Blog – Page 17

WindowWorksUSA Celebrates Women in Construction Week 2018

March 8, 2018 by Carol S 1 Comment

We’d like to extend the biggest THANK YOU to everyone who came out for our first Women in Construction Networking Series at the Builders Exchange of San Francisco!

Networking at the Women in Construction Week 2018 Luncheon

Our 1st Annual Leads Luncheon was at Thursday, March 8, on this International Womens’ Day & Women in Construction Week 2018! We had light sandwiches & friendly networking.

We shared leads, ideas, jobs, suggestions, contacts, and many a great notion to help our fellow Women in Construction Professionals!

We also want to take this moment to give a special thanks to staunch supporter & the Cornerstone of The BX, our friend Deanna Johnson for all that she does to help Members and Tenants here! Please join in giving her a big THANK YOU!

Thank you to our friends:

3M – Renewable Energy Division
Air Perfection Heating & Air Conditioning
Builders Exchange of San Francisco
David Larson – General Contractor
Fashion Drapery
Frank Mc Cann Inspection Service
Material Survey Associates
NY Engineering
Pella Nor Cal
Pilot CM
Window Works

Thank you to everyone for coming out and stay tuned for more networking events!

How to Eliminate Glare That Will Help You Have a Better Life

February 22, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Lately, we’ve been seeing more and more people wearing sunglasses indoors. Why? The place they work or shop at doesn’t have window film and there’s blinding glare coming in at them through the windows.

The Problem with Glare?

Glare can cause all kinds of problems, beyond the immediate issue of being blinded by the light. If you’re in a building with glare, you might walk outside and into the path of an oncoming car. If you’re driving, you might get hit by the glare coming off a building and–same problem. Temporary blindness is no joke! Here’s a previous article: How to Dramatically Cut Back Sun Glare: 10 Ways.

Longterm Glare

Glare can also cause headaches and migraines. Ocular migraines can occur from too much glare, too. Many people who already suffer from migraines will tell you that they’re already overly sensitive to light. So having glare coming in through the windows as well as from computer screens can cause longterm health problems. Want to know more about ocular migraines? You might want to read Ocular Migraine: When to Seek Help from the Mayo Clinic website.

Cataracts

People with cataracts may also have a sensitivity to glare, so reducing glare is the best idea for overall comfort. One way to limit the amount of glare coming into the eye is to wear sunglasses. However, wearing sunglasses indoors is not something that you or your coworkers or employees or family should have to do! Of course, surgery to remove cataracts is an option, but why not prevent them from occurring in the first place? As this article, Start Preventing Cataracts at Any Age with these Four Tips states, “protect yourself from UV rays and your eyes will thank you! “Ultraviolet light can hasten the formation of cataracts,” explains Dr. Jain, “even in younger patients.”

Let Your Home or Office Have Window Film!

Window film is like giving your home or office sunglasses. You don’t have to think about what your next step will be. Because when you’re at home or at work, you want to relax and not have to think about preventing glare coming in through your windows! And that will help you have a better life. We work all over the San Francisco Bay Area, so we’d be happy to talk to you about the different options to cut glare with window film.

How Do You Prevent Glare?

Have some other ideas for us? Let us know in the comments! And thank you.

Ten Day Challenge: More Privacy in San Francisco

February 9, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Maybe one of your ideas for this year is to remodel your home, or to create a more professional office environment. And just maybe you have zero privacy because you’re crammed in with officemates or roommates in a tiny place. Not to worry! Window Film can help you create more privacy. There are some other neat ideas here, too.

garden shade photo — Photo by SFB579 Namaste

Using Plants for Privacy

Whether you want a lot or a little privacy, you can use hedges, planters, or fences with climbing plants. HGTV has some creative ideas in their article Plants for Privacy. Better Homes and Gardens has a whole bunch of Moveable Planters on Wheels that we really like.

