Frequently Asked Questions - Answered by the Sign Expert
Need some advice relating to our products? Find the information you require from the selection below.
- What is Vinyl Lettering?
- How to Apply Vinyl Graphic Decals
- How to Remove Vinyl Decals
- What Size Should My Safety Signs Be?
- What is Vinyl?
How To Apply Vinyl Graphic Decals
It is easy to apply your custom vinyl graphic. The following article explains how.
Tools Required
The following tools are highly recommended when applying vinyl decals or lettering.
- Masking tape
- Spirit level
- Squeegee
- Application spray (or water with a drop of washing up liquid)
- Pin or craft knife
Preparation:
All surfaces contain a degree of dirt and grease. To ensure good adhesion to any surface it is critical that you follow these recommended procedures in decontaminating and preparing the surface prior to any vinyl product installation.
- Wash and rinse the area with warm soapy water. Then dry the surface with a clean, lint-free towel or cloth.
- Wipe down the entire area with Isopropyl Alcohol. To avoid recontamination during the final cleaning step, wipe the surface in just one direction, using a clean, lint-free towel or cloth. You are now ready to apply the vinyl.
Temperature Recommendations:
Surface temperatures should be between 10 and 32 degrees Celsius before attempting the installation. As a general rule, if the surface is hot to the touch it's over 32 degrees Celsius. Adhesive becomes brittle when it gets too cold and gummy when it gets too hot. Applications outside the recommended range of 10 to 32 degrees Celsius reduce the adhesives' ability to perform.
Application Procedures:
You can choose to apply vinyl in one of two ways; dry or wet. Applying vinyl decals dry does not allow for any mistakes. Once the vinyl touches the surface, there is no removal without damage.
However, applying vinyl graphics with application spray allows you the opportunity to remove and reposition vinyl as needed for up to several minutes. For obvious reasons, this method is recommended for both beginners and experts. To apply using the application spray, spray the surface thoroughly. Then lay the vinyl on a flat surface and spray the adhesive side as you remove the backing. An extra set of hands is a good idea. Then simply apply the vinyl to the surface.
Do not excessively stretch vinyl during the application. This is the main cause of end lift. Pull the vinyl only as taut as necessary to keep a straight line. Because vinyl is a pressure-sensitive product, a squeegee should be used for all installations. The purpose of using a squeegee is to remove the excess fluid and or air from behind the vinyl. You should always start the squeegee from the middle and either use a straight up or down motion. Allow the vinyl to set for 5 to 15 minutes.
When removing the application tape, always pull it slowly, back onto itself, at a 180-degree angle. Bubbles should be punctured using a pin. Do not slit the vinyl to release the air. If the vinyl is slit it will spread or gap. The cutting or trimming of any vinyl should be done using a very sharp knife and very little pressure.
How To Remove Vinyl Decals
In most cases, it is possible to remove vinyl lettering with no damage to the surface to which they are applied. Different substrate materials can react in different ways. Even in the case of a vehicle, vinyl lettering can be removed without damaging the surface.
With vinyl decals that have been in place for a lengthy amount of time, particularly in cases where there has been extreme exposure to the sun, there is the possibility of the paint around the decal discoloring or fading. The results will look a lot like a tan line. The area under the decals will be nice & shiny next to a faded surface.
In the case of an old wooden sign, with peeling paint, removing the letters will also remove the paint.
The following is a good basic plan for removing old vinyl decals, stripes & letters.
Step 1:
Heat the surface of the decal with a heat gun or hairdryer. Then take a plastic squeegee & scrape vinyl from the surface. If the vinyl is old & brittle, it will most likely come off in small pieces. If the vinyl is still pliable you may be able to pull it off in bigger chunks.
Step 2:
Once you have peeled all of the vinyl off, you will have to clean the adhesive off the surface with a product designed to remove adhesive without damaging the paint. Signmakers use adhesive removers for this purpose. If you are not a signmaker, then acetone or nail varnish remover can do a similar job.
Step 3:
Clean the surface with soap and water and inspect the surface for any remaining pieces of vinyl or adhesive.
You're done !
If you intend to apply new vinyl to the surface, be sure to clean it thoroughly, and wipe it down with isopropyl to insure none of the adhesive remover is left on the surface.
