How to choose the right window film

With solar, privacy, frosted, safety, decorative and mirror films to choose from, picking the right one seems daunting — but it's simple if you start with the problem you're solving rather than the product. Here's a plain guide.

Start with the problem

Too hot or glary? Solar / anti-glare film. Overlooked? Privacy film (one-way for a kept view, frosted for full privacy). Fading furnishings? UV or solar film. Worried about breakage or security? Safety / security film. Want branding or a frosted look? Decorative / manifestation film. Most people have one or two of these — and one film often covers several.

Then consider the look

Do you want the glass to look unchanged (spectrally-selective solar or clear UV/safety film), or is a mirrored or frosted appearance welcome (reflective or frosted film)? This narrows the choice quickly.

Factor in orientation

South and west windows get the most heat and glare and justify stronger films; north windows rarely need much. Roof glazing (lanterns, skylights) takes the most sun of all. Matching film strength to aspect avoids over- or under-speccing.

Check the glass

Film should be specified to your glazing (annealed vs toughened, single/double/triple) to be safe and effective — which is exactly what a survey checks. This is why we don't quote blind.

Use the tools, then survey

Our calculators give an indicative sense of cost, heat reduction and savings; the survey confirms the exact film, shows samples and gives a fixed price.

The bottom line

Choose by problem first, then look, orientation and glass. Or just book a survey and we'll recommend the right film for each window — no jargon, no guesswork.