San Francisco’s Unique Issues

Besides the issue of which burrito or wrapped food to choose for lunch, San Francisco has other issues. Since San Francisco is one of the priciest places in the world to live, a lot of people stay where they are and make do. That is, they remodel or fix up where they’re living rather than moving. And since there isn’t a lot of empty space, everyone builds up rather than moving out.

window shades photo — Photo by DesignFolly.com

Curtains and Barriers

There are lots of ways that curtains and room dividers can be used to divide up a space. For instance, in this article, #14 in this list of 27 Ways to Maximize Space with Room Dividers includes the use of an IKEA Pax closet system sliding doors. It’s sleek and modern! We also really love room dividers to separate an inside space from an outside one.

Build a Fort

We’re not talking about building a cardboard fort like when you were a kid! No, we’re talking about a snazzy way to get desktop privacy that we found while tooling around the Interwebs. They’re called Desktop Privacy Panels and you can see more about them here: Versare: DeskTop Privacy Panels. They even help reduce noise. Yes!

Protect Your Work from Prying Eyes?

This was the most hilarious option we’ve seen: for those of you who are both cold and need privacy: Body-Technology Interfaces. Think Knit-Bombing for your laptop keyboard.

Create Quiet Space

There’s nothing more annoying than hearing the office blabbermouth yelling at the person on the other end of the phone. Privacy can include soundproofing and creating quiet spots for better productivity. On that note, this article: 10 Design Ideas for the Perk Workers Actually Want: Quiet is a goldmine. Although we’d argue that the quiet offices still need some window film.

And Window Film

Speaking of which, window film can be used in so many ways. Privacy can mean using a light window film in any of a number of patterns, stripes, or dots. 3M Fasara includes all of these options. Or you might want to try 3M Thinsulate, a staff favorite, which has incredible insulating qualities. It makes double-paned windows perform like triple-paned windows!

double pane photo — Photo by Captivating World

Translucent Room Dividers

We particularly like the sleek, modern look of a translucent room divider, such as this one by Dan Forlenza. It creates just enough separation, without making the space look cluttered or cute.

bookstore photo — Photo by keepitsurreal

Consider a Bookshelf to Divide Space

Bookcases don’t have to be shoved up against a wall–they can also be used in the middle of a room to separate the space. And there are many sleek bookcases out there.

Umbrellas and Sunshades

Umbrellas can be moved around as needed, while sunshades tend to be more fixed. So if you’re looking for relief from the sun as well as privacy, you might want a combination of both. For instance, this terrific sunshade from Houzz is beautiful as well as dramatic.

glass shoji door photo — Photo by halfrain

How Do You Find Your Privacy?

Need more privacy? We can help you with window film!

Why Window Film Makes You Healthier and Why You Need to Know

January 25, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Maybe in the past you’d always thought of window film as a luxury, or something for people with too much money. But what if window film improved your health? What if window film could help block the UV rays that cause skin cancer? News Flash! Window film does screen out the UV rays that can cause cancer! Here’s how the sun and UV cause cancer from Cancer Research UK.

Your Eyes and Your Skin Need Protection

You eat healthy food, you drink plenty of water, but do you protect your eyes and your skin as much as they need to be protected? Probably not. It’s strange to think that you might need to wear sun screen indoors! But UV rays travel right through glass. So you might want to know How Window Film Protects Your Skin. Because maybe no one told you before.

Skin Cancer Rates on the Increase

Did you know that skin cancer rates have been increasing every year? And that over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined? Take a look at more statistics about skin cancer from Skin Cancer Facts & Statistics from the Skin Cancer Foundation. Prepare to be terrified!

UV Rays Travel Through Clouds

While you might not get quite as many UV rays on cloudy days, UV rays do indeed travel through clouds. So fog won’t protect you, people of San Francisco! Take a look at these Six Common Sun Myths, Exposed, by CNN. 80% of the sun’s rays travel through clouds, which is why you’ll still get burnt on a cloudy day unless you take steps to protect yourself! And 80% is a B (not for you, but for those sneaky UV rays!).

Want to Live Longer and Better?

