Anti-Graffiti Window Film Installation - London Station

The Window Film Company has completed the installation of specialist anti-graffiti film to an extensive expanse of windows at Hayes and Harlington rail station.

As part of the Crossrail project (the building of a new 73 mile stretch of track in London), Hayes and Harlington Station in West London has undergone an extensive programme of refurbishment and redevelopment. This involved the addition of a new footbridge, the glazing in which required protection from damage.

Requirement

A new walkway was constructed at the busy station (the facility saw over 4 million travelers use it during 2019), serving to provide passenger access to the station’s five platforms. The walkway features over 50 large panes of glass, each of which required protection from potential malicious damage. It’s an unfortunate fact that glass in busy, public areas is at risk of vandalism, with graffiti an all too common problem.

Graffiti can take a number of forms, ranging from spray-pain to acid etching, but whatever the technique, the outcome is the same – a time consuming clean-up operation and in extreme cases, the need for replacement glass. Both situations are frustrating, time consuming, disruptive and potentially expensive, so a solution was sought that would mitigate against it.

The Window Film Company was approached to provide a film that would protect the glass form damage, without changing the look of the glazing and altering the aesthetic.

Solution

The solution was an application of specialist anti-graffiti window film. A long lasting and durable window film that acts as a sacrificial barrier. Once applied to the glass, it provides an invisible layer of protection; the film is completely transparent in appearance, ensuring that the look of the glazing would remain completely unchanged.

The film benefits from a specially developed coating that makes paint or ink easier to remove, allowing the film to be cleaned using standard cleaning products and the appearance of the glass quickly returned to its original appearance. In the event of serious graffiti or vandalism, the damage is done to the film instead of the glass, meaning the film can be be quickly and cost-efficiently removed and replaced – a much easier, less disruptive and cheaper way of reinstating the unblemished appearance of glass.

Installation

The installation was undertaken by two of The Window Film Company’s fully qualified and experienced fitting teams, with the project carried out over a two-day period. Work could only be carried out during specific hours of the day, avoiding the busy rush hour periods at the start and end of the working day. The installation also required specialist access equipment, with both these logistical aspects dealt with by The Window Film Company’s dedicated Operations Team.

Once installed, the glass benefitted from immediate, invisible protection from damage and vandalism, with over 50 panes of varying sizes and shapes fitted with long lasting and durable anti-graffiti film form The Window Film Company.

Summary

• Anti-graffiti protection required as part of redevelopment at a busy rail station.
• The station caters for an estimated 4 million travellers each year.
• New footbridge featured over fifty panes of glass and required protection.
• Anti-graffiti film is invisible when applied.
• Specially developed coating makes cleaning paint and ink easier.
• In cases of severe damage, the film provides a sacrificial barrier.
• Film is easier and cheaper to replace than glass.