How do you make “Application Fluid”?
Application fluid goes by various names. Rapid Tac and Sure Glide are both brands we have used in the past. Currently we make our own. This gives us more control since depending on the time of the year, the application fluid will work differently.
What is the recipe?
- 1 gallon of distilled water
(not city water with added chemicals, not mineral water, well, with added minerals. Pure and simple distilled water will not leave any chemical residue under your graphic) - 1.5 ounces to 2 ounces of baby shampoo
(Nothing fancy. No detangler, no added fragrances, no coloring. The simpler the better.)In the summer increase the amount of baby shampoo up to 2 ounces. With cooler weather even just 1 ounce is more than enough. Really in cold weather the wet application method is not ideal (it can take a long time to adhere). The more baby shampoo the slower the drying time.
- 1 ounce of denatured alcohol
(Denatured alcohol increases adhesion. So less to none in the summer or real hot days)
That’s it! 3 ingredients and you have the best application fluid possible. Pour some in a squirt bottle and spray as a fine mist to either the surface or the back side of the graphic. This will give you time to get the graphic lined up exactly the way you want and minimize any effects of bad squeegeeing techniques.
Click here for detailed installation instructions
Ok, some warnings:
Baby shampoo allows the graphic to slide around and/or prevents bubbles from getting locked under the graphic. A little goes a long way. Keep in mind, if you are not diligent in squeegeeing over and over the graphic, residue could be left under the graphic. While the baby shampoo is PH neutral, still in time, it could break down and either eat at the adhesive or prevent the adhesive from sticking well. This is extremely rare. Even installers that are liberal in the amount they use or are lax in squeegeeing after application rarely, if ever, have a problem. Still too much can cause problems. Don’t overdo the baby shampoo.
Denatured alcohol promotes drying so the graphic will adhere faster. In combination with the baby shampoo which first allows the graphic to slide around, after a few minutes the denatured alcohol kicks in and helps the adhesive to grab hold. A similar concern with alcohol as with the shampoo. Too much and it could eat at the glue. Don’t overdo the denatured alcohol.
To much trouble? Order our application kit which comes with a bottle of application fluid made with our world famous recipe.
