BDF S05 Window Film Daytime Privacy and Heat Control Mirror Silver 5 (Very Dark) - 36in X 12ft

The product arrived promptly and in perfect condition. My windows look like a silver reflective mirror on the exterior. I am very happy with the level of privacy this film provides however I should clarify a few things about it's effectiveness. The level of effectiveness depends on where the light source is. What I mean by this is, during the day the light source (i.e. the sun) is on the outside and my home is darker on the inside, so passersby cannot see in my home. I can walk around in my pjs and be invisible. But because I have skylights and the back of my home is all windows, when the sun is shining in brightly - and, I have a strong light source inside my home - passersby are able to see movement inside and see my outline (when not standing directly in front of the window). They still cannot see details, like what I'm wearing or if I have rollers in my hair. However, when I'm standing directly in front of the window passersby cannot see me at all, despite any light inside my home during the day. Night time is a different story. It is dark outside and the light source is now inside the home so passersby can see everything! Either keep your lights off or invest in some blinds - you don't want to be one of those neighbours! When it comes to looking from inside-out I can see perfectly clearly during the day, although there is a slight reflection. The caveat is that it makes the interior of my home darker during the day (like a rainly day) as it filters the sunlight. The silver lining is that is prevents uv rays from damaging my furniture and keeps my home cooler than usual, reducing the need for AC. The clarity is also perfect at night when looking out. Because the interior windows have a mirror-like quality to them at night it produces a strong reflection so turning off interior lights is needed to see outside. With respect to installation, initial installation was tricky however with practice became seemless. I would not recommend installing alone, ask a friend or family member to help. Steps followed: 1) Lay film on the table and cut to size; 2)Take over to window; 3) One hold two top corners of film while other peels 50% of the backing off; 4) spray the window & outside of the film with soapy water (avoid plain water as soap makes it easier to smooth out the bubbles and avoid ripping the film. Use dove dish liquid dish soap); 5) person holding the film, place two corners of film in two top corners of window and hold while the other person carries out the next step; 6) starting at the top of the film, place scraper in middle and run it towards the right, pressing firmly to eliminate any bubbles/water under the film (don't worry about tiny bubbles, they will evaporate and disappear over time). Place scraper in middle again and run it towards the left; 7) repeat this as you work your way down the film; **Note** Be sure to continuously spray soapy mixture over film to ensure scraper slides effortlessly and you do not scratch the film. This will also allow you to press harder, eliminating bubbles and ensure smooth application. Overall, I would absolutely recommend this product if your main goal is to achieve privacy during the day, prevent harmfull uv rays from entering your home, or to keep your home cool of those hot summer days. Great product and very happy with the results.

This is excellent stuff. A lot of the reviews Ive been reading are from people that either aren’t prepping the windows correctly or plainly just don’t know how to work with the tint and follow instructions..Clean the windows off inside and out, razor the inside of the window clean, measure the window. Cut the tint out with a razor and a straight edge.. like a metal yard stick. (DO NOT use scissors).Spray the window down with water mixed with a couple of table spoons of dish soap. Peel the backing off the tint and spray the adhesive side with the soapy water. Spray the window AGAIN immediately before you put the tint on. Maneuver the tint so it’s square with the window. Start from the middle and squeegee out the fluid. When its squeegeed enough, razor the edges flush. Look over the window at all angles and squeegee the window.It’s not that difficult! Be sure to not crinkle the tint AT ALL. Treat it like a fragile piece of art. Have a clean table with a good clean surface to maneuver the tint on. I used a plastic fold out table

