Applying vinyl and decals on glass might not be as easy as it sounds. There are a lot of vinyl stickers for glass available, which hold different characteristics.
In this article, we’ve written everything you need to know about vinyl stickers for glass. Keep in mind these important guidelines before making your purchase:
- Glossy, matt, permanent, and temporary vinyl for glass are perfect for glass.
- Make sure the sticky side of the sticker has no dust particles. Otherwise, it will ruin the whole vinyl sticker.
We’re sure you want to know way more precise information. So stay with us and keep reading our ultimate guide.
Let’s dive in!
Can You Put Vinyl Stickers On The Glass?
Yes, vinyl and decals are perfect for any surface as long as it’s smooth and doesn’t have bumps above 80 m (microscopic level). Glass’s bump height is 60 m. Therefore, you’ll not face any issues while applying any vinyl sticker on the glass.
What Color Vinyl Looks Best On Glass?
It depends on the person’s taste, the nature of the glass, and the type of glass.
You’ll, of course, use a contrasting color against the background so human eyes can spot your vinyl sticker prominently.
For example, if the glass is transparent, then it all depends on the background color.
If the glass is black-tinted (like the car's rear shield mirror), it's better to use white, red, blue, or contrasting colors.
Some contrasting examples:
- White on black
- Red on black
- Yellow on black
- Green on blue
What Kinds Of Stickers Are Used On Glass?
Below, we’ve mentioned some of the best vinyl stickers for glass.
1. Calendar Vinyl
Calendar vinyl is one of the most common types of vinyl used for protection and covering purposes. It’s a sheet that sticks to the materials. You can customize the sheet in the way you want, such as printing it in a simple color, custom image, or whatever you like through the computer. Note that the calendar vinyl is thin PVC material and is about 2.5 to 4 mm thick. It’s an opaque decal and doesn’t provide any transparency. Therefore, if your need is to cover your glass, such as permanently fixed glass on the roof, you can give it a try with calendar vinyl.
2. Matte Vinyl
Matte vinyl is perfect if you need vinyl for your outdoor glass, such as car glass and windows. As the names suggest, they’re matte finished and don’t offer a glossy reflection. These vinyl decals are primarily waterproof and don’t break the seal if they contact water. Moreover, due to their matte nature, they are scratchless. If you want a bold and simple design, matte vinyl might be a good option.
3. Transferable Decal
Transferable decals are one of the most popular and widely used decal types in the world. They’re made up of plastic family compounds such as polyethylene, polycarbonate, and polyvinyl carbonate. A transferable decal is a plastic image that can be moved or transferred to another surface upon contact. However, note that they’re not so resistant to scratches and water. Still, they’re one of the best decorative pieces for your glass, such as windows, cars, bottles, glass walls, etc.
How To Apply Vinyl Stickers To Glass?
It depends from decal to decal. Each type has a different process of application depending on its design and style. Below, we’ve covered all of them for you.
- Calendar Vinyl
Applying the calendar vinyl on your glass is easy and doesn’t require much skill. All you’ve got to make sure of is to prevent building the bubble while applying. The calendar vinyl already comes with pre-applied adhesive, so you don’t need to use any additional glue. It would be best to use a plain, straight, rigid, and level material to apply the decal on the surface without any bubbles. For DIY, you can use your debit card, ID, or anything like that. Moreover, clean the surface properly, so no dust particles are left behind before applying.
- Transferable Decals
Transferable decals are pretty tricky to apply and require patience. There are two types of transferable vinyl stickers for glass: non-heated and heated ones.
Non-heated ones don't require any source of heat for transfer.
All you do is:
- Paste the PVC decal cover on the surface
- Apply pressure
- Wait for five minutes
- Remove the PVC sheet
In heated ones, heat is required to transfer the decal onto the surface. The application process of heat decals will remain the same as non-heated ones. However, you’ll apply a heat gun for these, or if DIY, a hairdryer will work to transfer the decal onto the surface.
Why Is Your Vinyl Not Sticking To Glass?
You’ve purchased or designed a beautiful vinyl, but it’s not sticking to the glass. This situation might be a bad nightmare for you.
However, there are many reasons why your vinyl stickers for glass aren’t sticking to the surface.
1. Dust
The most common reason why vinyl fails to stick to the surface is dust. We’re not talking about visible dust; we’re talking about microscopic dust particles that can prevent your vinyl from sticking to the glass surface.
2. Loose Adhesive
Another reason is the loose hold of the adhesive of the decals, which makes them fall from the surface every time. Especially with the inexpensive and low-quality decals, you might face this issue. For an alternative and DIY solution, you can try external adhesives such as paper double-sided tape. For a permanent hold, you can try using super glue, but note that if you use superglue, you can’t remove the decal from your glass ever again, and it’ll stay permanent.
This section was for calendar and wallpaper decals only since they use adhesive.
