When it comes to getting your vehicle tinted, there are so many options that it often becomes difficult to choose the right product. Call Waxman of Tristate Car Detailing Center today and schedule an appointment with experts to find out more about the types of tints available in the market. The professionals answer all the questions you have in mind regarding regular tint and ceramic tint and the differences between them. They help you understand which tint is better, why it is better, how it works, and what are its benefits to help you make the right choice for your vehicle.
Most people want to add window tint for privacy reasons, reduced interior temperatures, and hope to improve the overall appearance of the car. The biggest difference between ceramic tints and regular tints lies in their ability to protect your vehicle from heat and UV rays from the sun. Thanks to its advanced technology and nano ceramic particles, ceramic tints can reflect the sun, and reject the UV and sun glare without interfering with GPS signals and other similar technologies.
Learn more about window tinting options available in the market and the differences between ceramic tints and regular tints so you can make an informed decision about the window film best suited for your needs and goals.
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Top Reasons for Tinting a Car
Many car owners choose tinting to improve their vehicle’s appearance. It can make a vehicle look much better and more stylish. Some car owners may prefer to tint their windows due to the privacy it offers.
The most significant reason people in hotter regions go for window tinting is protection from the sun’s aggressive and harmful rays. It not only reduces the heat coming from the sun but also offers a cooler atmosphere inside the vehicle. This means lesser AC and better fuel consumption.
What Is Regular Window Tint?
Regular tint is a type of window film made of sheets of polyester or other laminated materials dyed in different colors. This film can be dyed in several colors with various levels of darkness, ranging from very light to very dark to achieve different levels of window tinting. The levels of regular tinting are known as gradations, and range from about 10% to 90%, with lower percentages being darker shades.
The most common color for regular window tint is black, but it is also available in other colors and shades, such as gray and brown. Regular tint blocks sunlight and adds more privacy to your vehicles. It works as sunglasses for windows and other glass surfaces.
What Is Ceramic Window Tint?
Ceramic window tint is the premium film in the market, which is well-known for its heat-rejection properties. It uses the same type of sheets as regular window films, polyester or laminate-based sheets, and is available in a variety of shades and colors, but the material is coated with ceramic particles, which offer added benefits.
Ceramic window tint does not contain metal, dye, or carbon, but instead, a kind of ceramic particle that is both nonconductive and nonmetallic. Even though it is not visible to the naked eye, the built-in ceramic technology provides high-performance UV, solar, and infrared rejection and glare rejection without affecting signals for radio, phones, and electronic devices. Due to its added performance over regular tints, the ceramic tint has become a popular choice for car owners who seek enhanced privacy and better protection from heat.
Ceramic Tint vs. Regular Tint – Which One Is Better?
Ceramic window films are similar to regular films as they are made from polyester or laminate-based sheets and are available in several shades and colors. However, ceramic coating window film is a better choice than regular window tint as it provides protection against harmful UV rays and keeps the glass cooler, reducing the risk of damage or breakage. Regular window tint does not reflect UV rays or heat and can increase the glass’s thermal stress, which leads it to break or crack.
In addition to this, regular tinting is less durable than ceramic tinting. The anti-scratch coating on it breaks down over time, leading to frequent re-tinting. It is a short-term solution, while ceramic-coated window films are more durable and scratch-resistant, offering better results.
How to Choose the Best Window Film?
Knowing the benefits and downsides of both types of window tint can help you choose the best film for your vehicle.
Benefits of dyed tint:
- It is the most affordable window tint
- It can block light rays and absorb some heat
- It is ideal for people who want privacy but are not concerned about UV light or infrared light rejection
Downsides of dyed tint:
- It can lead to discoloration and fading over time
- It cannot reduce high heat or keep the indoor temperature down
- It can crack or break easily
- It requires frequent replacement
- It does not offer high ultraviolet light and infrared light rejection
Ceramic-coated window film is a better choice than regular window tinting because regular tinting has several drawbacks.
Benefits of ceramic tint:
- It has the highest ability to reject heat, sun glare, and UV rays
- It uses the most advanced technology
- It is non-conductive to heat
- It does not cause any interference with signals
- Offers the greatest visibility
- 85% heat Reduction
- 99% UV protection
- Offers higher durability than plastic and metallic stuff
- Provides better security and protection
- Scratch resistant
Downsides of ceramic tint:
- It is more expensive
It is important to note that only having your windows tinted does not work. Regular window tint may offer a temporary solution for blocking light, but it cannot prevent the UV rays from penetrating the interior of the vehicle and you can feel the temperature rising. It is cheaper, but several problems with it can affect its performance and make it costlier in the long run.
It takes special technology to block the sun rays and reduce the heat, not the dark tint, and only ceramic film can do that, no matter how long the exposure to sunlight is. It contains nanoceramic particles that absorb a ton of heat. Its clear coating causes it to block a lot of heat and offers protection from harsh UV rays and annoying heat on hot summer days.
How to Check the Difference Between Regular and Ceramic Tints?
Ceramic tints and regular tints can be as different as they can be. You can find out the difference between regular tints and ceramic tints before purchasing them. Tint shops usually have lamps that help you check for the heat coming through a tinted window to know more about their performance.
The first test you can do is by placing your hand on the other side of the tint, and you can feel the heat coming through. The other way to measure it is using a solar power meter that measures the heat emitted from a heat lamp.
A 5% limo tint, which is the darkest, with a regular tint gives a 400-500+ BTU reading, whereas ceramic tint reads somewhere between 80-90 BTU on a 5% limo tint and a reading of 45-50 BTU on a 30% ceramic tint. The lower the reading, the better it is, and there will be less heat coming in. The benefits are also the same for a 5% tint or a 70% tint. The security is higher than regular tint, and its durability also increases.
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Which One Is a Better Choice?
For people who only prefer privacy for their vehicle, live in areas where they do not require heating, UV, and infrared protection, or have no issues replacing the film frequently, regular tint is the right choice. Ceramic window tint is expensive as it offers several more benefits. It makes a better choice because regular tinting does not offer the same level of protection.
If you are interested in learning more about the differences between regular tint and ceramic tint to determine which one would best suit your car needs, visit Waxman of Tristate Car Detailing Center today. The experts explain in detail which is the most reliable and durable film for keeping your vehicle interior cool and provides exceptional heat and infrared rejection to ensure you enjoy a better ride. As the top-rated detailing company in Jersey City, you can look forward to getting the best window tinting film that offers outstanding performance and helps you save money in the long run.
