Q: What are vinyl designs made of?
A: Our designs are made of a very thin, flexible vinyl. They are backed with a
light adhesive for easy application to walls or other smooth surfaces.
Q: Will it all be on one big sticker with a clear background?
A: All the letters are prepositioned using an application tape that is removed after
applying your design. The background is not clear, but you will not have to line
up each letter.
Q: Are the colors on the website an exact match to the product I’ll receive?
A: Yes. However, due to the nature of computer monitors, the actual color of
products may vary slightly. We do make every effort to accurately represent
product colors. We offer a vinyl swatch ring for purchase.
Q: What types of surfaces can these designs be applied to?
A: Designs can be applied to just about any clean, smooth, and weather-resistant
surface that is free of dust, grease, or other contaminates. Designs may not
adhere to heavily-textured surfaces, but can adhere to lightly textured walls. We
strongly discourage installation of designs on certain surfaces such as brick,
stucco, concrete block, suede paints, and sand paints. In very rare occurrences, a surface may not release a saying without causing damage.
Q: Can they be installed on wallpaper?
A: Yes. Designs can be applied to certain types of wallpaper; however, wallpaper
can vary widely in texture and quality. Also, some designs may not release
from certain wallpapers without causing damage.
Q: Will designs adhere to all paints?
A: Our designs install easily on the most common types of home decorating
paints, such as latex- and oil-based. They will also work on other paints, although
some highly textured paints or paints with additives can make application
extremely difficult. Examples of paints that fall into this category are faux, magnetic, sand, and suede paints. Before ordering, please request a free sample and test in an
inconspicuous area to see whether a statement will work with your paint.
Q: Can I apply a design to a newly painted wall?
A: You should wait at least two weeks before applying a design to a newly
painted wall.
Q: Will the designs damage my wall?
A: When walls have been prepared as directed and properly maintained after
application of designs, most people have no wall damage when designs are
removed. Please remember though, that with any decoration medium, there is
always a chance for damage.
Q: Will bathroom humidity damage a design?
A: No. Once applied, designs can withstand the heat and humidity generated in a
bathroom environment. However, please be aware that prolonged exposure to
heat and humidity will weaken the adhesive over time.
Q: I can't get my design to transfer to my surface; what do you suggest?
A: Make sure the surface and designs are at room temperature. If a surface is
too cold, gradually heat it to room temperature with a blow dryer on the low
setting.
NOTE: Use care to avoid overheating the design and/or wall to avoid damage.
For example, to apply a design on your front door when the outside temperature
is below freezing, use a blow dryer to warm the exterior surface of the door to
room temperature before you apply the design. Then, once the design has been
applied, continue to warm the surface for a while to allow the adhesive time to
bond to the surface.
Tip: Depending on the temperature outside, sometimes the finished surface on
the inside of an exterior wall can be colder than room temperature.
• Avoid applying designs when the climate is very humid.
• Make sure there is no residue on a wall surface such as grease, smoke, or
soot. Cigarette smoke can cause a buildup on surfaces.
After cleaning your wall, make sure there is no leftover residue and that the wall
is completely dry. Often, a wall surface feels dry to the touch but moisture has
been absorbed into the wall material beneath. This moisture is released to the
surface as the wall continues to dry, breaking the adhesive bond and pushing the
design off the surface.
• As you remove the transfer tape, try firmly pressing the design on the wall with
your thumb or a dry cloth.
• Rub the saying onto the surface with your scraper. Then, using a sponge,
dampen the back of the transfer tape before you peel it away. This will help the
design release from the tape.
• If a surface is heavily textured, some designs may not adhere to it as well as
other surfaces. If this is the case, you may want to apply the design to another
surface that has less texture. If the surface is lightly to moderately textured and it
seems like the design should be able to adhere to it, try using a blow-dryer on the
low heat setting.
NOTE: Use care to avoid overheating the design and/or wall to avoid damage.
• Warm the surface (wall) to room temperature before applying the design, and
then warm the statement itself while burnishing it onto the surface. This
technique makes designs a bit more pliable and adaptable to the surface texture.
Q: If my walls are too textured, what options do I have for displaying my design?
A: If you have heavily-textured walls, you still have many options to display your
saying. For example, you can install a design on a flat, smooth surface that you
can hang on your wall such as a board, glass, or a mirror. You can also display
sayings on tiles, metal, and blocks, as well as other smooth surfaces.
Q: How long can I store my sayings? Do they ever expire or "go bad"?
