Avoiding sun fade.....

[johnwhitfield]

Well, as always, the bank holiday gave my wife the opportunity to find something else she dislikes about Pinball.

The lastest is that our downstairs is too dark due to the drawn curtains in the games room. My go to position was that I can't open the curtains because of the danger of sunfade to the cabs. (But I do kind of agree that it makes our kitchen dark)

However, she has now found a clear film to put onto the windows that allegedly cut down the UV rays. Has anyone else ever tried anything like this? Do you think the films would stop the damage to the tables?

 

[kevlar]

I would be interested in the answer to this as my conservatory is looking like becoming a games room.

 

[replicas]

I have heard of that film, don't know if it works of not but I would be dubious in trusting it with my pins. Would hate to find out my pins had faded if it didn't work.

 

[JT.]

You need to do an experiment and report back John. Apply said film to the windows, stick your wife in a sunny position, and see if she changes colour.

 

[Nedreud]

Paint a small sheet of wood with a bold colour of indoor paint (indoor paint because it's less likely to have UV-tolerant pigments), preferably red as red pigments also tend to be the least UV stable. Cover half of it with said film and then pop a sheet of glass on top. Leave it outside 24/7 in a position that gets as much direct sunlight as possible. The paint will likely have started to fade in about a month, at least noticeably enough to see if the film protected the other half.

Or what about getting/making pinball covers? Like http://www.pinballnews.com/learn/cover.html

I have to admit the black does look a bit gloomy but I'm sure with a little imagination and A Woman's Touch a colour-coordinated cover could be acheived

 

[cooldan]

she is totally playing you dude. refuse to play her game.

 

[Nedreud]

she is totally playing you dude. refuse to play her game.

View attachment 7116

I think he's doing pretty well managing to get even one pinball machine into the house between all the excessive soft furnishings, cushions (it's always cushions, isn't it?), rugs, cat beds, blankets, shoes, handbags, etc.

 

[cooldan]

he's doing brilliantly, the man has 12 games in the house, and another pile in a garden shed. but we all know that she has opened a new hostile phase in this battle and that he needs to fight back. John, i suggest you ask her to cut back on soft furnishings expenditure for a month, then add it all up and buy yourself a Tron or a TOTAN

 

[Nedreud]

he's doing brilliantly, the man has 12 games in the house, and another pile in a garden shed. but we all know that she has opened a new hostile phase in this battle and that he needs to fight back. John, i suggest you ask her to cut back on soft furnishings expenditure for a month, then add it all up and buy yourself a Tron or a TOTAN

LOL

 

[Paul]

I used some on my games room - seemed to work a treat and never had any fade - there again it was dark in there anyhow!!

 

[johnwhitfield]

The new front was opened over the weekend. 3 days of redecorating the living room and yet more bloody curtains bought. She even tried to involve me in a conversation about tie backs. Really didn't have a clue what she was going on about.
The low point for me though was still the original trip to John Lewis curtain department. 3 hours+ being asked which material I preferred. Seriously all of them were white, I couldn't of had an opinion if you put a gun to my head. I'm dreading getting the bill in as this is a woman who spent over a grand on three blinds for the kitchen. Still don't understand how this can have been more than £50 or so.
She does kind of have a point about the dark hallway though but I need to resist it.......

 

[Moonraker]

She does kind of have a point about the dark hallway though but I need to resist it.......

So investigate alterantive ways of suitable natural or artifical lighting...

eg up/down lights along the walls (see link) or floor up lighting along the sides of the hallway
http://www.lightingstyles.co.uk/wall-lights/contemporary-up-down-wall-light/

 

[Nickbs]

John - you can definitely get films that significantly reduce the amount of UV passing through glass, whilst being relatively clear. However the key is 'reducing', rather than removing , so fading will still occur -it just takes longer.

That said curtains will generally let UV through, so you'll still get some UV fade through them.

Perhaps the answer is the clear UV film (wife happy) whilst also keeping the curtains drawn (you're happy )....


If you are going for a film, make sure it's a 'reputable' brand - lots of potential for cheap (e.g. Internet auction site sourced ones) which are just clear film.


Nb:: similar to paint method before. Print a block of solid red out at A4 size on an inkjet printer ( you may want to include some black stripes for comparison) , put a sample of the clear film on the window (partially) and put the print half behind it (you can carry on using curtains whilst testing) and see where you are 3-6 months down the line (can't rush these field tests!!)

 

[Nedreud]

vStill don't understand how this can have been more than £50 or so.

I feel your pain.

 

[Calimori]

I am amazed at how your stories John are so similar to mine. My Wife had some old curtains dried cleaned that I thought we were going throw away and now we wants to replace then 2 months later.
Our garden has a lot of things growing in it, I would like to remove the bits we don't want before spending the money on new growing bits. But hey ho, this is the enternal fight of the two sexes.
Good luck and stay strong. Or build another cabin.

 

[Judge Dreads]

I just rub factor 20 all over my machines, sounds a bit perverse I know.

 

[Nickbs]

We've not used this particular film supplier or their products, but worth a read of their description if what calls fading and how to reduce it - one if the more concise & intelligible descriptions I've seen.

http://www.windowfilm.co.uk/commercial/fading

 

[johnwhitfield]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. Think I'll give the painted wood in the garden method a shot and see how much it reduces fade. Still nervous about letting light onto the machines but it might make things easier at home