SignSpecialist.com and NameMyBoat.com and WildStripes.com Knowledge Base
Have a question? Can’t find the answer? More than likely someone else has already asked the same question. See what the answer is in our very extensive Question and Answer section.
From the common to not so common to the ‘just weird’ questions about decals, lettering, stripes, decals, and graphics, we’ve listed them – along with the answer. Check it out!
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Gulp! The last thing you want to do is get too eager to install your cool new decal, lettering, or graphic and end up ruining your paint.Paint drying and curing times vary from paint to paint, and even on how the painter sprayed the paint (how much and how many additives were added, how many coats were applied, how long between coat, and… the list goes on). To be sure, double check with the painter. No doubt he has run into this question about his paint jobs before.
General rule is: ‘at least 30 days’. Very rarely, less time than this will work. Usually because extra hardner was added to the paint to speed the curing time. However, we have been told some paint jobs need 90 days to cure before application of the graphics. But, again, the safe bet is to check with the painter – he should know.
Why be concerned about this? During the curing process, the paint will continue to change (shrink and expand and even change chemically) and shed solvents and thinners. If the paint is ‘sealed’ by a graphic before this can happen, undesired results can occur. If the paint is just days old, besides the paint messing up, the graphic may not stay adhered to the surface. If the paint is cured to the touch and appears to be cured, but a strong solvent smell can still be smelled coming off the paint, and a graphic is applied the paint may discolor under the graphic – since the solvents that need to evaporate are now trapped. Of course this is not a problem, as long as the graphic is NEVER removed. But, don’t go this route. Follow the painters instructions and WAIT until you have the green light to apply the graphic to the fresh paint.
SIDE NOTE: Vinyl graphics will never harm the paint – if the paint is cured. Even on un-cured fresh paint, some have gambled and applied the graphics and had no problems. The above information is provided as a precautionary concern.
CAUTION: For applying decals on exterior signs that have fresh paint, even more caution is in order. Latex and general oil based paints that are brushed or rolled on are NOT recommended for exterior sign applications. Ideally use a professional sign board. If you have an existing sign and want to freshen it up by painting and applying new lettering and logos, first paint with a high quality automotive paint. Again, do not use rolled on latex or oil based paints. The durability will probably be an issue even in the short-term.
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For washing, you need to wait a couple days in the winter. Just one day in the summer (let it get some sun). If you use the ‘wet method’ for installation double the waiting period.
For waxing, wait 5 days. If you used the wet method or installed during winter time, wait 10 days. But be careful! Some waxes have strong solvents and cleaners that can eat at the edge of the vinyl. Especially if you allow wax buildup on the edge, can this become a problem. That being said, be careful and you’ll do just fine. Note: while waxing may not hurt the decal, the decal does not need waxing.
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Yes. This is becoming a more common application of our product. It is a bit overkill in that our vinyl is designed for outside use for many many years. You will have no problem inside.
Just keep in mind to make sure the surface is clean and oil free. Also, it may take more than the standard 3 days for the vinyl to fully adhere after installed. Possibly up to 30 days.
This does not mean the decals and/or lettering will peel off on it’s own during the ‘curing’ period. But kids (and others) might easily pick it off until it adheres fully.
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Detailed Customer Question
I have read over the installation instructions, but I don’t understand the part about spraying the adhesive? Does that mean to spray the back that is getting attached to the glass, or the glass itself.
Good question. Do you spray the back of the decal or the surface it will go on?
Answer: it doesn’t matter. However, the more water/soap solution you spray, or the stronger the soap content, the longer you will have to wait for the decal to adhere well (ie – the longer you will have to wait to remove the top mask) In cooler weather (below 60) many don’t use any solution. If you do so, in cooler weather, use very little on either the decal or intended surface. Note: do not get the wax paper wet.
If you have any other questions let us know.
Online Decal Instructions Click Here -
This is a very common question but the answer is not a simple “Yes” or “No”.
The answer depends on the paint and how it is applied to the wood. Keep in mind, in time all paint fails. The better the paint and the better it is applied (surface prepped, applied correctly and at the right temperature, and etc…), the better the vinyl will stay applied.
The problem with vinyl applied to painted wood lies in not that the vinyl comes off the paint, but that the sealed paint (vinyl over it) can come loose if it is not ‘good paint job’*(see above description).