A: Although sayings can be stored for up to six months depending on storage
conditions, they are warranted for 60 days. We strongly recommend that you
apply your design quickly (within 24-72 hours of receipt) for the best results.
Q: How long will the saying last after it has been applied to a surface?
A: Our designs are not intended for permanent application; however, they can
last for months or years depending on the surface and environment. Designs
applied indoors can last significantly longer than designs applied outdoors where
they are exposed to weather. The high quality vinyl we use has been rated to last
3 years outdoors - and generally last much longer when inside.
Q: Is there an allergy risk with your product?
A: The adhesives used on our designs contain natural rubber latex. If you have
an allergy to latex, use caution when applying any design.
Maintenance Questions
Q: Can I wash the saying once it has been applied?
A: Yes. We recommend that you use a soft cloth or sponge dampened with cool
water to clean your saying. Avoid using cleaners that contain alcohol, abrasives,
citrus additives, or ammonias. When a saying is applied on a window or mirror,
take special care to avoid glass cleaners that contain alcohol, ammonia, or citrus
additives.
Q: I installed a saying but it is starting to peel off. What do I do?
A: If part of a saying starts to come off a surface, use washable glue, such as a
glue stick or wallpaper paste or glue, to reattach it. Always follow the
manufacturer’s recommendations and test the adhesive in an inconspicuous
place before applying it to your design.
Q: Can a clear coat be put on a design?
A: Clear coating may provide additional protection for a design, depending on the
coating's chemical composition. Check the clear coat label for details and use
caution. Solvents in some clear coatings, such as lacquers and varnishes, can
break down the design and/or adhesive. We have found that using a water based urethane is the best type of clear coat. Using an oil based urethane contains paint thinner which breaks down the adhesive.
Q: Will my saying crack, peel, fade, or warp?
A: When a design has been applied as directed and is protected from direct
sunlight and harsh weather, you should not have issues with cracking, peeling, fading, or warping.
Q: What temperatures is the saying able to withstand?
A: Once installed, our designs will withstand a temperature range between -20°F
and +150°F.
Q: Can sayings on a car go through a car wash?
A: An automatic car wash should not ruin a design. If a car is being washed with
a hand-held pressure washer, extra care should be used to avoid directing the
washer stream on the statement at close range or for an extended period of time.
Outdoor Usage Questions:
Q: Can designs be used outdoors?
A: Yes, our designs can be used outdoors. Make sure the surface is clean and
dry and free of dirt and debris. Some examples of successful applications are
automobiles; exterior windows and doors of homes; exterior home decorations,
such as treated boards or metal objects like mailboxes; exterior signs; and so on.
When applied to exterior surfaces, expect a shortened product life due to
exposure to weather and other elements.
Q: How long will the sayings last after it has been applied to a surface?
A: Our designs are not intended for permanent application; however, they can
last for months or years depending on the surface and environment. Sayings applied indoors can last significantly longer than sayings applied outdoors where
they are exposed to weather.
Q: What should I consider before installing a saying on a car?
A: Keep in mind that the chances of damage to a design applied on the exterior
of a vehicle may increase due to exposure to the elements and impact from road
debris.
NOTE: Use of an ice scraper will destroy sayings applied on window exteriors.
Typically, windshield wipers and rear defrosters do not interfere with sayings
installed on glass.
Product Removal:
Q: How do I remove a design?
A: When you are ready to remove a saying, warm it slightly with a blow dryer on
the low heat setting.
NOTE: Use care to avoid overheating the design and/or wall to avoid damage.
Hold the blow dryer approximately eight inches away from the design, taking care
not to overheat your paint. Gently lift a corner of each letter or design with a
fingernail and pull down slowly.
Q: When sayings are removed, does residue remain on the wall? If so, how
do I remove it?
A: Typically, our designs do not leave a sticky residue; however, several factors
can affect this, including the length of time the statement has been displayed on
a surface. If some residue remains upon removal of a saying, try using isopropyl
alcohol or other residue removers to remove it. As always, follow the
manufacturer's recommendations to avoid damage to your surface.
Q: Is a saying reusable if I remove it?
A: No, unfortunately you cannot reuse sayings once they are removed.
Q: What is sun fade, and what causes it?
A: Sun fade, also known as shading or ghosting, can occur when exposure to
sunlight causes a surface to fade or darken. For example, framed art can prevent
the wall treatment behind it from fading at the same rate as the rest of the wall
because sunlight never reaches it. When the art is moved to a new position on
the wall, a darker spot remains. The same thing can happen with a statement
depending on its placement, the amount of light it receives, and the surface to
which it is applied.
