Is DIY Tint Possible?
Is DIY tinting actually possible or is it one of those things that always ends in bubbles, scratches, and regret? That is the question we set out to answer with our Tesla tint kit at DIY Wrap Club. Our whole mission is to make real, professional grade customization something you can actually do at home and be proud of.
I have been tinting for over six years and I am certified, but for a long time I stayed away from offering tint as a DIY kit. The materials were finicky, the tools were not beginner friendly, and the room for error was way too small. It just did not feel fair to hand people something that was more frustration than fun.
That has changed. The film technology is better, the tools are better, and we have spent a lot of time figuring out how to redesign the process so every Tesla owner can get a clean, professional looking tint at home. This blog walks through what makes our kit different, how the process works, and why I finally feel confident saying yes, you can DIY your Tesla tint.
Why DIY tint used to be so hard
Most tint kits are cut on traditional roll bed plotters like Suma or Graphtec. They are great machines, but there is a catch. The plotter cuts the film in a way that leaves a little halo of extra tint around the shape. You peel up the piece you need, then you still have to trim, manage excess film, and work around loose edges while you are shrinking.
That halo creates a few big problems.
You are forced to use a razor blade close to the glass to trim off extra film. One slip and you have a permanent scratch in your window.
You are fighting extra material while heat shrinking, which causes creases and makes the film harder to control.
You end up touching the adhesive side more often, which leads to more dust and specks under the tint.
For a seasoned pro who tints every day, that is just part of the job. For a DIYer who just wants their Tesla to look clean and stay cool, that is a fast path to frustration.
How we cut tint specifically for DIY
We approached tint the same way we approached our PPF and vinyl kits. The question was not how shops already do it. The question was how do we redesign the process so it is as forgiving as possible for someone doing this in their driveway or garage.
The first big change is how we cut the film. Instead of just scoring the tint layer, our machine cuts all the way through both the tint and the backing or wrapper layer. That means each piece is fully cut to size and stays perfectly flat on the liner until you are ready to use it. No halo. No half cut edges. No trimming required.
Because the tint is cut while still bonded to the backing, there is no risk of dirt getting on the adhesive during prep and shrinking. You do all your shrinking with the liner still on. The structure of the piece stays solid, so you are not dealing with flimsy, half peeled film falling apart on you.
Each piece is clearly labeled. Wrapper side. Passenger side. Driver side. The labels are there to remove the guesswork so you always know which way the tint should face.
Why we include every tool you actually need
When we first started prototyping the kit we asked ourselves a simple question. Do we just send the tint and let people figure out the tools? The answer was a very clear no. That is not who we are. A huge part of your success comes from using the right tools in the right way, so we decided to include everything we personally use and trust.
In the box you get these things along with the tint:
- A quality heat gun you can reuse around the house (only for Model 3 and Model Y)
- Slip solution packets measured to the correct amount you need
- A spray bottle
- A premium squeegee
- A lint-free scrubber sponge for cleaning
- An angled tucking tool to gently open up tight window seals
- Vinyl strips that become your handling tabs
- A microfiber towel
- Nitrile gloves
The most underrated feature of the kit
The number one source of contamination in a tint job is not dust floating in the air. It is you. Your fingers, your skin, your hands brushing the adhesive by accident. I personally have dry skin and eczema, which means I shed more than I would like to admit. That is a disaster for tint.
To solve this, we include bright vinyl strips that you stick along the edge of the film to create tabs. You use those tabs to lift, flip, and position the tint instead of grabbing the film itself. We have left them on for extended tests and they do not damage the tint. This simple change dramatically reduces specks and keeps the adhesive side as clean as possible during transfer.
Shrinking tint the smart way
Next comes the step that intimidates most people. Shrinking.
With PPF or color vinyl, you stretch the film across the panel. With tint, you shrink the film into the curve of the glass. On flat glass like Cybertruck windows, you can skip shrinking altogether. On a Tesla Model Y or Model 3, the glass has a concave shape, so shrinking is nonnegotiable if you want a smooth install.
Here is the high level process we use.
