You will need the following before you start the process of installing your Rear Projection Film
- A film aid application concentrate (or no-tears baby shampoo)
- Bottled water (not tap water)
- Spray bottle
- Squeegee
- Single-edged razor blade (for cleaning glass)
- Ruler or tape measure
- Soft, lint-free cloth or paper coffee filters (for cleaning the glass and projection film)
- Purchasing a rear projection film application kit is a great way to get everything you need at once! Get one here
Before You Begin:
Rear Projection films are applied directly to the inside glass surface you can touch inside your home or business.
Applying Rear projection film is a simple process, with only a few basic steps. However, patience and preparation are very important. Before beginning this project, please read the instructions completely and carefully.
Preparation:
a. Fill a pump- or trigger-spray bottle with a soapy water solution: to 1qt. bottled water, add a bottle of a film aid concentrate (or 1/4 tsp of a no-tears baby shampoo without conditioner). Film Aid offers the best drying clarity and pH balance. Do not use hard tap water, which can leave spots under your projection film. VERY IMPORTANT: This soapy water solution (“the Solution”) will serve as a lubricant for the squeegee during glass cleaning, projection film application, and future cleaning. CAUTION: Do not use any household glass cleaner containing ammonia or vinegar to clean the glass or projection film; such cleaners can dilute or dissolve the projection film’s adhesive. However, extremely greasy or smoke-covered windows may need to be cleaned first with glass cleaner then rinsed thoroughly with the Solution.
b. Plan to use several single-edge utility razor blades to clean the window. A small utility knife with breakaway blades is the best tool for trimming your projection film. NOTE: Projection film can dull a blade edge quickly; and a dull blade can tear your projection film. Plan to use a new blade after every 10’ of film that you cut.
c. A rubber-blade squeegee is necessary to press your projection film onto the window without creases and to remove the soapy water from under your film. We recommend a squeegee between 6” to 8” wide, preferably with a flexible blade and solid handle. A quality squeegee is a good investment because you will use it to clean the glass, apply your projection film, and clean your projection film in the future.
d. Use lint-free toweling (paper coffee filters work amazingly well!), not paper towels, to clean the windows and absorb squeegeed water.
Special Points to Remember
- Handle your rear projection film very carefully. As with aluminum foil, once creased, the film will remain creased.
- Avoid using concentrated or degreasing detergents to make the Solution or the film may dry cloudy or fail to adhere.
- Screens larger (3-4’ wide) usually are best applied by two people working together to remove the liner, install, and trim the projection film. (See steps 3 and 5)
- Apply your projection film anytime other than in direct sunlight (film may stick too quickly) or freezing weather (film will not stick at all). Best temperature is 45-90 degrees F. Best time is early morning or late evening, when the glass is cooler.
- Work in a dust-free area. Turn off fans. Apply projection film to windows hung vertically. DO NOT lay windows down to tint them or you will trap air bubbles under the rear projection film.
- Rear Projection film may be removed, but is not covered under warranty if removed.
Application:
1. Measure the Window
Measure the dimensions of your window carefully before unrolling and cutting your projection film. Rear Projection film may be applied from side to side, or top to bottom. Use the measurement that leaves the least waste(unless your rear projection film is cut to size). You may also choose to pretrim your film to the window dimensions, less 1/16” on all sides (see steps 3 and 8 below).
2. Clean the Window
Generously spray the window with the Solution. (You will use this solution throughout the installation process.) Then use your hand and squeegee to clean the windows thoroughly. Respray the glass, then use a razor blade to remove any caked dirt or paint. Use special care cleaning the corners. Re-wet the window, then squeegee downward. Wipe off accumulated dirt from the window gasket with a soft cloth or paper coffee filters. Repeat process until the glass is clean. If possible, also clean the outside to ensure total clarity. (NOTE: Paper coffee filters are lint free and can be used to clean the windows now, and the film later. Remember, the cleaner the glass, the better the final appearance of your applied rear projection film.)
