Indoor Kit Covers 6’8” x 9’ Patio Door

I initially bought the Frost King plastic from Lowe's because they didn't have 3M. After reading these reviews I decided not to use it, and ordered the 3M from Amazon instead. I can't say how the Frost King worked, but I was doubtful about it from the start because the packaging looked cheap and generic. The 3M worked GREAT, and was so easy to use. The tape sticks to the window frame (I followed the directions and wiped the wood with a wet rag, then alcohol) and the plastic sticks to the tape. The plastic is also completely clear. It's been up for about a week now, and the tape is still sticking. The plastic keeps out drafts, so it's more comfortable to sit next to a window, but I don't know how effective it will really be at lowering my heating bill-hopefully it will help a little. My windows have blinds so I had to cover them with the plastic, but I removed the handles before I put up the plastic, then reattached one of them on the outside so I can open and close the one I like to see out of. Of course it made a tiny hole at the top, but I just covered it with a piece of scotch tape. Having curtains would be ideal though, you can open them to see outside and they will insulate more. I used the patio door kit in my living room where I have 2 windows side by side and I didn't think the window kit would be wide enough, and also bought a 5 window kit-they are exactly the same, the window plastic is just a little smaller, but it will easily cover any standard window. I am returning the Frost King.

I was a bit skeptical of any plastic insulating product for windows after reading some of the reviews but just applied this to 4 huge windows and it couldn't have gone any easier. I didn't prep with alcohol because I knew my trim was clean, but if you do prep you need to wait at least several hours before trying to apply the tape or better, hit it with a blow dryer to burn off the residue. The tape will NOT stick if you don't burn off the alcohol so maybe some people are having issues because of that. I applied the tape, made cuts are my radius corners to fill them well, overlapping tape by first lifting up the paper back for an inch or so on each side. Left one corner with exposed sticky tape up top to start and got my plastic square with window and did a 6 inch top and 6 inch down side square so I could pull across as I applied the plastic across the top of the window. Once reaching the other side I then went down 6 inches on the side pulling to match the other side - square - and continued on this way til hit the beginning of the bottom curves, left them alone and pulled down to apply the plastic along bottom window ledge, then did the sides to adjust. I found you can get this tight as a drum without having to use a blowdryer, and it will allow you to pull it up and restick to smooth out any wrinkles from a bad alignment. Once set for a bit though, it's not moving. Take a pair of scrissors and start a cut close to your frame, then push the scissors blade along with the plastic deep in the back of the blades - you can get a cut flush with the trim so you won't even see plastic edges. These are absolutely crystal clear, you cannot tell you are looking through plastic. I've got this over windows where my orchids take sun, didn't want them to get cold :) Double sided tape does come with the kit but I had ordered more and glad I did as I ran out of tape but still have enough plastic left over to do another large window and a small one. I am amazed how many windows I got out of the patio door kit, I just thought out best way to cut and the great thing about this huge sheet is that you always have a fresh square edge to work with when putting up another window covering. Wish I hadn't waited a year to try it, my orchids seem to be happier and it's kept the heat inside up several degrees. Win win. My sister now wants to try some for her house as she's seen how absolutely clear it is. 5 stars!

I have 3 patio doors in my townhouse and used the Frost King window film last year to insulate the windows and had all kinds of trouble-it didn't stick to the tape, didn't shrink well, and gave a distorted view through the window. This year I decided to try the 3M brand- what a world of difference! It was so much easier to install. The film is thicker than the Frost King and easier to handle because it's not as flimsy. It shrinks well and creates very little distortion in the view through the window. The Scotch brand double stick tape seals well. The only reason I don't give this product 5 stars is because the tape doesn't stick to the metal at the bottom of the patio door frame. As a renter I didn't want to nail in a wood strip for the tape to adhere to, as the directions suggest, but found that a second row of tape along the edge of the carpet did the trick.