Sun fading can happen to almost any surface regardless of the treatment applied
(paint, fabric, stain, lacquer, and so on), but it is most common with oil-based
paint. Sun fade is not caused by the material used in the manufacture of the
statement.
Application Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare your wall. Wash your wall with an alcohol-based all purpose cleaner or glass cleaner. Rubbing alcohol also works well. Dry the wall completely.
Step 2: Prepare your saying. Unroll the saying. (You may want to lay it flat somewhere warm until it no longer curls.) Lay your saying on a table or other flat, smooth surface (facing up, so you can read your saying). Rub over the entire surface of your saying with a scraper. This will fix any letters that may have detached from the Transfer Tape during shipping. Doing this for 30-60 seconds should be enough time.
Step 3: Eyeball your saying on the wall. Lay the saying face up on the wall wherever you think it may be close to where you want it. When you have it where you think it may be close, take a piece of blue painters tape and tape the saying to the wall vertically in the middle of the saying while you work out exact measuring.
Step 4: Measure in 5 spots. To ensure that you have the saying in the right spot on the wall, you will measuring from 4 different spots on the box that is around your saying. All measuring will be done from the INSIDE edge of the box, NOT the outside edge.
Spots 1 & 2: Measure from the inside edge of the box on both the left and right side to the edge of your wall. Both of those sides should match.
Spots 3 & 4: Measure from the inside edge of the box on the top and bottom to the wall. Both of those sides should match.
Spot 5: Line a level up with the inside edge of the box to make sure that your saying is straight.
Step 5: Re-adjust the painters tape Once you have the saying positioned correctly, re-tape blue painters tape vertically in the middle of the saying. Make sure that it is firmly taped to the wall.
Step 6: Start on either side and start peeling the Layers apart. Because you have a piece of painters tape vertically in the middle of your sign, you have two sections. You can start on either side. Picking one side, carefully peel the backing paper from the transfer tape. Avoid touching the actual lettering of the saying itself. The saying should stay on the transfer tape, with the backing paper left bare.
Step 7: Cut the backing paper off. Once you have the transfer tape and saying off of the backing paper, cut the backing paper off near the painters tape. Don’t remove the painters tape yet! Let the backing paper fall to the floor.
Step 8: Lay the transfer tape and saying of the one side on the wall. Hold the transfer tape & saying as close to the wall as possible to avoid any wrinkles or bubbles. With the scraper, scrape from the tape to the outside of the lettering. This will lay the saying onto the wall.
Step 9: REMOVE THE BLUE PAINTERS TAPE
Step 10: Repeat steps 6-8 to the other side of the saying.
Step 11: Gently scrape over the entire saying; use wet sponge if necessary Using your scraper, firmly rub the entire saying, paying extra attention to the edges of each letter. This is adhering the saying to the wall. (Do not rub the boarder around your saying~ this is going to be removed in the next step). Usually just rubbing the letters firmly with the scraper card will do the trick, but if you are having problems, moisten the transfer tape with a wet sponge. After a few seconds it will start to wrinkle. When this happens, rub it again with your scraper card. (*Be careful not to get water outside the edges of the tape as it may seep under your saying and weaken the adhesive.)
Step 12: Remove Transfer Tape Slowly peel the transfer tape from the wall. Be sure that the dots of “i”s, and other small pieces don’t get pulled off with the transfer tape. Tip: Peel the tape straight back, so it is as close to the wall as possible, and not “out”. **After you removed the transfer tape, carefully remove the boarder that is around your saying. If you have a symbol off to the side, leave that since you will need it for the next step in laying the 2nd layer.
Step 13: Lay additional layer (IF APPLICABLE) If your order contains two layers, this is when you will be laying your second layer. You will have noticed that each of your layers came with a symbol in one of the corners. You simply have to line up the top layer symbol with the one that is already on the wall. After you have lined up the symbols and everything is level, repeat steps 4-12.
Step 14: ENJOY YOUR NEW DESIGN! Removing Wall Lettering (Please note- you can’t reuse after you remove) **When you wish to remove lettering, use heat (such as a blow dryer) and rubbing alcohol.
Apply heat source over lettering for a few seconds and then pull letters away from wall.
If and residue is left, use rubbing alcohol to wipe.
***Same directions apply when applying vinyl to any other smooth surface. ***
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