Whether you want extra privacy or using your glass surfaces to add an extra flair to your office decor, decorative window films are a great solution. When researching available products, you soon discover that there are a variety of options out there. In fact, decorative window film is so versatile, the options might seem overwhelming. You might be left with questions like: how do you choose the right wind film for your project? How will decorative window film hold up over time? Will it resist the normal wear and tear of an office setting?
Since ClimatePro is your window film specialists, we’ve compiled the top 5 decorative film solutions for your office, home, or creative space. Whether you are looking for privacy or to bring some pizazz, this guide is for you. We’ll discuss the type of stock and ready for purchase films available as well as the custom options that offer a wide variety of applications.
1. Stock Frosted Decorative Window Films
Frosted glass vinyl graphics give the appearance of etched glass. They are best used as bands or to cover full panels. There are two primary types of materials for frosted films, polyester, and vinyl. We recommend 3M Fasara series films for these applications. Two of the most popular options are Milano and Dusted Crystal.
Frosted Window Film: Our frosted window film such as our 3M Fasara Products are mainly a polyester-based film that is best for covering large panels and comes in a wide variety of premade and printed styles. It can also be cut into basic shapes such as rectangles or squares. This is a great option for those looking for an expedient installation, as most styles and designs can be ordered quickly.
Dusted Crystal: Dusted Crystal is a vinyl-based film and is great for large panels as well as intermediate to complex cuts. The typical process for a cut vinyl application:
- Kiss-cut material with the use of vector-based artwork.
- Weed out specific sections of material for the desired visual effect.
- Transfer tape material to keep the appropriate element placement during application.
2. Stock Colored Films
Live life in color! Color films come in transparent, translucent, and opaque colors. Preferred manufacturers for colored films are 3M and Orafol. Most colored films are vinyl and have the potential to be kiss cut and weeded before application to glass, allowing for cut custom designs.
3. Custom Perforated Films
Do you have a storefront that would be great advertising space, yet you don’t want to sacrifice visibility to the exterior of the building? Then a print on perforated film for exterior or interior application is the way to go. For optimal visibility, use exterior application perforated film. The difference between the two is that the exterior application is white on the print side and black on the adhesive side, while interior application film is clear. When printing on clear film, the image will first be printed, followed by a layer of white, and finally a layer of black.
Exterior mounted film should be used for best print visibility. However, in areas with high graffiti and defacing problems, the interior application is a great choice. This type of film installation works best with bright and bold graphics.
4. Custom Full Color Print
Full-color prints are versatile and look good whether they are arranged in collages, multi-panel or single scenes on your glass panels. Just like the visibility options of stock transparent, translucent and opaque films, custom printed colors add a whole new level of design to your location. Colors can be matched in-house through the use of Pantone references or samples sent to the ClimatePro print shop for instrument-assisted color matching.
These colors can be printed using a variety of print methods, including optional lamination for print longevity and appearance.
5. Custom Designs & Patterns
Custom designs and patterns allow you to put your brand on display. They also draw attention to your decor, can help define your space, and create privacy all without having to sacrifice natural light. We think that custom designs make the best use of your space, creating a lasting visual impression.
There is a difference between “clear” and “optically clear”. Many “clear” films look hazy or have the appearance as if you are looking through water. “Optically clear” films are as clear and crisp as looking through the glass itself. From a distance and even close up, the viewer often can’t tell that the glass has film on it. At ClimatePro, we’ve developed a reputation for being skilled and knowledgeable with custom designs, and the best print methods for the job. Gradients, custom frosting patterns, full-color images, opaque and translucent elements can all be in the same print. Our goto optically clear film for print is Lintec 2mil with scratch-resistant coating.
Have questions about decorative window film? Ready to start designing something fresh for your space. Get started here.
