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General Vinyl Application
Instructions:
Skill Level of Installer
A handy person with proper
instructions can install moderately
sized Vinyl Decals. When installing
decals larger than truck door-
sized, it is suggested that an
adequately experienced person do the
installation. Please keep in mind
that we will only warranty decals
that have been determined to come
from a defective lot of material.
All other adhesion or installation
related problems are assumed to be
the fault of improper conditions or
other installer related error. We
strongly suggest you wait at least
60 days after painting a surface
before applying any decal, because
should you ever wish to remove the
decal the paint will come off with
it if the paint is not properly
cured before application.
Learn the Terms. Each Decal at
the time of purchase consists of 3
parts:
Please read this section carefully,
especially if you are new to Vinyl
Decal installations.
Application Paper
Application Paper is the Mask that
we apply to your Decal that makes
multiple letters stay together. It
is necessary for us to apply this
mask to make Decals ready for
install. This Mask is either made of
paper or plastic, depending on the
characteristics of the decal.
Decal
This is the actual adhesive Decal
that you have purchased. It is
sandwiched between the application
paper and the backing at the time of
purchase. The Decal is what ends up
installed to the surface.
Backing
The Backing is the wax paper that is
applied to the “sticky” side of the
decal. This Backing keeps the Decal
from sticking to anything prior to
install.
Surface Compatibility:
The Surface must be a Hard, Flat,
and Non- Porous. Installation to any
other surfaces is not recommended,
unless you are an experienced Vinyl
Installer. Special skills are needed
to deal with major bodylines,
complex curves, corrugated surfaces,
etc. We strongly suggest you wait at
least 60 days after painting a
surface before applying any decal,
because should you ever wish to
remove the decal the paint will come
off with it if the paint is not
properly cured before application.
Surface
Temperature and Weather Conditions:
Adequate Surface Temperature and
Weather Conditions are necessary
before attempting to install a
Decal.
-The Surface Temperature must be
between 60°F and 90°F, with 70°F to
80°F being the ideal range.
-It can’t be Raining or even
Drizzling. Decals must be kept
absolutely dry until installed.
-Try to avoid installing Decals in
Direct Sunlight. Surface
Temperatures in Direct Sunlight
often change rapidly and are
difficult to judge.
-Make sure there is No Wind present,
Wind or Gusts Will cause a problem.
Cleaning and Prepping Surface:
If surface is at all dirty, wash
with soap and water rinse with water
until there is no more soap or soap
residue. Make sure Surface is
absolutely dry before proceeding to
next step.
Thoroughly wipe down the area of the
Surface where Decal is to be
applied.
Once the surface is clean,
installation may begin. A clean
Surface will help to insure that
your Decal will stay in place for
both the short and long run.
We strongly suggest you wait at
least 60 days after painting a
surface before applying any decal,
because should you ever wish to
remove the decal the paint will come
off with it if the paint is not
properly cured before application.
VINYL
APPLICATION TUTORIAL
 Tack
the to the surface using masking
tape. Once you are satisfied with
the positioning, tape the entire
length of the top edge using one
continuous strip of tape. This will
create a "hinge" along the top.
 Peel
the backing paper off carefully.
Start at a corner on the hinged edge
and peel back gently. Be sure that
the lettering does not touch
anything until it is burnished.
Also watch to make sure that all
letters stick to the application
paper.
 Burnish
with firm steady pressure. Start
each stroke in the center and
burnish in straight parallel
strokes. Overlap each stroke to
avoid bubbles and wrinkles. Be sure
not to let the lettering touch the
surface until the burnisher puts it
there
 Carefully
pull the masking paper at a sharp
angle. Start at a top corner, and
pull down as parallel to the surface
as feasible.
Dealing With Bubbles
You will probably end up with some
bubbles in your decal job. Small
bubbles will go away in time (the
film breathes, and will flatten out
after a few weeks at an appropriate
temperature). If you want to work on
the bubbles immediately, apply
moderate heat, then poke them with a
pin, pressing the film down with
your
thumb immediately afterwards. Have
patience though, the film will lay
flat on it’s own in time unless the
bubbles are unusually large.
Storage
Your decals must be kept clean, dry,
and laid out on a flat surface. If
storage is to be longer than 1 year,
It is recommended that they be kept
in an airtight container or bag. If
you regularly use decals, make sure
to rotate your stock.
Decal Removal
Decal removal can vary in
difficulty, depending on a few
things; the quality of the film to
be removed, how long it’s been on,
if it’s weather-beaten, etc. Move
along the decal with a hair dryer or
heat gun, while at the same time
picking the letters or striping off
as you go.
If there is glue left behind, clean
it up with some petroleum naphtha
(available at your local hardware
store) applied to a rag.
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