What equipment does a window tint shop need to open?

The equipment stack at install

The FDD describes a Polar Tint shop's equipment in several places. FDD Item 8 names affiliated manufacturer Glacier Manufacturing as the required supplier of window film and application tools, computer cut software, window film plotters and accessories, lobby signage, standing heat lamps, and shop flooring and shop flooring lighting.

FDD Item 5 requires certain furniture, fixtures and equipment to be purchased from Glacier, and FDD Item 7 estimates furniture, fixtures and equipment, including lobby seating, computers, plotters, and film and digital displays (Note 5), plus signage (Note 8). FDD Item 11 covers the point-of-sale and computer system. The FDD's equipment disclosures do not list vehicle lifts.

The same shop serves all six service lines — auto window tint, residential window film, commercial window film, paint protection film (PPF), ceramic coating, and vehicle wraps. Initial training includes an equipment, supplies, and initial inventory subject (FDD Item 11), delivered at our Henderson, NV HQ, virtually, or at another location we designate.

Total equipment investment

FDD Item 7 estimates the equipment outlay for a single-unit Polar Tint shop in its furniture, fixtures and equipment line (Note 5), alongside leasehold improvements, signage, and opening inventory, so you can model it against your own market.

Where you land depends on real levers: a ground-up build-out carries more bay infrastructure than a conversion of an existing auto tint shop (a path open only if Polar Tint grants the conversion, Franchise Agreement §5.1), and FDD Item 7 lists the facilities and existing build-out of your location among the factors that move your costs (Note 12).

Rather than chase a single headline number, build your equipment plan off the itemized FDD Item 7 schedule plus the lease and build-out economics of your specific space. That combination — not a generic estimate — is what tells you what your bay will actually cost to stand up. See the full picture on the investment page, and request info to start your build sheet.

Franchise vs independent equipment buying

The equipment stack is budgeted in FDD Item 7.

Independent shops typically buy equipment one-off from vendors. See how that stacks up on how Polar Tint compares with other window tint franchises and why franchise with us.

Equipment financing options

The equipment stack can be funded with a short-term collateralized loan, so the gear effectively secures itself rather than draining your startup cash. Polar Tint is listed on the SBA Franchise Directory (the listing is not an SBA endorsement), so qualified buyers can apply for SBA 7(a) financing through a lender. Polar Tint does not provide financing (FDD Item 10).

Polar Tint is an owner-operator-first system; loan terms and requirements are set by the lender. See the Equipment Financing path on the financing hub for how the options fit together, and use the itemized FDD Item 7 schedule to size the amount you actually need to borrow.