Also, some paint has additives that prevent dirt and grime from sticking or to prevent mold from growing. Rarely, this can also be a problem with ANYTHING sticking to the paint (if something like duct tape will not stick, neither will our decals/lettering/graphics)
All this being said, most never have a problem, but because we cannot predict the quality of the painted surface, we cannot guarantee the application.
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Detailed Customer Question
I received my decals today and they look great. I have one problem. I tried to apply the decal and I followed the instructions. When I got to step 4 the decal kept sticking to the paper backing. So I am going to wait to hear back from you. Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening. How can I get it to stick to the masking and not the paperback?
This happens because of high humidity. But it can be fixed.
Lay the graphic on a table with the paper on the bottom, the premask on the top, re-squeegee the premask. Then start back with step #1, it should work now.
If it went through very high humidity, the wax paper can tear and stick to the vinyl but not to the premask. If this happens, it takes a delicate touch using a knife/razor blade/finger nail (or whatever you have handy) to slide between the paper and graphic where it has torn. This is rare, but it has happened.
If it messes up, let us know and we’ll send another one out.
Online Decal Instructions Click Here
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Good question. My business partner is by trade a carpenter. One time he went out and installed door truck lettering on 10 trucks. By the time he came back to the shop, they had called complaining they were all crooked. He assured me they measured straight (he was a little insulted – after all he’s a carpenter). Well I went out and glanced at them, quickly went inside and told them: “We will change them out right away.”
Lesson learned: You can measure all you want from wherever you want, but at some point in time you just got to stand back and go with what “looks right”.
Generally its best to measure off of the closest straight line (top or bottom), stand back and correct slightly for the optical illusion that makes it appear crooked.
As I told my partner, in the end it doesn’t matter how it measures but how it looks.
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Detailed Customer Question
What is an appropriate size for name and town lettering on a truck? I don’t want it to be too large. Would 4 inches work for the name and 3 inches for the town? Also when previewing lettering on your web site, is the height of the lettering actually the height of the letter or the height of the box the preview is in?
Both are good questions. DOT requires being able to read from 50 ft. This is possible even with 1 inch letters if contrasting colors are used (i.e., black on white). For an actual DOT number they require 2 inch lettering. So the 4 inch and 3 inch will be plenty big for readability. As far as what looks right, this depends on the surrounding area. The lettering should “nest” in the overall space. There is not a technical way of judging this. Simply go with what looks best.
As far as the letter height goes, the preview can be slightly off. For instance, let’s say you choose 4 inch lettering. This size is based on capital letters. So if you have the letter “y” in a letter style that drops below the base line of the capital the overall height will be slightly more than 4 inch. Also, so as to enable a background preview, we have increased the “negative space” around the image. This also can throw off the preview.
Here is an example to show what I mean.
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Short Answer: At least 5 years with normal “use”.
However, it will usually last much, much longer. What may reduce durability to just 5 years?
1. Flat (not vertical) installation. For instance a hood graphic life expectancy is just 5 years.
2. Submerged graphics. If your graphics are installed on a boat below the waterline, life expectancy is just 5 years. In salt water, installation below the water line is not recommended.
3. Harsh chemicals and detergents can cause damage. This includes “wax buildup”. For instance, if you wax your graphic, lettering, etc.. and leave wax along the edges, some waxes when wet can “eat” at the edges causing damage over time. Also, just as some chemicals can cause wear on paint or plastic, they can also cause the same to the vinyl. A good rule of thumb is: If it can hurt the surface your vinyl is applied to, it can hurt the vinyl. So, as an example, lacquer thinner, acid rain, etc.. WILL damage the vinyl just as it will the paint of a car.
Besides the above, you should get many, many years of use from the vinyl.
If you have any other questions let us know.
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Short Answer: At least 5 years with normal “use”.
However, usually much much longer. What may reduce durability to just 5 years?
