Guides / Film lines
Ceramic vs carbon vs dyed tint
The shade percentage is how dark the glass looks. The film construction is what happens to the heat. Those are different decisions, and shops that only talk about “20% or 35%” are skipping the part you feel in July.
Dyed film
Dye in the film absorbs light and some heat. It is the least expensive way to darken glass and add privacy. Entry dyed rolls fade, often toward purple, and they put a lot of the heat into the glass itself. Fine for a beater or a back window you mostly want darker. A weak choice for front doors in a place where the sun sits on the car all afternoon.
Carbon film
Carbon particles reject more heat and hold their color. The look is matte rather than mirror. It is the middle step: a real upgrade from dyed, short of ceramic pricing. A good fit when you want the back of an SUV dark and stable, or when the budget stops before ceramic on every pane.
Ceramic film
Ceramic targets infrared, which is the heat you feel, and it does it without a metal layer. You can run a lighter, legal shade and still drop cabin temperature. Color stays neutral. GPS, radio, and toll tags are not fighting a metal coating. This is the film we spec for front doors, for anyone who parks outside, and for house glass that faces west.
Read the spec for the shade you are buying. A 5% ceramic and a 70% ceramic are not the same product with a different postcard. We show you the sheet for the roll going on your glass.