3. Cutting your projection Film
Unroll your rear projection film on a clean, flat surface near the window. Use a ruler as a guide and cut the film 1” larger than the dimensions of the window to be sure that the film will fit(if you are filling a entire window. Of course, you may wish to use the factory edge of the film for one side of the window. Or, if you choose, pretrim the film to the final dimensions of each screen size.
For Windows Larger Than Film Size: (seaming your rear projection film)
To cover larger windows, you may need to seam the rear rpoejction film as you would seam wallpaper. To obtain a perfect butt seam, vertically overlap two sides of the film, then use a ruler as a straight edge to guide your knife as you cut through the center of both layers of film. After cutting the seam line, peel the loose sheet of film from the top, then lift the edge of the projection film and slide out the other “waste” piece from underneath the film. Rewet the glass, lay down the film, rewet the top of the film, and then squeegee the film from top to bottom in a slow, firm vertical motion. A week after installation, you should waterproof the seam with a coat of clear fingernail polish.
4. Wet the Window Thoroughly
Generously spray the solution, which acts as a lubricant for the rear projection film, onto the inside surface of the window until beads of the soapy water run down the glass. If the window becomes dry, rewet it completely before applying your rear projection film.
5. Remove the Clear Film Backing (“the adhesive liner”)
Take your time with this step: be patient and be careful not to crease the projection film while removing the clear, protective “liner” from the back (adhesive side) of the film. (NOTE: Usually the liner is on the outside surface of the film roll.)
As you carefully peel the liner away, generously spray the soapy solution onto the exposed adhesive. This spray helps break any static cling, reduces contamination, and makes the liner separation easier. Wet your hands with the Solution before handling your rear projection film to avoid leaving fingerprints on the adhesive. For small windows, remove the liner diagonally, from one corner toward the opposing corner. Try to keep the film from touching itself. Two people should coordinate the liner separation on a large screen size.
6. Placing your rear projection Film on the Wet Window
Completely remove the clear liner from the back of the rear projection film and thoroughly wet the exposed, dry adhesive surface. Be sure the window is dripping wet: too much Solution is better than not enough. Apply the adhesive side of the projection film to the wet glass. Start at the top of the window, then allow your rear projection film to gently lay down onto the glass. Handle your projection film carefully at the corners to avoid wrinkles or creases, which cannot be removed. Use your hands to smooth the film onto the glass. You can slide the film around and position it correctly so long as the window and film are thoroughly wet.
7. Spray the Outside Surface of your rear projection Film and Squeegee your Film Carefully and Firmly
Spray the entire surface of the rear projection film facing you with the soapy solution to lubricate its surface. Using a clean rubber squeegee, begin squeegeing the water and air out from under the film. To do this, start about 2” from the top and side and squeegee from left to right. Second, to set the projection film on the glass, lightly squeegee the rest of the film downward, but leave the 2” perimeter area unsqueegeed. If you need to remove large air pockets, rewet the top of the rear projection film and squeegee again. If the squeegee drags, respray the Solution on the top of the projection film. (NOTE: Always wet your rear projection film with the solution before squeegeeing. You can remove any large bubbles by pushing them with the squeegee to the nearest film edge. Small bubbles (less than 1/8” in diameter) should disappear in a few days.)
8. Trim Edges of your projection Film and Squeegee Dry
Use a sharp razor blade or utility knife and a 1/16” wide guide to trim your projection film around the four perimeter edges of the projection film. This gap is essential for the proper thermal expansion of the glass and allows you to completely squeegee the water and air from under the film. Rewet the entire rear projection film surface and squeegee again. Press very firmly to remove all the water so that the adhesive can cure clearly.
This time, imagine an invisible line dividing your rear projection film from top to bottom. Starting at the top of the window, squeegee from the center to the left, then from the center to the right. Repeat this process until you reach the bottom of the window. (NOTE: If your squeegee has a stiff blade, PUSH it toward the sides. If a flexible rubber blade, PULL the squeegee.) If “fingers” appear along any edge, wrap your squeegee with a few paper coffee filters (or soft, absorbent cloth) and carefully push the “fingers” toward the edge of the film. Hold in place to absorb any excess water.
