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| B.L.Vinyl '87-88 Toyota Hood Graphic |
Laying down vinyl isn't difficult, but taking these steps will make the job much easier and give you the best results.
To begin, wash the area where you want the decal with soap and water, and dry with a fresh microfiber cloth. If you use degreaser, wash the area afterwards with soap and water, and dry thoroughly. Install the vinyl decal during warmer weather, or bring the vehicle inside and allow vehicle and decal to warm up to at least 60-degrees.
Your decal from B.L.Vinyl will have 3-layers; The backing paper, the decal, and clear transfer vinyl.
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| The 3 layers: Backing paper, the decal (black), and clear transfer vinyl |
For small decals, fully remove backing paper from decal. Leave the clear transfer vinyl attached to the decal.
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| For small decals, fully remove the decal from the paper backing (use 2 hands) |
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| For extra sticky vinyl, creating a crease in the backing paper encourages the decal to release from the paper |
Hold the clear transfer vinyl firmly, and hover the decal above the vehicle surface until it is lined up how you want. Carefully stick one side of the decal to the vehicle.
Using a fresh microfiber cloth, smooth the decal down to the vehicle surface, working from one side of the decal to the opposite. Don't use a credit card or other sharp plastic device, as it can snag the clean transfer vinyl and cause distortions. Check for bubbles and alignment as you work from one side of the decal to the other. Bubbles can be worked to the closest edge of the decal, or popped with a small sharp pin. Alignment can be corrected by gently pulling the clear transfer vinyl as the decal is being laid down. This will put small distortions in the vinyl. Use your best judgement between alignment and decal distortions.
Once the decal is adhered to the vehicle, give it a final rub with the microfiber cloth, paying close attention to edges and small detailed pieces.
Choose one corner of the clear transfer vinyl and begin peeling it off of the decal.
Pull the corner in a 45-degree angle, keeping the waste clear transfer vinyl low, to promote adhesive release between the clear transfer vinyl and the decal.
If small detail pieces of the decal stick to the clear transfer vinyl, use the clear transfer vinyl to stick them back into place. If the decal becomes fully installed and the missing small detail pieces aren't noticed until later, use a fresh razor blade to pick the detail pieces off the clear transfer vinyl, and with the detail piece on the very edge of the razor blade, place onto the vehicle in the correct position.
Your small decal is now installed!
The process is very similar for larger decals, but there are a few tricks to make handling a large sticky kite-like object easier.
Wash and dry the vehicle area where you want the decal.
For vertical surfaces (doors, fenders, bedsides) Align the decal on the vehicle WITHOUT removing the backing paper. Identify which side of the decal you will start at, and with blue painter's tape, tape the decal in place. Move to the opposite side of the decal, and verify alignment. Once the decal assembly is aligned to your liking, tape the oppose end of the decal in place.
Starting at your beginning edge, remove blue painter's tape and gently lift up on the decal assembly so that you can access the backing paper.
Pull the backing paper back about 6" and fold it over flat. Holding the clear transfer vinyl, verify the alignment of your starting edge, and adhere it to the vehicle.
With your fresh microfiber cloth, firmly rub the 6" of decal onto the vehicle. Remove the blue painters tape on the opposite end of the decal, and while slowly pulling the remaining backing paper off, continuously smooth decal down using microfiber cloth. Pay close attention to bubbles and alignment while removing the backing paper and smoothing down decal. Small bubbles and minor misalignments can be adjusted as mentioned above. For large misalignments, depending on the decal design, you can cut the clear transfer vinyl at a junction between decal pieces and begin your installation and alignment from your new cut. Use your best judgement as to whether you should gently pull the decal back into place, or cut at the clear transfer vinyl.
For horizontal surfaces (hood, roof, trunk) Align decal on the vehicle WITHOUT removing the paper backing to ensure proper fit. Identify which edge of the decal to begin with (I recommend beginning at whichever edge has the most critical alignment). For this next step, you can either 'eyeball' the opposite side of the decal to confirm alignment, or tape into place before backing paper removal. Pull backing paper 6" down from your starting edge and fold over. Holding the clear transfer vinyl firmly, and align the decal at your starting edge. Once alignment is confirmed, press decal onto the vehicle using the microfiber cloth to firmly adhere and smooth decal. If you taped your decal into place, remove the tape now, and slowly pull back the backing paper as you smooth the decal down. During this step, you can practice your best dot matrix printer impression, as you move your microfiber cloth back and forth across the decal as it's being laid down.
Check for bubbles and alignment during installation. Bubbles around the edge can be pressed to the nearest decal edge by using the microfiber cloth. Large bubbles, or bubble in the center of a large decal can be popped and pressed with a small sharp pin.
