Tips To Help You Apply Your Own Vinyl Graphics and Decals -- and Get the Maximum Life From Them
Properly preparing the surface (substrate) and applying your vinyl graphics is the key to getting the most enjoyment and longest life out of them. We want you to do just that, so we're putting this information together in hopes of making it as straightforward, easy, and rewarding for you as possible. We recommend that you read through these instructions/tips fully before proceeding with your installation. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call us at (334) 444-6796 and share them with us before attempting a DIY installation. Naturally, we are not responsible or liable for poor or improper installations or damage to vehicles, other substrates or surfaces, and/or graphics resulting from improper installations, usage, or maintenance. If you experience minor difficulties (such as a letter or two of your graphic being damaged during installation) we will work with you and can often supply you with replacements for those at no charge. With that said, here we go...
Applying Vinyl Graphics On Glass
Special Note: while these instructions and tips are geared toward applying your graphics on vehicle glass, the same general information and instruction apply to installing vinyl graphics and lettering on glass windows, doors, etc. But please keep in mind that if there are special tints, films, etc. on the surface you intend to apply the graphic to, stop. You should not apply vinyl graphics on anything but the glass itself. It won't work properly, it won't look good, and you could end up doing serious damage to tints, films, etc. Also, if you apply vinyl graphics to the side of the glass OPPOSITE tinting films, you can expect to see some uneven fading of the tinting over time because the vinyl graphics will shade the sunlight from the tinting film. This might not seem noticeable as long as the graphic is in place, but if you remove the graphic you could end up with a "ghost image" in the tinting film. If you must use vinyl graphics or lettering on glass which is tinted on the opposite side, we recommend you consider removing and replacing the graphic(s) more frequently, intentionally repositioning the graphic(s) so that you in effect move the shaded areas around over time, which will at least make the permanent ghosting less obvious.
Recommended Items/Tools for the Best Quality Graphics Application:
- A roll of good quality paper towels
- Mild glass cleaner
- Single-edged razor blade
- Blue painter's tape (available at home improvement or department stores)
- Squeege (alternatively, you can use a credit/debit card, driver's license, etc., as long as it has a straight, smooth, clean edge and is thick enough to handle you applying moderate to firm pressure to it while using it as a squeegee)
- Exacto knife (or something similar) with a fine, sharp point (for air bubble removal)
Before You Begin...
The ideal temperature range for applying vinyl graphics to glass is roughly 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't be fooled by outside air temperatures. It might be a 75 degree day, but the sun shining on a windshield can heat the glass to a much higher temperature. Therefore, we recommend applying your vinyl graphics inside a garage or in a shaded area, such as underneath carport or other covering. If it's a really hot day, allow plenty of time for the glass to cool down after moving the vehicle indoors or to a shady area. Likewise, if it's a really cold day, allow the vehicle to warm up thoroughly after moving it indoors to do your vinyl installation.
Also, it is best NOT to apply your graphics on a rainy day or during a period of high humidity, as this can slow the vinyl adhesive curing process considerably, potentially causing the adhesive to fail and your graphics to come to a premature end. Finally, we recommend that once you have applied your graphics you let the vehicle sit in the same area at a fairly constant temperature for at least a few hours, but ideally for 24 hours, because a sudden increase or decrease in the temperature can cause your vinyl to stretch or shrink rapidly -- especially if the adhesive has not fully cured -- also resulting in adhesive failure and turning your installation into a disaster.
Vinyl Graphic Application Instructions
- Clean the glass thoroughly using a mild solution or glass cleaner.
- After the first cleaning, spray a small amount of the cleaning solution on the glass and use a single-edged razor blade to clean things like dirt, tree sap, bird droppings, bug remains, sand, and grit from the glass. The best way we've found to do this is by holding the razor blade at a 30-45 degree angle to the glass and dragging it backwards across an area of the glass. If you feel or hear the blade "clicking" across something, it means there is still something on the surface of the glass. Now moving the blade in a forward motion across the wet glass with light to medium pressure, you can usually remove this foreign material with ease. Move the blade in a reverse direction across the same area again and you shouldn't feel the "clicking" this time. If you do still feel it, repeat the forward/reverse wiping of the glass just a few times. Doing this over the entire area where the graphic will be applied should thoroughly remove any foreign matter from the glass. If you still feel something on the glass, stop and inspect for scratches or more serious problems. We recommend not applying graphics over deep scratches or pits in the glass, as this will create air pockets and areas of non-adhesion which could cause your graphics to loosen or tear and shorten their lifespan considerable.
