Window Film in Downtown Riverside, Riverside

Storefront Window Film on the Main Street Mall

The Main Street mall is closed to cars, so shoppers walk right up to the glass. That makes the display window the most important sign a shop has. The problem is that a west- or south-facing display can turn into a mirror of the street by mid-afternoon, and anything set in the window fades over a summer.

We usually start downtown shops with a clear UV-blocking film or a light solar film. Both stop most of the ultraviolet light that bleaches packaging, books, fabric and framed prints, and the lighter solar options take some heat off the front of the sales floor without making the shop look closed. Glare drops enough that people can actually see what is on display.

If you rent your space, bring the lease terms to the quote. Many downtown landlords allow interior film as long as it can be removed at the end of the lease, and good film comes off cleanly with a steamer and a scraper.

Window Film for Historic Buildings Near the Mission Inn

The blocks around the Mission Inn and along Mission Inn Avenue hold some of the oldest commercial buildings in the city, many with tall wood-framed windows, transoms and original glass. Owners want cooler rooms upstairs, but nobody wants a dark or mirrored panel in a facade people come downtown to photograph.

Film is applied to the inside face of the glass and does not touch frames, sills or exterior trim. Clear and low-reflectance films are close to invisible from the sidewalk. Before any work on a designated building, we suggest a quick check with the City of Riverside's historic preservation staff, who can tell you whether a change in glass appearance needs review.

Old glass also needs a careful hand. Wavy or seeded panes can be thin, and some films are not suited to them because they absorb too much heat. We check the glass type and pick a film that is safe for it.

Office and Loft Window Tinting in Downtown Riverside

Downtown is also home to county and city offices, law firms near the courthouses and a growing number of loft apartments and condos. Upper floors often look straight into the low western sun, and in summer that light lands on monitors and desks for hours.

For offices, a neutral solar control film cuts glare on screens and lowers the cooling load on the building. For loft and condo owners, the same type of film keeps a living room usable in late afternoon. Where a unit faces an office across the street, a daytime privacy film on lower panes can give some cover without blocking the view of the sky.

• Solar control film for west-facing office floors
• Frosted film on conference rooms and reception glass
• UV film for loft windows over hardwood floors
• Safety film on ground-floor glass doors

Break-In and Graffiti Protection Film on Downtown Riverside Glass

Street-level panes downtown take more abuse than glass in the suburbs. Scratched tags, etched initials and the occasional smash-and-grab are common complaints from shop owners near parking structures and side streets.

Anti-graffiti film is a clear sacrificial layer over the glass. When someone scratches or tags it, we replace the film instead of the pane, which costs far less than new storefront glass. Security film is thicker and holds broken glass together, which slows down a break-in and keeps shards off the floor. Many downtown shops use both: security film on the lower panes and a sacrificial layer on top.