Perforated Window Vinyl: A Billboard Outside, a Window Inside
Perforated window vinyl (one-way vision film) is printed film punched with a pattern of tiny holes. From the street you see a full-color graphic; from inside you see out and the room keeps its daylight. It is the material behind most of the storefront graphics you notice in Los Angeles, and the one we recommend whenever a business wants a big graphic without a dark interior. We print and install perforated window vinyl in Los Angeles, including one-way vision window film for storefronts, and we quote the cost after we measure your windows.
Best Uses
- Storefronts on busy streets: restaurants, salons, gyms, dispensaries and retail that want the whole window to sell.
- Clinics and medical offices: privacy for patients during the day, daylight in the treatment rooms, like Golden Fairy Physical Therapy.
- West- and south-facing glass: the film cuts glare and some heat on afternoon-sun windows.
- Campaign and seasonal wraps: beverage and brand campaigns across a store’s windows for a season, then removed.
- Vehicle rear windows: the standard for wraps that cover glass.
Material and Print
We print on Briteline perforated window film (typically 50/50 or 60/40 film-to-hole ratio, chosen by how much view-through the space needs) and add an optically clear overlaminate, which keeps the holes from filling with dirt and protects the print from sun and cleaning. Printed in-house on our large format printers, proofed at final size, and cut per pane so the graphic aligns across mullions.
Installation
Perforated film is normally applied to the outside of the glass and edge-sealed; an inside-mount version is available for upper floors and windows that cannot be reached from the street. Our own crew installs it, usually in a morning before the business opens. We also remove old film and adhesive before installing new graphics.
Things to Plan For
- Night: when the inside is lit and the street is dark, people can see in. Businesses open after dark plan the layout around that or add a frosted band.
- Fine detail: thin lines and small text print less sharply through the holes; keep the design bold and put fine print on solid or clear vinyl.
- Permits: window signs count toward your allowed sign area in the City of Los Angeles. Small graphics are usually exempt; a full-window commercial graphic may need a permit. We check before printing.
Perforated Vinyl FAQ
How long does it last?
Laminated and installed outside, several years in Los Angeles sun. Unlaminated film lasts a fraction of that, which is why we always laminate exterior installations.
Perforated or solid vinyl?
Perforated when you need to see out or keep daylight; solid when you want photographic detail and do not need the view. Our guide: perforated vs. solid window vinyl.
Does it damage the glass?
No. It removes cleanly with heat and we clean any adhesive residue.
Send us a photo of your storefront or call (818) 723-4047. See also window graphics and frosted window film.
Need just lettering or a logo cut from solid vinyl? See our vinyl lettering and die-cut vinyl letters page.