What is Vinyl Lettering?
Vinyl Lettering (also called pre-spaced vinyl lettering or cut vinyl lettering) is a type of vinyl graphic that is machine cut from sheets of self-adhesive vinyl.
The letters are designed in a vector-based art program (such as Adobe Illustrator or Gerber Omega) and pre-spaced before the cutting process (hence the name pre-spaced vinyl lettering).
The artwork files are then sent to a vinyl cutting program that operates a vinyl cutter. The vinyl cutter then cuts the letters out of the roll of vinyl. The vinyl is precision cut with just enough pressure to ensure the vinyl is cut but leaving the backing paper underneath untouched.
After the vinyl has been cut all the excess vinyl is "weeded" out leaving just the pre-spaced vinyl lettering that forms part of the design.
Low-tack self-adhesive application tape is then placed over the lettering and the design is then cut off from the rest of the backing paper and presented in the form of a transfer sticker.
What size should be safety signs be?
A common question when trying to comply with UK health and safety law is "What size should my signs be?"
The most obvious answer is: "it depends upon the viewing distance from the intended sign".
With this in mind I have come up with the following size guidelines when choosing your health and safety signs (using a standard fire exit sign):
Viewing distance up to 10 metres: use a small sign (300mm x 100mm)
Viewing distance up to 20 metres: use a medium sign (600mm x 200mm)
Viewing distance up to 40 metres: use a large sign (1200mm x 400mm)
When the signs are installed above doors ensure a 2m to 2.5m distance from floor level to the base of the sign.
When the signs are wall fixed ensure a 1.4m to 1.7m distance from floor level to the base of the sign.
Like I said, use these measurements as guidelines only and not as a hard and fast rule.
Most importantly fire exit and emergency escape signs should be, as far as possible, evenly spread and consistently located at the same height to ensure the evacuee can quickly and effectively predict the location of the next sign within the escape route.
Such signs should never be fixed to doors or sited where they will be obscured by open doors.
What is Vinyl?
Vinyl is probably the world's most versatile plastic material.
It is a type of plastic that comes from combining ethylene (found in crude oil) and chlorine (found in salt). When combined together these substances become Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) resin, or as it is better known - Vinyl. It is then further processed to be made more flexible, rigid, semi-liquid, clear or colourful, thick or thin.
Vinyl was first invented in 1920 by scientists who wanted to develop a material that would help to manufacture everyday products that were easier to make, more durable, and cheaper than what was available. Today, vinyl has become the second largest manufactured and sold plastic resin in the entire world.
Although the most common use of vinyl is that in construction (e.g. vinyl flooring) there are hundreds of other applications particularly in the sign industry where vinyl products include vinyl stickers, vinyl graphics, banners, vehicle graphics and floor stickers.
Vinyl is a very strong and durable plastic material that can be manufactured in a variety of colours and properties. It is resistant to moisture and humidity.
How "Green" is Vinyl?
Despite public perception vinyl can easily be recycled and is a very environmentally friendly material.
Vinyl helps in the preservation of environmental resources since approximately 57% of vinyl is made from common salt, which is a renewable natural substance. Non-replenish able resources such as crude oil only account for 43% of vinyl resin.
When crude oil runs out, the oil element of vinyl could be substituted with another oil source such as vegetable oil.
Different Types of Self-Adhesive Vinyl
Self-adhesive vinyl comes in three main categories, namely: monomeric vinyl, polymeric vinyl and cast vinyl. The differences relate to the way they are made.
Monomeric vinyl is the cheapest of the self-adhesive vinyls with a bond-life of up to 3 years. It has a tendency to shrink over time and often comes with a water based adhesive that limits the bond life. Most promotional stickers are made with monomeric vinyl since the sticker life expectancy does not need to be greater that 1 year.
Polymeric vinyl can have a bond life of anything up to 7 years. Generally it is prone to less shrinkage and often comes with a solvent based adhesive that repels moisture and thus enhances the bond life. General vinyl signage should normally be made with quality polymeric vinyls.
Cast vinyl is the deluxe of vinyls with properties that allow the vinyl to "memorise" curves and contours in the surface and to stay in position without returning to its original flat postion. Vehicle wraps use cast vinyls since the vinyl has to be applied over all the contours of a vehicle.