- After the first cleaning with glass cleaner and a razor blade, clean the glass once more with glass cleaner. This time, clean the glass with a fresh paper towel, wiping in circular motions starting at the center of the area to be used and working your way outward. Using another fresh paper towel, dry the area thoroughly in the same circular fashion. Make sure there are no streaks and no paper towel lint or debris remaining on the glass.
- With the backing still on your graphic, roughly position it as close to the intended location as possible and lightly hold it in place using a couple of small pieces of blue painter's tape. This will allow you to let go of and step back and look at the position of your graphic from a slight distance. As a general rule of thumb, if the position doesn't look right, it's not. There are various means of measuring and positioning graphics precisely -- too numerous to go into here -- but again, if it looks good, then you're typically good to go. If it doesn't, keep repositioning the graphic until your eyes tell you it's right. Of course we do recommend that in the case of vehicles, etc. you make sure the vehicle is on level ground. If you're parked on some sort of incline what looks right to your eyes now might be very unlevel when you move the vehicle to level ground.
- Once you're satisfied with the positioning of your graphic, use a strip of the blue painter's tape to create a "hinge" for your graphic. The tape should be roughly 50% on the graphic, and 50% on the glass.
- Using your squeegee (or a stiff credit card or similar with a clean, smooth edge, squeegee the graphic once more, starting near the blue tape and working your way across the graphic. This will help remove air bubbles and also give you the proper transfer tape adhesion.
- Using the blue tape as a hinge, flip the graphic over. Starting at one corner of the graphic, gently remove the backing material from the graphic, slowly pulling it away at roughly a 30 degree angle. Be careful that the tape and graphic does not roll onto itself or touch any surface, as the vinyl could end up permanently stuck to itself or in the wrong place. Watch closely as you are peeling away the backing. If you see portions of the vinyl graphic sticking to the backing instead of remaining adhered to the transfer tape, carefully roll that portion of the graphic back over and resqueegee it from the tape side using relatively firm pressure, then try peeling the backing from it again. It should now peel properly.
- With the backing fully removed, use your squeegee, credit card, etc. to slowly start rolling the graphic into place. Begin squeeging it from the center outward in both directions -- parallel to the blue hinge tape. Work your way from the hinge tape side to the far side of the graphic until it's completely applied.
- Use your squeegee/card to once more squeege the graphic from the center outward, using relatively firm pressure. This should remove virtually all air bubbles.
- Remove the blue hinge tape, then begin removing the transfer tape from your graphic by starting at one corner and slowly pulling back at roughly a 30 degree angle. Watch for any pieces of the vinyl that might try to remain on the tape instead of the glass. If this happens, gently let the tape and graphic roll back into place far enough that you can re-squeege the graphic from the tape side using firm pressure. The transfer tape should now peel away properly.
- After removing all of the transfer tape, look carefully for any sizeable air bubbles in your graphic. If you see any near the edges of the vinyl, you can usually push these outward by using a slighly moist paper towel, your finger, or a felt squeegee if you happen to have one. Push the air pocket toward the edge of the vinyl. For air pockets that are too far away from the edge of the vinyl, if it's a tiny one, it's usually not a problem, since the vinyl will tend to stretch and shrink on its own slightly with extreme temperature changes. But if it's a large one, you can very carefully use the pinpoint of an Exacto knife or something similar to prick a very tiny hole in the vinyl right in the middle of the air bubble, then use light pressure with your finger or a felt squeege to gently push air from the edges of the bubble to the hole you just made. Will a little care and patience, you should be able to completely eliminate the air bubble and the hole you made in the vinyl should pretty much disappear because of the slight stretching of the vinyl that occured as you were pushing the air out.
- It's okay at this point to gently wipe the entire area with a damp paper towel to remove any adhesive that might be remaining for the hinge tape and/or transfer tape. But we recommend that you wipe or rub only the glass -- not the vinyl graphic itself -- as it can sometimes take a day or two for the adhesive that holds the vinyl to the glass to fully cure, achieving maximum adhesion strength.
- Your graphic is now in place and ready for you to show off and enjoy. Whenever you need to clean the glass and/or graphic, we recommend not using harsh glass cleaners. We also recommend avoiding chemicals such as Rain-X, as these can sometimes cause the adhesive to break down or react with the vinyl material and seriously damage or destroy your graphic. Mild soap and water is your safest bet for cleaning purposes. Also, avoid blasting your graphic with pressure washers or the high powered sprayers at car washes. It can be a bit disheartening watching your graphic (or pieces of it) flying off your vehicle.