What Are One Way Vision Films?

One way vision films, also known as window perf or see-through vinyl, are calendered PVC vinyls that have uniformly spaced round perforations and adhesive on their back for adhering to surfaces made of glass. The major advantages of using them is that they can provide a clear vision of outside to viewers sitting on the inside without enabling onlookers on the adhesive-backed side to see through. This means that people looking from outside would see nothing except the printed graphics.

In general, the real size of the perforations remains uniform all throughout. Actually, it is the spacing among the holes that determines the visibility and the coverage area of graphics. For example, a 50 percent see through vinyl would imply that about half of the material can be printed whereas the other half is reserved for perforation. One way vision vinyls are available in varied hole configurations, such as 50/50, 60/40 or 70/30. The first figure signifies volume of printable area, while the second one symbolises the see through part.

A typical one way vision signage or film consists of many different layers – the topmost layer is made of white vinyl and used for printing the graphics, the second layer comprises black vinyl, next to which comes the adhesive layer and finally the release liner. The black vinyl provides the optical illusion and enables an almost clear view of the outside, working most efficiently when there is about seventy percent or even more light on the printed side.

These see through films are usually used as one way vision rear window signage in vehicles, displays of retail store windows, exterior edifice glass, etc. The most common application of all is rear window signage on vehicles. Some vehicle owners even get their see-through signage laminated. However, lamination is not usually done for the other applications of one way vision films.

There are some experts who propose that one way vision or see through films can be used to virtually divide two rooms that are separated by glass, such as a conference room partitioned equally using glass wall. However, the achieved privacy might fail to satisfy expectations because the light is almost the same on both sides of the glass wall. If, somehow, the quantity of light present inside the room can be increased, then it would make the one way vision film appear invisible.