APPLICATION GUIDELINES AND INFORMATION
These are the installation guideline pages we send you with invaluable knowledge of how to properly prepare surfaces for vinyl lettering application. They contain a list of cleaning agents to clean surfaces to remove grease, grime, and oils. A simple explanation of how to install lettering whether it is large or small. Also how to tape and measure to place the lettering where it should belong.
Vinyl may be applied to any smooth, clean, nonporous surface. Do not apply on polyethylene or other plastics high in plasticizer. All surfaces must be cleaned prior to vinyl application.
FOR PAINTED METALS AND BASE METALS – Clean surface with a solvent (or wax remover) such as Prep-sol (E. I. DuPont solvent #39195), Pre-Kleano (R-M or generic), Fin-L-Wash (Napa), VM&P, Xylol or Naptha. Dry the surface with a lint-free cloth before solvent evaporates. Freshly-painted surfaces must be fully cured prior to application of graphics. Always pretest any solvent to be used on a painted surface in an inconspicuous area to make sure the solvent will not attack the surface. Per YOUR environmental recommendations, WESLEY’S CLEAR MAGIC WORKS, TOO.
INTERIOR PAINTED SURFACES – Paint must be cured prior to application of graphics. The area where graphics will be applied should be cleaned with a household cleaner. Wash with plain soap and water afterwards, and rinse thoroughly and dry. (Latex painted surfaces are not recommended for vinyl letter application.)
LIFE RING LETTERING – Life rings can have a waxy coating on them to extend shelf life and avoid dry rotting or cracking, so you must thoroughly wash and dry each quadrant before installing lettering. Once you install the lettering, using a hair dryer or heat gun (not too high or too close) to activate the adhesive will make the lettering even more effective and last longer. Although we received advice on using edge sealer from customers in the past, we do not recommend using edge sealer on thin vinyl lettering since that would stick even further out from the surface causing additional wear and rubbing on the glue in those areas. The heat after installation and cleaning of the surface should get the longevity needed for the lettering, and take precautions to prevent movement in the ring holders (like using electrical tape on the area the holder meets the ring).
Occasionally a dullness or splotchiness will occur on high-performance cast vinyls, such as you have received. This condition is called “blocking”. The application of heat or the exposure to sunlight will eliminate this condition and restore the surface gloss to the material. Wrinkles, small bubbles and marks from installation should also minimize over time.
Becky Brace
Brace Enterprise
94 SW Ridgewood Rd
Dunnellon, FL 34431
OFFICE (352) 489-4442
FAX (352) 498-4103
MOBILE (352) 274-5976