I am really pleased with this plastic. It has cut down on the drafts in my room, but I don't notice much improvement in the way of blocking the cold. I don't think there has been much of an increase in the "R Factor". I did put this up by myself. I am short, and had no problems doing it. I have a 23 year old Andersen sliding door. I would love to replace it, but have to take the cheap route. When looking for the source of drafts, I used a lit match, and the wind coming through the cracks would blow the match out. The first thing I did was to use some removable rope-type caulk to seal the huge air leaks. I didn't want this plastic to be billowing. I wiped all the painted trim with a paper towel saturated with rubbing alcohol. This was recommended to prep the surface for the tape. Because my sliding patio door didn't have any base trim to attach the tape to, I had to get creative. I purchased a piece of white PVC trim (1 1/2" x 1/2") and cut it just a smidge larger than I needed. This held it in place by tension. I have carpeting in the room, so I couldn't attach trim to the floor. This trim was even with the rest of the wood trim around the door. This allowed me to run tape on all four sides. The door itself is recessed about 1 1/2" from the other trim. Although the 6 ft. trim piece fits with tension, I cut another piece of the trim to back it up and fill the gap. I used sticky back velcro to hold it in place. I am hoping to upload a photo to show how I handled this, as it is hard to describe. I should mention that I removed the door handle. The inside handle is connected with screws to the exterior handle. I thought the exterior portion of the handle would fall off, but it didn't. I reinserted the screws into the holes to make sure that the other half of the handle stays put. I put all the tape on the face of the painted wood trim (and the PVC trim piece by the floor) and pushed it on really well, rubbing my thumb over and over it. Then I let it rest for a few minutes to make sure it had set. I removed the protective paper from the top strip of tape only, and attached the plastic. I then did the same at the bottom. Finally one side, then the other. Removing the protective paper as I went along. I put a lineup of dining chairs all along so that I could just walk sideways and easily reach the top without having to re-position a step stool. Kinda like scaffolding. A short person has to be creative. I used a hairdryer according to directions. There are videos online to help you understand that part. I worked from the edges to the middle. I had enough plastic left over to do another narrow window. I also purchased the XL size kit and did a couple windows that were each over 9 ft wide. And I did them by myself. It would be easier with a helper, but I'm just sayin', that if little old me can do it alone, and not get it all twisted up, so can you. I will say that I wish I hadn't stretched the film taught to begin with, since the heat shrinking did cause that bottom trim piece to pull out of position a bit. I don't think you're supposed to pull it taught when taping. Learning curve. It sealed up tight as a drum, and crystal clear. It is a great solution for those who can't afford window replacement. UPDATE: December 2019. I continue to use this product. One “Patio Door Kit” covers my slider plus an additional 24” wide window. I also buy the same brand in the XL size, which allows me o cover the two 9 Ft. Wide windows as seen in the photos. Every winter, on a windy day, these will billow out like spinnakers, but stay in place. I have had some minor spots on the wood trim where paint pulled off, but it’s a fair trade for tape that holds under stress. I did end up putting a couple (well, 3) screws into that trim piece at the slider threshold. Yup, just drilled right through the carpeting. That trim piece gives me a point of attachment for the slider, so it is worth it. Yes, it is a pain to evenly distribute and shrink wrap this stuff, but it is worth it. I should also mention that to smooth out the creases, hold the hair dryer close and when the film is hot, rub it with your hand.

I have been using the 3M insulator kits every year for more than 20 years. At most I have had a few minor problems through the years, but would have rated the product at 5 stars. Everything changed this year. I ordered 6 of the patio door insulation kits. We have very tall windows and I have to use the patio door kits on them. When I went to install the double sided tape, half of the paper backing remained on the tape making it unusable. I opened the second kit and had the same problem. I returned all of the kits thinking perhaps I had received a bad "batch" of kits. Approximately two weeks later I reordered another six kits. I had the same problem with the tape. At this point I called 3M customer support. They were very apologetic and offered to send me six new rolls of tape. The tape I received was for exterior use, but came with a letter stating that they had identified a quality issue affecting the usability of the indoor double-sided tape. They said the outdoor tape could be used as a temporary replacement. I proceeded to install the kits on 3 of my windows and then ran out of time for the day. A few days later the plastic had come loose from the tape in various places on all 3 windows and was hanging down. Apparently the outdoor tape does not work with the indoor plastic or I received bad outdoor tape. I have given up this for this year. I don't even want to try another brand at this point. I have tried a cheaper brand in the past, and had problems with both the tape and visibility of the plastic. I certainly hope 3M gets things together and resolves these problems by next year.

In addition to a patio door, I have a room that has a 6x16 wall to wall window. This product was so simple to install that I was able to do it by myself (I'm a woman in my late 60's). Using one kit for the door and two for the window, I easily attached the double sided tape around the frames. Without unfolding it all the way, I first hung the plastic evenly across the top frame. Then I gently unfolded it, pulling it taut and sticking it to the sides as I went. Finally I attached it along the bottom. Although the plastic seemed flimsy, it was actually quite durable, and I was able to unstick and restick it to make adjustments. I trimmed the excess and warmed the plastic with a hairdryer per instructions. The end result looked so much better than I expected. It was nearly wrinkle free and completely clear. The drafts have been drastically reduced, making my living space so much more comfortable. I haven't gotten a utility bill yet, so I can't quote the savings, but I do know that my heater no longer runs constantly. I highly recommend this 3M product.