I recently put together some shelves to display my movie collection but didn't realize until after the fact that it would be baking in direct sunlight from our glass patio door for a couple of hours a day. I was concerned that the cover art on the disc cases would bleach and fade over time, so I decided to look into tinted window films. Personally, I would have preferred a dark (but transparent) film that didn't have a highly reflective property to it (for privacy) but I couldn't find such a product. It appeared as though if I wanted to tint the glass with window film from Amazon, I'd have to live with the reflectiveness. In the end I settled for the BDF-S05 window film since, at least from the product photos and description, it would be the most appropriate shade. Now that I've installed it, I think I made the right choice. It definitely reduces the concentrated sun glare significantly, and that's all I really needed it to do. Problem solved.I could leave my review there, but I do want to point out a few issues I encountered during installation and let you know what to expect. First, regarding the "privacy" claim. Yes, the silver backing is HIGHLY reflective and from the outside during the day it is basically a mirror. But here's the thing: I personally didn't have an issue with privacy without film on the windows, because during the day it's darker inside the house than it is outside, so unless someone puts their face against the glass no one was going to see inside.Nighttime is when privacy becomes more of a concern when it's dark outside but lights are on inside. This film isn't going to solve that problem, though it doesn't claim to. I'm just letting you know now that this won't provide privacy at night and you'll need to use curtains or blinds. For the reasons I mentioned, I personally feel that this film is utterly useless for privacy, day or night, unless you are in a brightly lit room or office that can be seen from outside during daylight.But the reason I REALLY hate the reflective properties is that at night the windows become a reverse-privacy window. Meaning, if your lights are on anyone outside can see in but you will not be able to see outside. The window becomes an indoor mirror at night, and an outdoor mirror during the day. This is especially true if you live in an area that is fairly dark at night with not much street lighting. However, I cannot fault the product for this because I believe the reflectiveness is a necessary thermal feature to bounce the sun's heat away (similar to foil windshield visors).Installation is not necessarily difficult, but it is tedious and HIGHLY prone to human error. Especially if you've never applied window film before. I have, but only the static cling kind without an adhesive backing. That is what I am used to, and that's what I thought this was. So, like an idiot, I first applied this without removing what I later discovered was a very thin, clear layer covering what is, indeed, an adhesive backing. I noticed this only after the next day when it was slowly peeling off the glass. Surprisingly it stayed on the glass for a full 24 hours without first peeling off the protective layer! Ok, so I'm not winning any Darwin awards this year it seems.The other thing to keep in mind is that the end result is likely not going to be perfect unless the glass you're working with is perfect. My door has a few "bumps", nearly invisible, that are just unexplained raised dots on the glass. Only in a few areas, but the window film enhances their appearance. This is because it's not possible to smooth over these areas with the film as it's designed to be flat. So the "bump" becomes a visible, albeit tiny, permanent bubble in the film. Again, not a fault of the product, but of my glass.Other things to consider: make sure the glass is soaking wet in a water/soap solution before and during application. Cut to size first with roughly an inch overhang on all sides (you'll trim them off after). Make sure the area is free from hair, fur, and other debris. I tried my best to do this, but it's nearly impossible. Even after cleaning the windows, there were a few stray cat fur strands and perhaps one of my eyelashes that are now forever trapped between the glass and the film like a mosquito trapped in amber. It is what it is.Like I said, I just needed it to block out concentrated sun glare and it works just fine. Despite the imperfections, which are not the product's fault, it looks fine too. Those imperfections are really only noticeable if you're up close and looking for them. Lastly, I am a bit skeptical of the claims this product makes with regards to the percentage values of UV blockage and such. I'm not sure where those numbers come from or who tested for those results. If it's an independent third party that certifies that type of thing, then ok. But any testing done by a manufacturer with a marketing interest should be taken with a grain of salt. Since I cannot know for sure, I will (cautiously) give them the benefit of the doubt. Either way, it seems to do what it claims to do and definitely satisfies my needs.

This works very well for privacy and helping keep the the room cool. The instructions were easy to follow. I do recommend having a couple helpers to gently hold the film, and to slowly peel away. Especially while you spray to begin smoothing out and trimming the film

Well packaged and comes with the tools and instructions for installation. There are videos available online as well. It does keep the heat out by reflecting it off the window and not allowing it into the home. Reflective finish for privacy during the daytime.