6 Ways to Use Adhesive Vinyl
Vinyl stickers are not news to anyone. They exist and have been actively used in advertising for many years, but they still do not give up their positions. Moreover, they have recently gained tremendous popularity due to their low cost to manufacture, portability, ease of use, and suitability for many types of surfaces - glass, plastic, wood, etc. Most often, companies glue them on windows, bumpers, sides, and hoods of company cars, which support their marketing plan by attracting new customers. They can also often be found on minibusses, trams, electric trains, and trains.
In general, custom adhesive vinyl printing is used to create stickers in which one side will have an adhesive layer. When placed on a surface, the sticky side must firmly adhere to the surface, so you need to be gentle and apply pressure to the surface of the vinyl adhesive sheets for crafts. Although the effect of such printing has some limitations in terms of properties and materials, there is still a huge potential in them, since after production you will not need to specially process this type of vinyl, unlike, for example, heat exchange, which sticks only under the influence of high temperatures. It also comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and designs. However, there are also downsides to what adhesive vinyl is used for.
There are many items that vinyl decals are ideal for making. You can also use your adhesive vinyl for many different projects. Here are just some of their variations:
1. Apply Adhesive Vinyl to Plastic
Although plastic is not the best choice for vinyl decals, you can use it in some cases. For example, if you want to decorate bags, plastic pens, etc., with your company logo, make them a little more interesting.
2. Use Adhesive Vinyl on Glass
There are many options for how to apply adhesive vinyl on glass without screwing up, since this surface (in a degreased form) is ideal for gluing a vinyl picture or lettering. What are the most straightforward ways:
• Auto glass
It goes well to be visible on the road and stand out from other drivers. In addition, it is an excellent advertising move if you place an ad about contacts, services, and company logo.
• Glass at home or shop
And this is already a great option for decorating your home for Christmas, Halloween, and other holidays. For businesses, they are also great if you want to announce promotions and discounts.
• Mirrors
One of the best things to personalize with vinyl is to decorate the mirrors in your room.
• Glass Christmas tree decorations
This way, you can create unique decorative items on your Christmas tree.
• Glass vases and pots
3. Use Adhesive Vinyl on Drinkware
Vinyl decals can be used on beverage bottles and mugs, food utensils. They are also suitable for decorating lunchboxes. However, it would help if you kept in mind that the vinyl decal should not frequently contact water.
4. Adhesive Vinyl on Wood
Wood is a demanding material for such changes, as its surface is often covered with minor damage, chips, and irregularities. However, if your piece has been pre-varnished or finished with acrylic paint, the decal will stick well. Where can you attach a piece of vinyl:
• To your desktop
• For crafts made of wood
• On canvas painting.
5. Use Adhesive Vinyl on Fabric
But the fabric is categorically not suitable for this type of vinyl, although others may well be combined with it. Why not waste time on this, you ask. The fact is that the sticky layer of the sticker will not withstand constant interaction with the secretions of human skin and glands, such as sweat, for example. Plus, it will fall off after washing.
6. More Uses for Adhesive Vinyl
If you are still wondering how to use adhesive vinyl, then know that experts advise applying it in several small steps that do not take much time and effort. For example:
1) Prepare a sketch of the design;
You should discuss this issue with your in-house designer in advance, and if you do not have one, then contact a professional from another company. It will create an image for you as a file. Then you will find the right size for your sticker.
2) Cut out the vinyl sticker
You will need to prepare the vinyl for subsequent cutting during this step. It would help if you got the finished sticker with a particular cutting machine by placing the adhesive side up first. You should also remember to set the device to either automatic or manual mode to choose from.
3) Removing the excess material
After the previous step, you will need to remove the vinyl rug from the typewriter and remove excess material, including the inside of the letters.
4) Apply for special tape or transfer
This step involves replacing the paper backing with the surface of the item. For this, copy paper or material in the form of a transfer is useful. Transfer the image and smooth out all the resulting irregularities. Also, remove the sticker backing layer.
5) Place the picture on the blank
Blank surfaces can look different. For example, it will be a mug, plate, or even a piece of plastic. Wipe the sticker with rubbing alcohol or antibacterial wipes to remove grease and get the best result. Then you have to wait a couple of minutes for it to dry and then transfer the vinyl decal to the surface. After removing the transfer tape, the job is ready!
Among other things, you should always think about pre-cleaning the object to be decorated, as otherwise you may damage the sticky layer of the sticker or contaminate it with grease, which will prevent it from adhering evenly and serving your needs as long as possible. In addition, it is a good idea to check the surface and vinyl for compatibility before use. You can create a small copy of the future sticker and see if it bubbles during processing, does not fall off, etc.
We hope our article helped you figure out how to apply self-adhesive vinyl. If the information is useful to you, share it with your friends!