Let me start off by saying I did this installation while wearing in a tall cam boot. You know, one those bulky removable casts. Quite cumbersome but this needed to be done so..... When I first removed the film from the box I was confused because it appeared already fully unfolded and it only measured 44" wide. I called the 800# and almost immediately reached customer service. The young lady I spoke with suggested I apply small pieces of tape on both sides of a corner and pull. Low and behold it opened up and I felt a bit foolish. I thanked her and returned to the installation. First I cleaned around the window with alcohol and a towel. I used a second towel to dry it, and then allowed it a few minutes to completely air dry. I applied the double-sided tape around the entire window frame except for the bottom. I folded the film in half to find the middle and started from the top center working my way out to the sides, stopping occasionally to prevent the film from catching the tape on the sides. Then I worked one side at a time from the top, using one hand to pull the film while using the other hand to seal it against the tape. I then took the bottom of the film and folded it up and taped it with scotch tape in a few places to hold it out of the way before applying the last strip of double-sided tape to the bottom of the window frame. Then, starting at the center I pulled the film down a few inches at a time until it attached completely across the bottom and made the final run with my fingers along the edge. I went around the entire window pressing the film against the tape to insure I didn't miss anywhere. Last but not least I used the hair dryer to shrink it. This is the only place I had issues but I believe it's because the wind was blowing briskly and causing the film to stretch while I was applying heat so it wouldn't allow it to shrink. I'll try it again later once the winds calm down and hopefully the heat will work then. I may need a stronger blow dryer. I can't speak to the dependability of the tape or whether or not the film holds up against heavy winds since I just installed it, but it's pretty windy right now and so far so good. If any issues arise I'll update. Update: It's been exactly 60 days and I'm glad to say that the film and tape have both held up great! Usually the wind rips right through the room and because they were so strong the day I installed it I wasn't so sure it would hold up. In fact, every time I tried to use the blow dryer to shrink the film the wind would stretch it out. I finally realized that between the heat and wind blowing in it was allowing it to expand so I stopped and did it once the winds died down and the blow dryer worked as it was supposed to and shrunk the film. As always the winds have been a beast this year but neither the film nor tape have budged. Now I can't help but wonder how much heat and a/c has been escaping through this particular window and I'm seriously considering leaving it up all year around, if for no other reason but to see just how much my electric bill is affected. I'll probably completely change it out every 6 months just to make sure it doesn't weaken with age or fall apart from sun exposure. I highly recommend this product, not only for your comfort but for cutting down on your bills as well!

I've used this same kit with terrific results for several years but this last kit contained a roll of tape that was absolutely useless. It was basically paper and nothing sticky. The tape was very difficult to get started which was the first sign something wasn't right. Once I started it, I proceeded as usual but then the tape basically turned into paper after about 6'. Luckily a local hardware store carried the tape individually so I could finish my window but I strongly suggest inspecting the tape as soon as you receive the kit so you can return or exchange within the return window. Because of my tape fluke this year I knocked off a couple of stars. Otherwise this stuff is great and works wonders for Chicago winters.

excellent

I did a lot of research on these types of kits - here in Canada these 3M ones don't seem to be available in regular retailers but they get the best reviews. I'll say up front my picture makes it look a bit rippled - that's my own bad installation it's not the fault of the plastic. The plastic and tape were both top quality and it definitely makes a difference in keeping the drafts out and a bit of an air gap to keep the room warmer. The kit comes with a large roll of double-sided tape, instructions, and the plastic. You also are recommended to have a hairdryer but I wasn't able to get one and it's mostly for aesthetics anyway. The plastic is very static-ed together so pulling it apart is a two person job. There was more than enough double-sided tape and it's clear so it's not ugly on your wall or floor. There was more than enough plastic for my pretty standard 7' sliding patio door. Then just held it up to the frame, marked it and cut it before holding it up again and attaching to the tape. Tape seems to be holding week 3 weeks in and the plastic is clear and not warping or anything. It's not completely tight as it should be so it does rustle a bit with the drafts - which it is keeping out. Very pleased to be saving some on my gas bill without trying to get my landlord to re-caulk or replace the whole door. I think it'll pay for itself, but even if it doesn't it's worth it not to have the room be freezing all the time!

Poor. Started peeling off after a month of use

Ordered this product on 21st November and here I am on 13th December still waiting. Now they tell me it may not arrive till after Xmas! I could have ordered from elsewhere and have done the windows before the cold spell as was my intention! It's simple stuff and easy to put up - my partner got some of the same sort of plastic insulation for her house from elsewhere on Amazon. It arrived after 2 or 3 days - we ordered around the same time). Do yourself a favour and get your plastic from another seller. And think of me in my flat still freezing cold - & probably over Xmas too!!

Worked for 1/3 metal frames windows. Tape began to peel off with film after a couple days. Attempted to correct by removing tape and replacing on detached edges but due to film being already tensioned with hair dryer it proved not possible