1. Flat (not vertical) installation. For instance a hood graphic life expectancy is just 5 years.
2. Submerged graphics. If your graphics are installed on a boat below the waterline, life expectancy is just 5 years.
In salt water, below the water line is not recommended.3. Harsh chemicals and detergents can cause damage. This includes “wax buildup”. For instance, if you wax your graphic, lettering, etc., and leave wax along the edges, then some waxes when wet can “eat” at the edges causing damage over time. Also, just as some chemicals can cause wear on paint or plastic – they can also cause the same to the vinyl. A good rule of thumb is: If it can hurt the surface your vinyl is applied to, it can hurt the vinyl. So, as an example, lacquer thinner, acid rain, etc., WILL damage the vinyl just as it will the paint of a car.
Besides the above, you should get many many years of use from the vinyl.
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Recently a customer send us this image:
He wanted to take this image (the above size being 1.5 “x1.5″) and turn it into a small decal (10″x10”).
Normally, the cost of a decal like this well under $20… if we have the artwork in a decal ready format. However, this above decal is not even close. The above image is less than 3 square inches. To get to 100 square inches, the above decal would have to be 33 times larger. So lets do that. The following image is a crop of the original. It is ONLY enlarged half that amount. Can you tell which part of the original it is? Imagine if it was enlarged to the size need. The details just are not there. Added to this, the original image is only ‘drawn’ at 72dpi. Minimum quality needed is 150dpi.
Enough of these technical issues. What does this mean for the customer who just wanted a nice decal made from the original image? Much added cost. A redraw by hand is needed. Then the redraw will be scanned into the computer for more clean up and conversion to a final decal file format. Even before a decal can be made, several hours of redraw time is needed… cost $75 (not including the decal cost). Wow!
Why go over all this? At first glance the cost of converting an image to a decal seems like we’re some kind of bandits… to some customers. But the reality is, even at the prices we do charge, our conversion prices do not cover our conversion costs. Why do we do it anyway? It’s fun (although not profitable). It’s fun to get paid to draw. To get away from a computer and keyboard and sit down with paper and pencil and draw…. now that is some quality personal time. And to get paid for it besides, it makes it all worth while.
So by no reason, feel we don’t want to do decal conversions. Send us what you have and we’ll get back with you a quote and ordering link (but steady yourself before you look at the price).
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Well the latest and greatest iPhone will not help. It would seem simple enough to just take a picture and print that color. The human eye and brain though are way better, and also, at the same time, get tricked way easier than most expect.
We’ve all seen the dress that some people see as one color, and others see as another color. Our eyes and brain interpret and filter what we see. For instance, take a picture of a red car. Import that picture into a photo editing app. Color sample various areas of the red car. Each and every sample will be a different color code. Our eyes see ONE color, the computer sees hundreds. On the other hand, we can print out a dozen different similar red sample color codes. When our eyes look at the samples it will see a dozen different reds. BUT take a picture of the samples and then look at the picture. They will all look alike. Even the latest and greatest iPhone can not match the human eye.
So, the only way to really match a color exactly is to use all the tools available. Yes, color matching tools save a lot of time. But they are only the start. The best tool we have: trained human eye… can fine tune the print and get the perfect match.
Mail us your sample and we will match it:
SignSpecialist.com
105 Ruth Ann Lane
Broadway NC 27505 -
Acid and Corrosive Salt Cleaners are extremely dangerous to the decal and the surface underneath (ie – the paint).
Overview: Sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and Hydrofluoric acid (HF) and phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) and ammonium bifluoride (NH4HF2) are found in many cleaners and are doubly horrible to spray anywhere near a decal.
Warning: These chemicals are found not only in wheel cleaners and aluminum brighteners but even in some paint polish/waxes and automotive cleaners and of course automated car washes.Warning: The ingredients on the label may list a derivative of these acids and salts. Google your ingredients to be sure they are truly safe and do not contain the above chemicals.
So what is the issue? Well, in theory these products are safe. Well safe-ish to use under the perfect conditions. If sprayed on in the shade at lower temps and then washed right off, no damage may ever be seen. However with continued use there could be problems, not just for the decal but also for the paint.These salts and acids can adhere and stay on the decal EVEN IF WASHED OFF later (similar to how a sponge holds water). At that point the acid will just sit there and EAT at the decal and PAINT. It might take years to see any issues. It might happen the first time. It may never happen. But don’t risk it.
DO NOT spray, even accidently, any of these acids or salts on the decal. Not even for a second. Not worth the gamble.
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