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Say you've purchased a vinyl or film, all is going well so far. You're not getting any creases, nor any air bubbles, and then you get to the edges. You notice that it might not be a perfect application, or might refuses to lay down and keeps curling. You go over it with your finger with some pressure, but after a few seconds it unrolls. Obviously this will begin to annoy anyone when they're so close to finishing a project and are a perfectionist. There could be a number of reasons why the vinyl isn't adhering properly. From the vinyl being produced with errors at a factory, moisture seepage, mishandling during shipment, or left in unsavory temperatures. Whatever the case this is something that needs to be addressed. You shouldn't have to deal with such an issue right when you're so close to the end. And going through the process of removing the vinyl and trying to get a replacement is going to cost you time. Even more if your product is out of stock. At this point you may feel really disheartened or come up with one final solution before contacting the company; trying other products to seal those corners and get the vinyl secured.
Now, there's a variety of materials out there that can seal or secure vinyl. The effects of these products on your vinyl will have different effects however. We'll go in depth as to what these products might be and why they aren't adequate solutions to your vinyl sealing problem. You don't want to use something that can potentially tear your vinyl, or even your vehicle/object's original paint. Extreme caution has to be taken when you grab something with properties that are sticky in nature when it comes to the DIY hobby, along with the effect they have. Especially when you're handling vinyls as they can be a bit finnicky with certain products. With that said, here are some common items you might want to use to seal your vinyl but will do more harm than good:
As stated above, you have a problem with your vinyl sealing, specifically its corner edges. Additional pressure hasn't helped so you decide to grab a glue. So you decide to utilize some glue. This ends up discoloring your vinyl and either doesn't properly adhere to your vehicle, or it does adhere to another object you're applying the tint to, but now you're stuck with edges that are darker than the rest of the material. Super Glue would be an even worse option as while you will definitely get adhesion, removing it will definitely scuff up your a vehicle's paint job in the event that you will eventually have to remove the vinyl. It will harden and eventually turn white which will in turn start to flake, especially on other material such as plastic or woods.
Liquid Cement is light in application, and pretty thin, but once it sets, it is going to cling but not to the point where it is impossible to remove. Some force will be needed, but when it comes off, paint is going to be stripped and hardened residue is going to be left behind. Cements and Super Glues are definitely one of the worst products to attempt using. Liquid sealants are a hit or miss, as they too can have adverse effects on the vinyl, and it isn't known how it affects your vehicle's original paint. Ordinary masking tape isn't a long term solution, it will cling to your vinyl and tear it, and won't last long if wet. There's an endless amount of variables that can happen that can go wrong to bother taking the chance with these items. So overall, do yourself a favor and avoid using these!
However it's not all doom and gloom, as there's always a way to properly resolve sealing issues. So what do you use? Here at Rvinyl we have the solution to your dilemma. We offer a variety reliable products that will you be able to seal your vinyl securely without damaging it. After all, we provide quality products that will contribute to you achieving a flawless installation of your vinyl.
The first two products we offer is the 3M™ 8520 Matte Edge Sealer and 3M 8914ES Gloss Edge Sealer. You might think "didn't you state that masking tapes should be avoided?" and that is true, however, the Matte and Gloss Edge Sealers are no ordinary tapes. The Clear Matte Edge Sealing Tape is engineered to work with Matte Vinyl Wrap films. This tape is one half inches wide and will immediately improve the quality of your Matte wraps by sealing the edges flawlessly, along with being removable without tearing your vinyl or messing up your original paint job. This tape excels at sealing and can be use around doors, wheel wells, hoods and trunk lids.
Its cousin, the Gloss Edge Sealer Tape is made from 1 Mil thick Cast Scotchcal. Being nearly invisible, this Clear Edge Tape significantly reduces the potential negative effects of rough use or extended exposure to extreme temperatures by providing water and contaminant-tight seal between a graphic film and substrate. This tape is a pressure sensitive, optically clear tape with a clear polyester liner used to seal vehicle perforated window graphics and for sealing cut edges and seams on watercraft graphics, Cars and Truck Wraps. That sounds a lot better to use than other types of tapes, don't you think? We think so too.
What if you don't want to use tapes and want something akin to a liquid but without having to deal with the mess or potential vinyl warping that comes with liquid sealers? Does such a product exist? Yes, yes they do in the forms of pens. Either way, we just know you'll love each of these premium pens.
The Seal-It® Vinyl Graphic Edge Sealer is a pen that contains ONE SHOT 4005 UV blocker acrylic clear, promoting adhesion in 3M films. In about 15 minutes after application, the material dries fast and helps to seal graphics, resulting in professional looking results. Thanks to its shape, it can get into corners with ease and prevents both edges and points of graphics from lifting up, curling or peeling, which in turn, extends the life span of your vinyl applications. This Edge Sealer is compatible with all vehicle graphics and wraps as well as digital prints, vinyl and thermals. All while being extremely easy to remove, allowing you to change up the style of your graphics anytime the mood strikes you.
The ABT® BondPrep 4298UV Primer Pen is a small pen, coming in a 5oz aluminum tube body with a felt tip and spring valve that depresses until the primer flows with a closeable cap. This pen is ideal for use on smaller applications such as Dash Kits or little projects and is perfect for people that are extra attentive to neat and precise applications. The 3M™ Primer 94 is a small yet versatile pen. Ideally used with 3M™ tapes to strengthen the bonding properties of the tape. It can be used on a variety of different substrates along with being usable on rubber, plastic, painted, and even bare metals. Definitely a companion you should pick up with your other tapes!
When it comes to achieving flawless results to applications, making sure everything it set and sealed is probably one of the most important aspects of DIY projects involving vinyl. In fact it is probably the most important aspect in general to projects. Projects being done don't mean anything if your material doesn't even sit properly, ends up loose, or even starts to fall off. It causes a domino effect where just the smallest imperfection can lead to everything falling apart. There's no reason to waste your time, resources and money if you don't ensure your projects are sealed for the long run.
That is why the Edge Sealer Tapes and whatever pens you decide to choose are crucial to your DIY project finishing with flawless results. We highly suggest buying both a pen and sealing tape to gain the maximum amount of sealing results and reduce the risk of any issues. And of course, you can easily remove both of the materials without damaging your vehicle's original paint or having unsightly residue behind. The best of both worlds! Preparation is key to getting a proper installation done, getting flawless, professional results to show off and impress all those you display your finished project to. Choose the tools you need and get your DIY project finished with style!
as my first time i appreciate how this material stretches and shrinks back with heat fixing any overstretching. it does allow some color bleed through though so i had to rethink some of my design ideas
The SEAL-It pen seems to have very little content. I’ve used three on one RC airplane to seal pointy stars and graphics. The product is perfect for the application and I’ll continue to use the SEAL-IT pen. It ain’t clear nail polish!
These are fine quality decals but installing them sure tried my patience on some pieces. It would of been much better if there was a few minutes to move the piece before it stuck. Able to purchase separate pieces would also be a plus.