Preventing UV rays from reaching your skin can prevent wrinkles and premature aging as well as preventing cancer! We’d all like to look better as we grow older, right? Not to mention, we’d like to keep our eyesight in tip-top shape! Here’s an article about protecting your skin that you might like: Spotlight on Skin: Six Ways to Protect Yours Now.

Convinced Yet?

Give us a call! We’d love to talk to you about which kind of window film might be best for you!

Surprising Uses for Window Film You Need to Know

January 11, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Think you know window film? Think again! The technology has been moving forward rapidly, with so many new uses and designs. You’d be amazed at the ways that window film has grown up over the years. Here are just a few of its uses!

downtown glass photo — Photo by paul bica

Create Privacy in a Crowded Space

Do you share a tiny office space with a few people? You can shield yourself from others with a glass conference room wall covered with window film. Or you can cover part of the wall to cloak the people, and let the light shine through without anyone feeling exposed. Or if you have kids and you want to shield them from prying eyes, you could use window film as this DIY Curtain Alternatives article proposes. (Although we do recommend using a professional installer for window film.)

Shower in Peace

Now that there are kids running in and out of your bathroom, wouldn’t you like to shower in peace? While they brush their teeth, you can relax in the steam behind some beautiful glass covered in window film. Isn’t that better than trying to grab a towel?

Window Film Installation in Marin County

Add An Outdoor Design Element

We simply love the outdoor install we did recently in Marin County, above. Here, window film covers a wall and becomes a design element in the landscape. It also provides privacy.

Add a Rice Paper Look in Glass

A hanging glass window covered with a 3M™ FASARA™ Glass Finish in Altair gives a rice paper effect that can separate diners in an elegant, upscale restaurant. Create a wall without resorting to building something that blocks light and air flow. For more about 3M™ Fasara™ Glass Finishes, see our recent series:

blurred image photo — Photo by nicocordes

Don’t Give ’em Something to Talk About

Keep nosy neighbors at bay with half windows covered in window film. Or cover the full window with window film. Either way, you keep your corporate secrets a secret. Even if you’re just watching TV, do you want everyone knowing what you’re watching?

Let Us Know What You Need to Know!

Would you like to help us decide what kind of window film would be best for your home or business? Give us a call! We’d love to talk to you!

3M™ Fasara™ Decorative Window Film: Patterns

December 21, 2017 by Carol S 2 Comments

This is the third in the series on 3M™ Fasara™ Decorative window film. See our other two posts here:

Many Patterns Available

The patterned 3M Fasara Decorative window film might be the most fun of all. There are so many different choices. For instance, the rice paper finish filters light and gives you privacy while adding a design element which can be mirrored in other parts of your design. Sometimes people like to block an ugly view and create a beautiful one instead. With space so limited in the San Francisco Bay Area, patterned Fasara window film is a great way to go.

3M’s website has a number of Asian-inspired Fasara window films. These are perfect for conference rooms, lobbies, your brick-and-mortar store, as partitions, or to create privacy in your home or office.

Aesthetics and Design

It’s no secret that people are more apt to spend time in a room or building that they enjoy. A beautiful setting means that people will spend more time and feel more positive there, as this article: Window film improves office aesthetics outlines. If your employees or you feel better in a room, why wouldn’t you want to create a more beautiful environment using window film? Decorative window film combines high-end style with function.

Flexibility

With 3M Fasara decorative window films, you can tailor the amount of light your room or building gets. You can alternate films on windows, using different patterns on every other window, or you can use a striped pattern along with an Asian-inspired film.

Champagne Taste, Beer Budget

Window film increases the overall beauty of your windows without using up your entire budget. You can use film on a row of exterior-facing windows, or do a combination of interior windows so the overall look is seamless. Mirror the pattern of your windows in other design elements, such as a live bamboo plant along with a bamboo window film.

Give Us a Call!

Maybe you don’t know exactly what you want yet. We can guide you!

We work all over the San Francisco Bay Area, and would love to talk to you!