- Clean the outside of the glass thoroughly so there is zero debris between the film and the glass while shrinking. Anything on the surface can cause creases or make the film react strangely to heat.
- Lay the tint on the outside of the window, adhesive liner still on, and align it exactly. This is where the precise cut really shines. You can position the film right to the edge because there is no extra halo.
- Build a house. Set one side, then pull tension and set the top, then the other side. That frame gives the film structure.
- Heat the fingers, which are the raised sections that pop up when the film is resting on a curved surface. Divide and conquer by splitting big fingers into smaller ones, then gently heating and guiding them down.
The key is to keep the heat gun moving and never camp out in one spot. Too much heat in one place causes creases. You want to watch the film start to react, see it relax and smooth out, then move on. When done correctly, the film conforms perfectly to the glass while still on the liner.
Working on the inside
Once the film is fully shrunk, you can flip it onto a clean table liner side up and prep for the actual install. This is where the tabs come in handy again.
On the car, you clean the inside of the glass multiple times, paying special attention to the seals where dirt loves to hide. Use the squeegee to push dirty water off the glass and avoid dragging the same dirty edge back across the window. Then flood the inside of the glass and the seals with slip solution.
Back at the tint, use the tabs to start peeling the liner while spraying slip on the adhesive immediately as it is exposed. Working solo, it is easiest to peel the whole liner and soak the film right away. Thanks to the handle tabs, you still never have to touch the adhesive surface.
Now you can carry the tint to the car, float it onto the glass, and use that extra slip to glide it into perfect alignment along the top edge and corners. For this Model Y Juniper, we also tricked the door so the frameless window sat slightly higher. That makes it easier to tint fully past the top seal and then let the glass settle back down for a factory look.
Squeegeeing and alignment
The first squeegee pass is gentle. You are just locking the film into place without dragging it too far. The next passes apply more pressure, pushing water out to the edges and down into the lower seal.
A few things to watch here.
- Do not let the film slowly sink downward or you will lose your perfect top alignment.
- Use your free hand to support the glass and lower seal while you push out water.
- Pay extra attention to the edges where more moisture tends to sit.
No install is ever truly perfect, and any good installer will tell you that. Tinting is easy to start, hard to master. With this method, after being brutally honest and inspecting the glass closely, we found just a couple of tiny specks tucked near the edges and nothing in the main viewing area. For a DIY style process, that is a win.
How dark does it really look
In the video we used 15% Avery Dennison Supreme IR ceramic tint. On paper that sounds straightforward, but here is where real world glass complicates things.
Tesla front windows do not start at 100% clear. On the meter they usually read around 75% percent. When you add a 15% film to that, the combined result on a tint meter ends up closer to 11%. On the rear, Tesla glass typically meters around 24% and read around 10% with the additional film.
The takeaway is simple. Your glass already has some tint from the factory. The number on the box for the film is not the same as what a meter will read when the film is on the glass.
That is why you should always check your local tint laws and understand what is allowed in your state before choosing a shade.
Why tint is usually the first upgrade
Tint is often the very first mod people do to their Tesla. Good ceramic tint:
- Protects your skin with around 99% UV rejection
- Cuts glare and eye strain
- Reduces heat inside the cabin
- Adds privacy and a more finished look
Our kits use high quality ceramic film with strong total solar energy rejection (TSER), so you get real performance, not just a darker window.
DIY Tint Kits
We are launching these DIY tint kits first for Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, including Highland and Juniper variants, as well as the Cybertruck.
Every kit is designed, manufactured, and shipped from our shop in Chattanooga. You are not just buying film. You are getting a complete system plus step by step video support so you are never guessing what to do next.
Final thoughts
Tinting your Tesla does not have to be scary. With the right film, the right cut, the right tools, and a process built around real world DIY challenges, it becomes a very doable project that pays off every time you drive.
This is why we are finally bringing tint to the DIY Wrap Club (Formerly TESBROS) lineup now. The technology, the process, and the kit are finally at a place where I can confidently say yes, this is DIYable.
If you are ready to try it yourself, check out our DIY Tesla tint kits.
