vinyl fitting guideGuide: to fitting Vinyl Graphics & Stickers.
The main thing to remember when fitting your own vinyl graphics is not to rush the fitting, following these simple steps and this 'should' give you a near flawless result....
Fitting a small car sticker to your car can be a simple process, however it can go terribly wrong leaving you with a sticker full of air bubbles and kicking off at an angle.
It is recommended you fit your vinyl in temperatures of 10c to 30c with 20c - 25c being the perfect temperatures for the vinyl to bond. If possible it's recommended to fit your vinyl indoors such as a garage to reduce the amount of wind and dust from being outdoors.
The surface temperature can greatly affect the application of vinyl, for instance high temperatures can make the film soft and more pliable causing the vinyl to stretch if you need to reposition it.
Low temperatures can make the vinyl firmer and reduce the effectiveness of the vinyl sticking and bonding to the surface. If you wish to apply your sticker / graphic in colder temperatures, we would recommend you use a hair dryer to warm the glue before removing the application tape, this will be explained in more detail below.
Essential Materials you'll need to help you fit your vinyl sticker / graphic.
1. Cleaning Product.
2. Masking Tape.
3. Squeegee.
4. Cutting Knife.
5. Tape Measure.
Step 1: Cleaning and Preparation
The most important step all of all, if you don't follow this step your vinyl graphic will not bond properly to your car causing the sharper / smaller edges to lift easily on cleaning etc. Ensure all surfaces are clean, free from grease, dirt and mostly importantly car polish. If you apply vinyl onto a polished surface you may as well take it straight back off again. It will not stick!
To clean and prepare the area for the sticker we recommend using a suitable solvent such as mentholated spirit, which will completely remove any grease from the surface. Please check that your solvent will not damage your paint work prior to use. In applying our company decals to our vehicles, we use Methylated Spirit from B&Q or any major DIY store.
Step 2: Positioning
Position your graphic / sticker in place using the masking tape to help you position your sticker. While it's tempting to just go by using your eye to see if it's level. Use a tape measure to properly align and position your sticker in place. Using some tabs of the masking tape to hold the sticker in place while you measure up the dimensions with the tape measure.
Step 3: Fitting
The most important thing to remember in this step is once you remove the backing sheet, you'll only get one chance to apply it properly.
Once you are happy you have your sticker in the correct place, you'll need to remove the backing paper. Slowly remove the backing paper from the vinyl sticker. Place your sticker into the desired place and use your squeegee to apply a suitable amount of pressure to ensure your sticker bonds correctly.
If you have chosen to apply your sticker in cold temperatures, we would recommend using a hair dryer for no more then 10 seconds to gently heat the sticker which will activate the glue on the back of the vinyl. Then using the squeegee, apply more pressure to ensure the sticker bonds correctly.
"We would however recommend you fit your sticker in the desired temperature and conditions"
Step 4: Removing the Application Paper - Final Step.
Now you'll need to remove the application paper from your graphic / sticker. To do this I would recommend pulling back on it self to minimise the risk of pulling the graphic up and off the surface causing air bubbles.
Once you have removed the application paper, use your squeegee again to ensure it's bonded properly, be careful here on any smaller parts of the sticker. If there are any air bubbles in your vinyl, use a small pin to prick any remaining air bubbles and gently work the air out. |