3M Fasara Decorative Window Film: Dotty for Dots

December 6, 2017 by Carol S 1 Comment

You may already be a big fan of dots for adding energy to your designs, but did you know that you could use decorative window film and there are hundreds of patterns available?

Series on 3M™ Fasara™ Decorative Window Film

By now you’ve probably committed to memory our previous post, 3M Fasara Decorative Window Film: Stripes Forever. Just kidding. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s a good one! This is Part Two of our series on 3M’s Fasara decorative window film. Keep your eyes on this space for the next in the series.

Why Dots?

Dots have the ability to create fun and to make us feel happy. They evoke images of poodle skirts, pop art, and large fanciful wall patterns. Using polka dots can make an interior peppy and smart. If you don’t believe us, take a look at this article, Decorating Your House Interiors with Polka Dots. And here is a fascinating look at the history of polka dots.

Dotty Window Film for Interiors

Dots can take an ordinary-looking interior from “meh” to marvelous, and boost the energy of your interior faster than you can say “Dot’s what I’m talking about!” You can change the colors and sizes of the dots, add throw pillows, or curtains with dots as well as adding window film with dots.

Exterior Window Film

But dotted window film is not just for interiors–window film can also modernize an exterior window, too. For ideas about glass designs, you might want to check out 3M Building Window Solutions.

Commercial and Residential

If you want a modern-looking office or commercial building, dots have a timeless feel. If you want more energy in your home, dots work there, too. Add dots to a rug, paint them on a wall, and then finish the look with dots on your windows.

Where to Use 3M Fasara Decorative Glass Finishes

You can use the film anywhere you’d like to add some playful energy, such as:

Conference Rooms
Bathrooms
Living Rooms
Elevators
Retail environments
For more ideas, see 3M Fasara Decorative Glass Finishes

Where Do You Use Dots?

Do you want to use dots in your designs? Let us know how we can help you!

3M Fasara Decorative Window Film: Stripes Forever

November 28, 2017 by Carol S 2 Comments

You might be wondering about the many types of window film there are. Window film is available to block out UV light, but did you know that you could use decorative window film and that there are hundreds of patterns available? This is Part One of our series on 3M™ Fasara™ decorative window film, which is a family of polyester, decorative films for glass surfaces. You can quickly transform your interior with modern and energetic designs.

And in case you missed it, here’s our last post: Window Film: A Quick and Easy Way to Save Money?

Series on 3M Fasara Decorative Window Film

For those of you who are fans of decorative window film, this is part one in our series. We’ll be following up with two others:

3M Fasara Decorative Window Film: Dotty for Dots
3M Fasara Decorative Window Film: Patterns

Before we go any further, there are a few reasons to use 3M’s Fasara decorative window film.

Control Light and Privacy

Who decides how much light you have in your home or office? If you leave it up to chance, you’ll be taking your chances! You may need a lot of lighting in one area, and very little in another. If you have a conference room or a bath, you might like to control the privacy. In both instances, 3M™ Fasara™ is a good option.

We suggest you use 3M™ Fasara™ any place you want to control light and privacy, such as:

Conference rooms
Bathrooms
Reception areas
Kitchens
Break rooms
Private offices

Use a Combination of Wide and Narrow Stripes

Use Wide or Narrow Stripes

If you’re one of those people who has difficulty choosing, the good news is that you don’t have to! You can get a combination of wide and narrow stripes and your glass will look perfectly chic! Of course, you could also just use either narrow or wide stripes. You might want to mirror what’s outside your window by choosing something similar for your interior.

Cost Savings Will Be Yours

Avoid the expense of custom curtains or window shades when you opt for 3M™ Fasara™ window film.

For more inspiration, see new designs here: 3M™ Fasara™ Glass Finishes.

Give Us a Call!

We’d love to discuss any kind of window film with you. We’re all over the San Francisco Bay Area, from the South Bay to San Francisco to Marin to the East Bay.

Window Film: a Quick and Easy Way to Save Money?

