Tinting your car can be very appealing to a lot of vehicle owners thanks to the protection and privacy that comes along with darkened windows. However, many are put off by the thought of the process taking too long. Not everyone can be without their mode of transportation for days or even hours!
Unfortunately, there’s no way around it – tinting your windows is a lengthy process and can take quite a while. No matter whether you do it yourself or have them tinted professionally, you’ll need to be patient to get the best results.
Tinting windows takes precision, care, and a lot of attention to detail, so don’t expect it to be done within a few minutes. Rushing the tinting process will leave you with bubbling, premature fading, or peeling.
So, how long can you expect to have to wait for your windows to be tinted? There are a few factors that you need to consider first.
Your vehicle
Your vehicle is the biggest factor affecting how long a tint job will be. Of course, a small car will take much less time to tint than a large SUV or truck. So, the size of your car is the first consideration.
Another is the shape of your windows. If your windows are an unusual shape it is more likely to take the company tinting the windows longer as it makes for a more complex task. Plus, the number of windows you want tinting will also make the wait time longer.
An average four-door Sedan can take between one and two hours to tint all of the windows, while larger cars with bigger windows or complex window structures can take two or more hours.
Existing tint
If your car already has an old tint on the windows that needs to be removed before the new film can be put on, the time it takes to complete is going to be much longer. Removing old tint can take two hours or more, potentially doubling the estimated time.
This also depends on the tint shop that you use. Some will have quicker practices of removing the old tint while others will take more time.
The company you go for
Speaking of the tint job you opt for, this is another factor that will affect your time estimate. Some tint shops work incredibly fast while others prefer to take their time. Bear in mind that faster isn’t always better, as this can lead to unprofessional results.
On the other hand, a shop that takes their time might not be the best, either. While you might believe that they’re taking their time to complete the job at a high standard, it might just be due to the stalling or not having enough workers.
Tint film cutting time
Some tint shops will have pre-cut films to fit your car, particularly if you have booked in advance. This will take considerably less time than if the installer has to cut the film to your car while you’re waiting.
Some shops need to see your car before they can cut the film so that they get the exact measurements to avoid wasting film on poor cuts. If your car has complex window shapes and structures, it’s likely that you’ll be waiting for even longer for the job to be done.
Drying time
You’ll need to leave your car for a while so that the tint film can dry before you use it again. Many people don’t realize this and therefore can get annoyed by this additional extra time. Drying time allows all of the moisture to be removed from the tint film to avoid bubbling and peeling.
Drying time can take two or three days in the summer, while it can take several weeks to properly dry during the winter. You can drive your car while the tint is drying, but some tint shops might advise you to leave it in their temperature-controlled shops for a few hours before taking it home.
Summary
Overall, there is no set time that it will take to tint your car windows. There are a lot of factors that can affect this time, such as your car, its windows, and the tint shop you use.
Smaller cars can take between one and two hours, while larger cars can take two or more hours. If you have an old tint that needs to be removed, the time taken can be doubled, so bear this in mind if your windows are already tinted.
It pays to look around before opting for one tint shop, as a lot of them will have different practices and estimated installation times. Booking in advance might allow you to shorten the waiting time due to the shop cutting the film before your appointment.
Remember to leave your tint a sufficient amount of time to dry to avoid ruining its finish!