy primer (great adhesion to most anything) that I have used on the bus so far (has some sheen to it and looks pretty good) and spray the frames and all.  If I cover only the glass, I probably can only use black (to match the frames) and that will increase the heat load.

What ever I do, I want it to look reasonably good.

Keep the ideas and thoughts coming.

Jim

[FloridaCliff]

Jim,

I like the sign vinyl idea!

How about a cleaver shadow image on the windows?

Like they do on model trains!  You know with people on the inside.......

Just a thought.

Cliff

[paulcjhastings]

Satin Black cast vinyl, no glare, costs less than $5 per yard, is warranteed for 7 years. Just put it on and trim it up. Tint is only good on the interior.

[tekebird]

yep black vu=inyl...get the good stuff or it will start to come off....and use it on the outside

[larryh]

Just get some gloss black in the rattle can and paint the glass from the outside and hide the whold works cheap and probably last 3-4 years mine has been on two years and no peeling yet and thats through the AZ heat and what I put on when the bridge fell in Minneapolis and thank god I was about 300 feet from the school bus.

LarryH

[Tony LEE]

"Paint the inside of the window black, then install your insulation.... Done!"

If the windows are LAMINATED glass, I would STRONGLY advise not doing that.

I followed exactly that advice and the glass got so hot that the outside layer cracked into dozens of pieces and small pieces at the corners where cracks met actually popped out. The lamination did hold the glass in place but it looked pretty awful and would likely have failed the next inspection.

Looked really good when it was first done, but not for long.

One pane used as a breakable emergency exit was tempered glass and wasn't effected (luckily)

I ended up having to paint over the outside of the glass to cover up the mess.

[rv_safetyman]

LarryH. 

As you know, we are in Quartzsite as well.  Would it be possible to look at your coach?

Jim
three zero three 478-3501

[larryh]

Yes Jim I answered your personal email and any time your free the direction are in Personal email.

LarryH