| What is a Decal/Vinyl Graphic Sticker? |
 |
 |
| Application Tape - use to hold
the decal together. |
| Vinyl Transfer - the decal/sticker |
| Adhesive - the sticky part of
the decal |
| Release Liner - the paper backing
that is peeled off first when installing. |
|
|
The most widely used and dependable
method and the method we recommend. A home made water based
application solution is used to help install the decal. The
application solution is applied to the sticky side of the
decal making it temporarily semi-sticky. This greatly helps
in the positioning and re-aligning of the decal until your
satisfied.
Some required materials, a full listing below.
|
Required Materials:
1. Spray bottle or Bucket container and a clean sponge
2. Dishwasher liquid soap.
3. Water
4. Razor
5. Scissor
6. Squeegee
7. Blow dryer or heat gun (preferred)
8. Some type of measuring device (to ensure an even installation on both sides)
9. Tape
10. Pin – to poke out air/water bubbles
And a friend or two to help. |
| |
 |
 |
| Clean the vehicles surface. |
Trim the body graphics kit
with scissors. |
|
1.) Fill spray bottle
with water until full, with 2 drops of dishwashing liquid or
until its semi slippery. If you don’t have a spray bottle,
you can use a regular bucket. Fill with water and put a small
amount of dishwashing liquid or until its semi slippery. Use
a clean sponge to apply the solution on the car or the vinyl.
TIP: If the decals start to stick before
they are aligned, spray more water on the graphics or put more
soap in the solution. Do not over soap, you’re not doing
a car wash. Water does not affect the adhesive of the vinyl
nor the shape of the vinyl.
|
2.) Clean
the surface of the vehicle.
|
3.) Plan where
to install your graphic. You can hold the decal with tape to
the vehicle to give you an idea of where it's going to go.
|
 |
 |
| Visualize where the decal should
go. |
Use tape to hold the graphics.
|
|
4.) Spray
and wet the entire area of vehicle that is going to receive
graphic with water solution.
|
5.) Slowly
peel-off the paper backing off the vinyl graphic.
TIP: As you peel the vinyl from backing,
spray the adhesive side of the vinyl. This will keep the vinyl
from sticking to itself while handling it. This will not affect
the adhesiveness of vinyl.
|
 |
 |
| Take off paper backing. |
Apply solution on both the car and
the graphics. |
|
6.) Once
the backing is off, wet the tacky part of the sticker thoroughly
with the water solution. Both the vehicle and the sticker
should be wet.
Note: Use plenty of liquid to keep them from sticking to fast,
re-apply if need be.
|
 |
 |
| Slowly take off the rest of the
paper backing. |
Apply water solution while peeling
off. |
|
7.) Place
the sticker on the vehicle where you want it and slide it
into position.
|
8.) Now squeegee
out the water and bubbles so vinyl can stick and form to the
car. Make sure to wet the top (non-tacky part) of the graphic
too before using the sqeegee. This will help decrease the
friction and ease in the removal of the Application Tape.
|
 |
 |
| The graphic on the car with the
application tape. All paper backin are now removed. |
Squegee out the water and bubbles. |
|
| 9.)You can use
the heat gun to speed up the dying process. But be careful,
too much heat can shrink and destroy the vinyl. Once the graphic
has stick on the car. Carefully peel off the Application Tape
of the decal. |
 |
 |
| Peel off application tape. |
Take out water and bubbles with use
of squegee. If possible use vinyl protector sleeve to
avoid scratches. |
|
 |
 |
| Install the shadow pieces if your
kit has them. |
Install with water solution one by
one. |
|
10.) Trim
all edges, hood, doors, etc. of excess vinyl with razor. Use
razor to cut between doors, gas door, etc.
|
 |
 |
| Use heat gun to speed up drying process.
|
Use Xacto razor to trim edges. |
|
11.) Use
heat gun to carefully dry and tuck in edges.
|
 |
 |
| Use dryer to seal edges |
Finger or squegee can be use to tuck
in vinyl. |
|
12.) Use
the sewing pin to prick any bubbles to release trapped air/water
under the graphic.
|
13.) Dry
car carefully and let sit for 24 hours before washing, waxing,
or driving in inclement weather (rain/snow/freezing temp).
Your vehicle is still drivable, the decals will not fly off.
|
Let dry and we're done. |
14.) On the
next few days, check all of the edges for lifting, if any
lifting exists rub over them with your finger or with the
help of the heat gun/dryer.
Enjoy and admire your car show quality body graphics..
*Go under our DIY Section to see the full size pictures.
|
| |
1.) Temperature
affects vinyl. Your full body graphics kit should be applied
at room temperature. Too much heat will turn vinyl into shrink-wrap.
Cold vinyl is stiff and hard to work with. When applying full
body graphics in hot weather, allow vehicle to cool down in
a shaded area before applying. We suggest working indoors in
a clean working area.
2.) Cleanliness
is the key to a long lasting installation. If there's even the
smallest grain of dust, it will cause bumps or air pocket. Your
car should be cleaner than it's ever been before installing.
3.) Avoid water on the paper backing of
the vinyl, it will become soggy and will stick to the decal
resulting in a damaged vinyl. |
| |
| A quick way of installing decals. Its as easy as peeling of
the paper backing and applying the decal on the surface. The
drawback to this method is that if you make a mistake, sometimes
its irreversible to undo since the adhesive is strong on vinyl
compared to regular tape causing it to stretch the vinyl out of shape. |
| |
As said earlier, this is the most dependable method of installing
decals. A home made water based application solution is used
to help install the decal. This greatly helps in the positioning
and re-aligning of the decal until your satisfied. The application
solution is applied to the sticky side of the decal making it
temporarily semi-sticky.
Required Materials:
1. Spray bottle or Bucket container and a clean sponge
2. Dishwasher liquid soap.
3. Water
4. Squeegee (optional)
5. Blow dryer or heat gun (preferred)
6. If needed, some type of measuring device (to ensure an even
installation) |
1.) Fill
spray bottle with water until full, with 2 drops of dishwashing
liquid or until its semi slippery
TIP: If the decals start to stick before
they are aligned, put more soap in the solution. Do not over
soap, you’re not doing a car wash.
|
2.) Clean
entire surface thoroughly.
|
 |
 |
| Clean surface area. |
Spray wet solution to surface and
sticky side of graphics. |
|
3.) Plan
where to install your graphic. You can hold the decal with
tape to the surface to give you an idea of where it's going
to go.
|
4.) Spray
and wet the entire area of surface that is going to receive
graphic with water solution.
|
5.) Slowly
peel-off the paper backing off the vinyl graphic.
TIP: Spray with the solution the adhesive
side of the vinyl. This will keep the vinyl from sticking
to itself while handling it. This will not affect the adhesiveness
of vinyl.
|
6.) Once
the backing is off, wet the tacky part of the sticker thoroughly
with the water solution. Both the surface and the sticker
should be wet.
|
7.) Place
the sticker on the surface where you want it and slide it
into position.
|
8.) Now squegee
out the water and bubbles. You can even use your fingers.
Make sure to wet the top (non-tacky part) of the graphic too
before using the sqeegee. This will help decrease the friction
and scratches when using squeegee.
|
| 9.) Carefully
peel off the Application Tape of the decal. |
 |
 |
| Squegee out water and air bubbles. |
Peel of top application tape. Let
dry and we're done! |
|
10.) Let
the graphics dry. Use blow dryer or heat gun to speed up the
drying process. Be careful, too much heat can shrink and destroy
the vinyl.
|
| |
