So your decal just arrived in your mailbox and you’re ready to put it somewhere. These How To tips will help ensure that you get a professional looking application without air bubbles.
When installing vinyl, it’s important you apply your product to the best possible surface. The list below contains a brief summary of acceptable surfaces, along with some surfaces that are not.
As a general rule of thumb, vinyl will stick to almost any surface that is clean, smooth, and nonporous. To demonstrate the necessary surface qualities, we use glass versus brick as a quick example. Vinyl will stick very well to glass because of its high gloss smooth surface, but it won’t stick well to brick at all due to the rough texture cutting down on the surface area available to the adhesive.
Acceptable Surfaces
*Glass
*Metals (Ideally should be painted with a smooth, glossy enamel)
*Vehicles (Ideally should be painted with a smooth, glossy enamel)
*Vinyl (Such as banners, canopies, flags, etc.)
*Plastic, Acrylic and other high gloss surfaces.
*Fiberglass (Must be painted with a smooth, glossy enamel)
*Wood (Must be painted with a smooth, glossy enamel)
*Other Painted Surfaces (Paint must be smooth and glossy, vinyl will not stick to oxidized, faded, or peeling paint)
Not Recommended Surfaces
*Pitted Cement
*Raw Lumber, like chip board or low grade plywood.
*Oxidized or Faded Paint
*Textured plastic surfaces
*Rubber
*Rusted Metals
*Oily Surfaces
*Dusty surfaces, like fresh drywall
For proper adherence, all surfaces should be considered dirty and should be cleaned prior to any vinyl application. Household surface cleaners, such as Windex, are acceptable; however, we recommend a 2-to-1 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol. After thoroughly washing, wipe the surface dry with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth.
Air and surface temperature must be above 55 degrees Fahrenheit for the application of the vinyl. Apply the vinyl using the following steps:
Step 1
Clean the area thoroughly with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Do not use Windex or similar products because it will leave a residue behind that will prevent the sticker from adhering well.
Step 2
Prepare the sticker for application by firmly rubbing a squeegee or credit card across the clear transfer tape. This removes any air bubbles that may have formed and makes the sticker cling to the transfer tape.
Step 3
Peel the white paper backing off the sticker. If the sticker clings to the backing, slowly replace the paper backing and repeat Step 2.
Step 4
Slowly lower the sticker onto the surface and rub it in place firmly with a squeegee or credit card.
If sticker pulls away from the surface repeat Step 4. After you have applied your decal, we would love for you to send us a photo or a review on our site!
Order your custom decal or one of our predesigned decals today!