November 14, 2017 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Energy costs have been skyrocketing. Every year, they go up, and especially during the winter. In fact, according to ABC news, winter heating costs could rise an average 10.5%, with heating oil expected to rise even more dramatically. So what’s a poor home owner or business owner to do?

ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR photo — Photo by Seattle Municipal Archives

Home Energy Audit

A home energy audit can tell you where your house is drafty, and give you ideas on what to improve. Insulation can help most homes be more energy efficient. A home energy auditor can help prioritize all those projects, especially if your building is older and there are quite a few projects! The Energy Saver Guide from Energy.gov, has been updated recently, and is chock full of information.

Insulation

Many professionals will have you begin with insulating your home before doing anything else. For instance, before applying solar panels, you’ll need to know roughly how much energy your home uses. Once you’ve insulated your building, you’ll have a much better idea of your energy usage. Plus, you’ll save money overall after insulation your property.

Window Film

Of course, we recommend window film, particularly 3M Thinsulate window film. Not just for its aesthetic appeal, but because it saves you energy. You don’t have to hide your beautiful view with curtains once you have window film. And not only do you save energy, but you also gain or regain your view! With window film, single pane windows act like double-pane windows, and double-pane windows? They’re like triple pane windows once window film is installed!

Isn’t Window Film Best Only for the Summer?

You might have heard about how well window film works to lower the temperature, but can you also save money in the colder months? Yes! 3M’s Thinsulate window film acts as insulation for your windows, keeping you cool in the summer as well as warm in the winter! Here are a few articles about Thinsulate that you might like:

Questions About Saving Money with Window Film?

Give us a call! We work all over the San Francisco Bay Area, from Santa Clara, to San Francisco, to Marin County to the East Bay!

What You Need to Know About 3M™’s Daylight Redirecting Film

October 24, 2017 by Carol S Leave a Comment

We’re very excited to show you some images of 3M Daylight Redirecting Film that we installed recently, and to explain how the redirecting film works. Here are the images of the installation first, with the explanation below of how the film works below the images.

San Francisco Redirecting Film Installation

In the image above, you can see our technician putting the finishing touches on an installation in San Francisco. Great job to our technicians Soe and Coco! We couldn’t do it without them!

Daylight Redirecting film After Installation

In the next image, above, you can see how the Daylight Redirecting film moves the light further into the office. Obviously, we’re very excited by this new material, and we’d love to come and install some for you!

Avoid Depression

Say you have a dark office, with only a small amount of light coming in through the window. Now that could lead to a lot of your coworkers being depressed during the darker months of the year (or even the lighter months if you’re in a foggy place like San Francisco). And you wouldn’t want that, would you? By the way, you might like this recent article: The Best Window Film Installations You Might Want to See ( a compilation of recent installs!).

Sunlight Increases Productivity

Sunlight increases productivity, enhances mood, and gives us a sense of well being. In fact, an article from Harvard Medical School outlines the ways that sunlight affects your mood: Let the sun shine: Mind your mental health this winter. Not only that, but more light has been shown to decrease absenteeism. Not to mention, with more light inside, you can avoid those fights for the window seats!

Be a Magician and Bend the Light!

So 3M™ Daylight Redirecting Film actually changes the way light enters a room and can let the light penetrate into the inside of a room. Daylight Redirecting Film uses many micro-prisms to redirect the light. We think that’s pretty cool!

Redistribute the Light

Instead of putting shades on the windows, thus blocking the light for everyone in an office, you can use Daylight Redirecting Film to redistribute the light. That’s right: light sharing has entered the sharing economy! And if you don’t think you need window film in San Francisco, you might want to read this: Window Film in San Francisco!

Other Reasons to Use 3M Daylight Redirecting Film

Here are a few reasons:

Requires no special hardware
Requires no special infrastructure
Does not need additional maintenance or cleaning
Works at all times of the day, even when the sun is low in the sky

We’d Love to Talk to You

No matter what kind of window film you’re curious about, we’d love to talk to you! So give us a call. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area (and even outside the area at times).