Exhibition Graphic Techniques - Wet Application of Self-Adhesive Vinyl

By: Matthew Theobald Click author's name for more of his/her articles

If you are new to signmaking or producing graphics for exhibition stands you may have had to apply to surfaces that are prone to bubbling. This article will show you how to avoid this.

Surfaces that are particularly difficult are those which are very smooth - for instance: glass, acrylic and vehicle paintwork.

You can, of course, decide to accept the problem and simply pop the bubbles afterwards using a scalpel blade, however it would make sense to avoid the problem in the first place, if this were easy to achieve.

Well the good news is that it is easy to achieve with a little know how.

This method is used to prevent the vinyl sticking to the surface on contact, facilitating the removal of any air trapped beneath the surface.

The basic method we will use is the hinge method of application but we will spray the surface of the substrate and/or the adhesive back of the vinyl with a mix of water with a few drops of washing up liquid.

The best way to achieve this is with a standard spray bottle - available from any DIY store or garden centre; fill it with luke warm water and 2-3 drops of the washing up liquid.

Put the 2 ends of the graphic together and press a small crease at the centre point. Place a piece of masking tape at each end of the graphic and secure to the substrate. Using a tape measure lift and replace the graphic until the fold mark is at the left to right centre mark.

Using the tape measure or ruler release one end of the graphic and re-position until the baseline is where you want it. Do the same to the other end and then re-check the first end as it will probly have moved.

When you are sure the graphic is in the correct position put a strip across the whole graphic somewhere near the middle and preferably with at least one edge lying in a gap between letters. This is known as the hinge.

Next line up a piece of masking tape with the application tape at one end of the graphic. Take off the masking tape at that end and fold the graphic over on itself and create a sharp crease into it. Peel back the release paper and tear it off at the fold line.

At this point you should spray the substrate with the water/washing up liquid solution. It doesn't really matter how much you spray on as you will be squeezing it out anyway.

Line up the edge of the application tape with the piece of masking tape used to mark its position. Next, using a vinyl applicator and starting from the centre of the graphic, press outward from the centre, up and down, working your way towards one end. Repeat the process working towards the other end.

Spray the application tape with the solution until it is soaked. This will attack the adhesive on the application tape and allow it to be removed more easily without pulling the vinyl off with it: You need to remember that the vinyl will not reach full adhesion until the residual liquid under the vinyl has evaporated and the adhesive has cured.

The amount of time it will take for the film of liquid between the substrate and the vinyl to evaporate will depend on the ambient temperature and the surface area covered and can range from a few hours to a few days. It should, however, be possible to remove the application tape within 10 - 20 minutes but it will need an amount of care.

Peel back the application tape working from one corner and keeping the tape at an acute angle; this stops the vinyl from being lifted off the substrate. This method has the advantage of not needing any lines to mark the position and is therefore useful for applications to sensitive surfaces.

Where the graphic does not allow for a centre hinge, because of the lack of a suitable gap in which to create the fold, the hinge can be created at one end of the graphic or along the top or bottom.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Matt Theobald has been working in the exhibition and display industry for over 20 years. Having been involved in the design and build of exhibition stands throughout Europe and having specialised for a number of years in large-format digital print he has a wealth of experience in this arena. www.exdisplay.co.uk