Surface Preparations

Your project surface must be clean and free of all oils, waxes and dirt.
Glass: Clean glass with windex or a comparable cleaner. (Formula 409 can remove RainX)
Lexan: Use isopropyl or rubbing alcohol and a very soft cloth.
Paint: Use alcohol or some other cleaner that can remove waxes and grime.

Surface temperature should be room temperature ( 55 or above). The warmer it is, the better it works, but avoid direct sunlight.
Measure, mark and measure again! Make sure you have checked that your marks are level and even from all sides.

Decal Preparations

Your decals have three layers: The top layer is called the application or transfer tape and looks similar to regular masking tape or clear plastic tape. The middle layer is the actual decal. The bottom layer is a backing paper treated with a release agent.
Items you will need: a needle and some type of squeegee or flat firm and smooth item like a drivers license or credit card.

You will need to make sure that the decal is laid out flat. If it is curled up, let sit out for an hour or more to relax. If it is in a high humidity area, do this inside or use a hair dryer to warm it up a little. Once the decal is flat, take your squeegee and rub all over the application tape to ensure that it has adhered to the decal well and there are no air bubbles under any part of the decal.

Applying Your Decal
Dry Method

Turn the decal over so the transfer tape is down and pull backing off SLOWLY. The backing is the heavier gauge paper. Be extremely careful to make sure that no part of the decal sticks to the backing material. You can use a needle or similar pointed object to aid in pulling back stubborn parts of the decal.

Now you are ready to apply the decal. Hold the decal over the desired location and slowly apply the decal to the surface. Try to touch the surface first at the center of the decal and then flatten out to the sides. Use your drivers license or squeegee to flatten as much of the decal as possible. The transfer tape will allow you to rub the decal without damaging it.

Slowly peel back an edge of transfer tape. Watch the small letters and corners to make sure they are sticking to the glass and not to the transfer tape. Be patient and do not rush this process! Once the transfer tape is removed, take your fingers and rub gently over the corners and points of the decal to make sure they are glued firmly to the surface. If you have an air bubble, use your needle to poke the air bubble creating a small hole for the air to escape. Press around the air bubble, working the air to the small hole. The bubbles may disappear after a day or two. Sometime a hair dryer would help to get stubborn areas to flatten out.

NOTE! Once the decal touches the glass or paint, it cannot be moved again.

Wet Method (For most windshield applications)

Mix a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a gallon (or so) of water. Use a spray bottle to wet the area where the decal is to be applied.

Trim away the transfer tape so that the tape is within about 1/2" of your decal. Remove the backing paper the same as the Dry Method instructions and place the decal, still attached to the transfer tape, to the thoroughly wetted surface. The decal can then be gently moved and repositioned correctly. (The decal will slide on the thin film of solution trapped between the vinyl decal and the surface.) If you are doing a windshield decal and need to curve the letters, cut the transfer tape with a pair of scissors between the letters about 3/4 of the way from the top of the decal and position the letters where needed. Note! Do not cut all the way through as this will mess up your spacing between the letters. When the decal is in the final location, use a small squeegee or drivers license to squeeze the water and detergent solution out from under the decal. The transfer tape will protect the decal during this process.

IMPORTANT! Be sure to squeegee as much solution as possible from under the decal. Take your time, because if not enough solution is removed from under the decal, it will not adhere to the surface enough to allow the easy removal of the transfer tape. Although a squeegee is recommended, you can use a soft cloth or your fingers to remove the liquid. When you have removed as much of the liquid as possible with the squeegee, the transfer tape can be carefully removed. Work the decal with your fingers, and a soft, absorbent cloth around the edges and corners to remove any remaining solution. Warm weather is best for this application. If there are bubbles present under the decal, use a small pin or needle to puncture the decal at the bubble to remove the air. A small pin hole will not be seen after the air bubble has been worked out with the fingers.

Caring for your decal

We use the best material for your decals and they should last 8 years or longer and should not fade for many years, but there are ways to prolong the life these graphics.

First off, you can clear coat your decals with the same stuff that you would use when painting your car. This would make your decals last as long as your paint job, but would be much more difficult to remove.

Use care during wintertime as decals on windows can be damaged by scraping snow or ice from the windows.

Use only mild window cleaners on your windows.

Use care when waxing the painted surfaces of your vehicle. Wax can build up around the edges of the decal. Use a soft cloth and gently remove the wax around the decal. Never use a brush which will force wax beneath the decal causing it to peel.

Your Decal will not be damaged by normal use of car wash products or water. The extreme pressure of water from pressure washers and automatic car washes will reduce the life and appearance of your decal.
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Removing a decal

Glass surfaces: Use a razor blade scraper to remove the decal. It is best to do this when temperatures are between 70 and 80 degrees.

Painted surfaces: Use a heat gun or hair dryer to warm the decal until it peels off easily.

Static Cling

Make sure the surface is clean. You would be surprised how dirty glass can be when you are trying to look at a decal through it.

To make things easier, use a damp cloth or sponge and wipe the area so it is moist. Remove the cling from the backing material and place it on the damp area. It should slide around pretty easy to position where you want it. Squeegee out any excess water and air bubbles. Make sure you hold on to it when you squeegee or it will still slide around on you.

Some waxes and polishes have an anti-static additives and would make it difficult to apply your cling. Usually just wetting it down as mentioned above will take care of this, you might have to clean your surface using alcohol if the cling wont stick. It usually does not come to this though. You should be able to remove your cling and reuse it following the same procedures listed above.

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Any problems or questions, please contact us at (360) 630-4344 or don@makingitdigital.net