- Application Instructions -
Applying your custom vinyl graphic is easy enough to do by yourself. The following tools are recommended when applying vinyl decals or lettering. You will need masking tape, a squeegee, and a pin or Exacto knife. Application spray is optional.
Always lay out your decals flat and go over them with a squeegee or credit card after you remove them from the shipping tube and before you start the application process. This is to re-affix the transfer tape to the decal after shipping, should any separation occur. The rolling up of decals for shipping can sometimes cause separation of the transfer tape from the decal in spots, making small air pockets... which is normal and easily fixed. A simple laying flat and giving it a once over with a credit card or other straight edge will make sure your decal's transfer tape is nice and evenly stuck before you begin the application process. A simplified application procedure is illustrated below. For more detailed instructions, select Detailed Application Procedures on the Topics side menu.


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- Surface Preparation -

All surfaces are contaminated to some degree. To ensure good adhesion to any vehicle surface it is critical that you follow these recommended procedures in decontaminating and preparing the surface prior to any vinyl product installation.

1. Wash and rinse the area with liquid dish detergent and warm water. Then dry the vehicle surface with a clean, lint-free towel or cloth.

2. Finish up the cleaning process by wiping down the entire area with Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing 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.

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- Temperature Recommendation-

Surface temperatures should be between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit before attempting the installation. As a general rule, if the surface is hot to the touch it's over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Adhesive becomes brittle when it gets too cold and gummy when it gets too hot. Applications outside the recommended range of 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit reduce the adhesives' ability to perform.

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- Application Spray -

Fill a spray bottle with water. Add a drop or two of liquid hand soap (not dishwashing liquid). Do not over estimate on soap (it will take longer for the graphic to set up).

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- Detailed Application Procedures -

You can choose to apply vinyl in one of two ways; wet or dry. Applying vinyl graphics dry does not allow for any mistakes. Once the vinyl touches the surface, there is no removal without damage. However, applying vinyl graphics wet (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 when applying large decals.

Wet Method -
1. Trim decals as needed. Clean your destination surface. The cleaner the better.
2. Lay the decal flat, backing side up. Using a sharp angle - peel the vinyl-backing away from the transfer-tape (that is holding the vinyl image). Be careful that all elements of the decal stay stuck to the transfer tape, and not the backing.
3. Mist the decal and transfer tape (sticky side) and the destination surface. Clean water slides less but sticks better. You can add a drop or two of dish soap to the water for easier positioning of larger decals. Too much soap can cause problems with adhesion, so just a drop or two.
4. Place the transfer tape holding the decal onto the destination surface as desired. You can slide it around a little. Be careful of small lines and details. When centering, NEVER MEASURE using THE TRANSFER TAPE! Always measure from the actual decal image, which you can see through the transfer tape.
5. Once aligned - Starting from the image-center and moving outward, squeegee out all the water and air bubbles. Start with light pressure, and slowly build with each pass over the graphic.
6. Let the image stay on the surface with the transfer tape on for as long as it takes to dry. Direct sunlight on hot, dry days will speed this up. On cold, humid and rainy days can take up to 24 hours or even longer to fully adhere. Rule of thumb, if you are not sure whether or not it’s dry, and you did a really nice job putting it on, then don't be in a rush taking of the transfer tape (and risk messing it all up)... Be patient!
7. Once fully dry, begin peeling the transfer tape off using a sharp angle against itself. This helps to keep your vinyl decal from pulling off the surface if it’s not fully adhered in all places. If the vinyl is not sticking, it's not dry yet, or the surface was not clean. If the image comes off the surface (still sticking to the application tape), simply lay back down, taking care not to create any air bubbles, and squeegee as before, and give it more time to dry and fully adhere. Wet method applied decals should not take more than 48 hours to fully adhere. See the illustration below:

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Dry Method -
1. Clean your destination surface. The cleaner the better.
2. With your decal as-is (still taped up), lay your decal (backing-side down, transfer-tape-side up) and align as you like it. It should be adhesive side down, looking like it will look after applied. Once you get it lined up how you like it...
3. Place a strip of masking-tape (vertically) down the center of the image to hold in place, over-lapping the edge onto the destination surface. Make sure the image won't move. Once fixed...
4. Pull one side of the decal (the entire decal - transfer tape, backing and all) back flat against itself, folding over the masking-tape center-line that you just placed to hold it down. Don't crease it, just "bend" it or "fold" it.
5. Using a sharp angle, start in a corner and peel away the decals backing (away from the transfer tape that is holding the vinyl image) until you get to the masking-tape-center-line you laid to hold it in place. Keeping the vinyl (on the application-tape) pinned back with your finger, cut away the removed backing along the center-placement-tape line. Careful not to scratch your surface or cut your vinyl image. Do not try and tear the paper, this will create fuzz and dust that may create bumps under the decal.
6. Using any squeegee like item (a credit card works well), begin to lay your graphic down onto your prepared surface from the masking-take center line outward. DO NOT LAY DOWN ALL AT ONCE! Hold the image at an angle above the destination-surface, and slowly, starting at the center-placement-tape-line, press down the image from the center out using the squeegee. Squeegee from the center-tape-line outward as you lay it down, taking care to no allow air bubbles to form between the vinyl and the surface.
7. Once one side is laid down, remove the center-tape-line, then remove the other half of the vinyl backing the same way as before, and repeat the process for the other side.
8. Squeegee the entire image a few times, from the center outward, each time with greater pressure, making sure that all of it is good and pressed onto the surface.
9. Once you feel it is pressed on as good as can be, begin peeling the transfer tape off using a sharp angle against itself. If the image comes off the surface (sticking to the transfer tape), simply lay back down, and squeegee as before, then try again - remember, a sharp angle works best when separating vinyl from either the backing or the tape. If the decal does not stick, the surface was not fully cleaned, and may have oils or dust. See the illustration below for additional help.
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