This job in Hackney started as a dual reflective install and ended with a clear heat control film — and the customer was happy with both.
It’s a good example of why we work with a full range of films. Different situations need different solutions, and sometimes the right answer only becomes clear once you’ve seen the first option on the glass.
The problem
The customer lived in a period flat in Hackney with beautiful mint green wooden frames and a room full of art and old books. Japanese decor, a wall of vintage books — the kind of collection you don’t want sunlight destroying.
Two problems:
- His books were fading. UV and infrared light had already caused damage. He was keeping a blind shut permanently to protect them, which meant losing all his natural light.
- No privacy. The building opposite had balconies looking straight into his room. He works from home, so people could see directly into his workspace all day.
The first install — Dual Reflective 25
We fitted Dual Reflective 25 across all the windows in the room. This is a solar control film with a mirrored external finish — during the day, people outside see a reflection instead of your room.
From the inside the film is neutral looking (similar to car tint), therefore I tend to recommend it over something like a silver 20, as silver 20 can be a bit garish during the night-time due to it’s interior reflective finish
The install took around 4 hours. Small panes with wooden frames — each one needs its own cut, its own fitting, its own finish. It looks like less surface area, but the work per pane is the same as a large window. You’re just doing it more times.
The film went on clean, the finish was good, and the customer was pleased with the result. Light levels were comfortable, privacy was immediate, and his books were now protected from the majority of UV and infrared light.
The change of mind
That evening, the customer got in touch. His words: great job, really happy with the quality of the work — but the tinted appearance reminded him of something from the past that he’d rather not see every day. A personal thing, nothing to do with the film’s performance.
He asked if we could swap it for the clear version instead.
No problem. We booked a return visit.
The second install — Clear Heat Control Film.
I came back, did a full removal of the Dual Reflective 25, and reinstalled with our clear heat control film.
What the clear heat control film does:
- 43–47% heat reduction — still blocks a significant amount of solar energy coming through the glass
- 99% UV protection — the main cause of fading. UV accounts for roughly 40% of what makes materials fade. With 99% of it blocked, his books and artwork are significantly more protected
- No change in appearance — the glass looks the same as before. No tint, no reflection, no colour shift. You wouldn’t know it’s there
The trade-off compared to the dual reflective: visible light still passes through, which accounts for about 25% of fading. So the protection isn’t absolute — but it’s a major improvement over bare glass, and he keeps his natural light and his view exactly as they were.
Privacy-wise, the clear film doesn’t add any one-way effect. But the customer had decided privacy was less of a concern than the appearance issue, and he could always add a light curtain or blind for the evenings.
The result
Clean install, customer happy, paid for both jobs. The second visit took less time since I already knew the windows, and the clear film is straightforward to apply.
His books are now protected from 99% of UV radiation. The heat coming through the glass is cut by nearly half. And his room looks exactly the way it did before — just without the damage.
What this job shows
Sometimes the first choice isn’t the final choice. That’s fine. We carry a full range of films because every customer’s situation is different, and the right solution isn’t always obvious until you’ve lived with it.
If you’d asked this customer on day one, dual reflective was the obvious answer — privacy and heat solved in one film. But once it was on the glass, his priorities shifted. The clear heat control film gave him what he actually needed: protection without changing his space.
That’s why we always talk through the options properly before installing. And if something needs changing afterwards, we come back and sort it.
Thinking about window film for your home or office? Get a free quote — we’ll help you pick the right film the first time.