Once the clear transfer vinyl is fully removed, your decal is fully installed! Give the vinyl a couple days to fully adhere to the vehicle, then you can resume washing as your prefer.
Now that you're ready to install some vinyl of your own, head over to B.L.Vinyl on Etsy to browse the designs available, and follow B.L.Vinyl on Facebook for deals and product updates.
Images coming soon
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| Decal is positioned and adhesion started |
Using a fresh microfiber cloth, smooth the decal down to the vehicle surface, working from one side of the decal to the opposite. Don't use a credit card or other sharp plastic device, as it can snag the clean transfer vinyl and cause distortions. Check for bubbles and alignment as you work from one side of the decal to the other. Bubbles can be worked to the closest edge of the decal, or popped with a small sharp pin. Alignment can be corrected by gently pulling the clear transfer vinyl as the decal is being laid down. This will put small distortions in the vinyl. Use your best judgement between alignment and decal distortions.
Once the decal is adhered to the vehicle, give it a final rub with the microfiber cloth, paying close attention to edges and small detailed pieces.
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| Firmly rub the entire decal to ensure good contact |
Choose one corner of the clear transfer vinyl and begin peeling it off of the decal.
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| To remove clear transfer vinyl, starting at a corner and pulling at a 45-degree angle to the decal |
Pull the corner in a 45-degree angle, keeping the waste clear transfer vinyl low, to promote adhesive release between the clear transfer vinyl and the decal.
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| Keep clear transfer vinyl low, allowing the decal to more easily release from it |
If small detail pieces of the decal stick to the clear transfer vinyl, use the clear transfer vinyl to stick them back into place. If the decal becomes fully installed and the missing small detail pieces aren't noticed until later, use a fresh razor blade to pick the detail pieces off the clear transfer vinyl, and with the detail piece on the very edge of the razor blade, place onto the vehicle in the correct position.
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| Using a razor blade to install small detail pieces that stuck to the clear transfer vinyl |
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| Position the vinyl detail piece with the razor blade and press it into place with your finger |
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| Detail piece installed using a razor blade |
Your small decal is now installed!
The process is very similar for larger decals, but there are a few tricks to make handling a large sticky kite-like object easier.
Wash and dry the vehicle area where you want the decal.
For vertical surfaces (doors, fenders, bedsides) Align the decal on the vehicle WITHOUT removing the backing paper. Identify which side of the decal you will start at, and with blue painter's tape, tape the decal in place. Move to the opposite side of the decal, and verify alignment. Once the decal assembly is aligned to your liking, tape the oppose end of the decal in place.
Starting at your beginning edge, remove blue painter's tape and gently lift up on the decal assembly so that you can access the backing paper.
Pull the backing paper back about 6" and fold it over flat. Holding the clear transfer vinyl, verify the alignment of your starting edge, and adhere it to the vehicle.
With your fresh microfiber cloth, firmly rub the 6" of decal onto the vehicle. Remove the blue painters tape on the opposite end of the decal, and while slowly pulling the remaining backing paper off, continuously smooth decal down using microfiber cloth. Pay close attention to bubbles and alignment while removing the backing paper and smoothing down decal. Small bubbles and minor misalignments can be adjusted as mentioned above. For large misalignments, depending on the decal design, you can cut the clear transfer vinyl at a junction between decal pieces and begin your installation and alignment from your new cut. Use your best judgement as to whether you should gently pull the decal back into place, or cut at the clear transfer vinyl.
For horizontal surfaces (hood, roof, trunk) Align decal on the vehicle WITHOUT removing the paper backing to ensure proper fit. Identify which edge of the decal to begin with (I recommend beginning at whichever edge has the most critical alignment). For this next step, you can either 'eyeball' the opposite side of the decal to confirm alignment, or tape into place before backing paper removal. Pull backing paper 6" down from your starting edge and fold over. Holding the clear transfer vinyl firmly, and align the decal at your starting edge. Once alignment is confirmed, press decal onto the vehicle using the microfiber cloth to firmly adhere and smooth decal. If you taped your decal into place, remove the tape now, and slowly pull back the backing paper as you smooth the decal down. During this step, you can practice your best dot matrix printer impression, as you move your microfiber cloth back and forth across the decal as it's being laid down.
Check for bubbles and alignment during installation. Bubbles around the edge can be pressed to the nearest decal edge by using the microfiber cloth. Large bubbles, or bubble in the center of a large decal can be popped and pressed with a small sharp pin.
Once the clear transfer vinyl is fully removed, your decal is fully installed! Give the vinyl a couple days to fully adhere to the vehicle, then you can resume washing as your prefer.
Now that you're ready to install some vinyl of your own, head over to B.L.Vinyl on Etsy to browse the designs available, and follow B.L.Vinyl on Facebook for deals and product updates.
Images coming soon
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