3. Low-Quality PVC Composition
Another reason why your decal sticker isn’t sticking to glass is the low-quality composition. To make the decal sticker on glass, the developer must create it with an accurate plastic composition and formula. Otherwise, it won’t stick to the glass. This issue usually occurs with low-quality, inexpensive decals.
Is There A Way To Make Vinyl Stickers Stick Better?
The most challenging task, from buying a decal from the store to having it placed on your glass, is the applying process. One small mistake or error can ruin the whole decal sticker in a matter of seconds. Therefore, below we’ve mentioned some tips on making your decal stick better for vinyl stickers on glass.
- Surface Cleaning
The most important thing to make sure of is that your glass is 100% clean. Make sure no dust particles are left behind on your glass. One small dust particle can ruin the whole decal while applying. Therefore, you might consider cleaning the surface with rubbing alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, soap water, or any liquid agent that can clean the microscopic-level dust particles. In addition, use a microfiber cloth for better results.
- Smooth Surface
Note that vinyl stickers stick to smooth and plain surfaces such as metals and PVC (microscopic level). They don’t adhere to non-plain surfaces like wood, cement, paint, and plywood (microscopic level). So make sure your glass has a smooth surface if you want to stick your decal on it correctly. Mirrors, windows, and car windshields are the best examples of this type of glass (on a microscopic level).
- External Adhesive
The PVC decal stickers on the glass may not stick properly or fall off after some time. It’s the silicone contained inside which breaks the surface bond between the PVC (decal) and the surface of the glass. To prevent this, you can try using an external adhesive so that the decal sticker on your glass will stay permanently attached.
Make sure not to use super glue. Otherwise, the decal will stay on your glass forever. Use DIY glue for arts and crafts so that you can remove the decal in the future. Moreover, you can easily remove the stains of arts and crafts on glass with WD-40 or isopropyl alcohol.
How To Remove Vinyl Stickers From Glass?
Below are some of the ways of removing the vinyl sticker from the glass.
- WD-40
WD-40 is the ideal way to remove the vinyl sticker from the glass. Nobody knows its formula (it’s top secret!), so we can’t go up to its production process or its ingredients. When the liquid of WD-40 contacts PVC vinyl, a chemical reaction occurs in the PVC of the decal.
The reaction causes the PVC elements to decompose and change their state, which eventually breaks the contact of the decal with the glass surface.
Moreover, in the case of calendar decals, WD-40 also works well. The liquid causes the stickiness of the adhesive to lose its sticking power due to the chemical reaction of PVA, acetone, ethanol, and WD-40.
- Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol derives from the reaction of propylene with sulfuric acid, which creates a substance idea for the decomposition of polycarbonate. In simple terms, it removes the vinyl sticker from your glass in a matter of seconds. Isopropyl alcohol is affordable, works faster and more efficiently than WD-40, and doesn’t cause any damage to your glass.
Curved Surfaces And Adhesive Vinyl
Curved surfaces are not plain and have changed dimensions from either the X, Y, or Z-axis. Vinyl stickers work best when you apply them on a plain surface with a slope of 0° from all three angles.
To make sure the vinyl sticker sticks appropriately on the curved surface, use point A-B motion while applying. Start by making vinyl contact at one point, then slowly continue your motion till you reach the last point (point B). In this way, you won’t get any bubbles.
Note: This method works for curved surfaces that have a large surface area of curvature, such as bottles, glass jars, etc. It'll not work for sharp curves.
The Best Brand Of Vinyl Stickers For Your Glass
Of course, on the internet and in offline markets, there are millions of vinyl decals available around the world (or enter the country on which you’re targeting). However, we dug deep into the market for your ease and found out that ORACAL 651 might work for you.
Why only the ORACAL brand?
- It uses glass-friendly adhesive
- Residue-free adhesive
- Waterproof vinyl stickers for glasses
- Worth buying according to the quality they offer
- It doesn’t cause a scratch on the glass when removed
How Long Does ORACAL 651 Vinyl Last?
According to ORACAL, the 651 will last for at least six years in ideal conditions when no resistance exists (in a vacuum). But of course, it’s not possible in real life. There’s no vacuum in our environment.
In our calculation, which includes the moisture, air, and bacteria reaction, the 651 will last for a maximum of 1–5 years in real life.
Note that the life expectancy is also dependent on which surface you’ve applied the 651. For example, life expectancy is always lower in wood than in metal or PVC surfaces.
To be precise, on wood or non-smooth surfaces, the 651 will last for 1-2 years, while it’ll last for 3-5 years on smooth and rigid surfaces.
What Vinyl Is Stronger Than ORACAL 651?
If you’re looking for vinyl that provides better quality and life expectancy than 651, you might consider going with ORACAL 751 or 951.
751 and 951 use stronger adhesive, thicker and better quality than 651.
The 651 uses an ethanol-based adhesive, which isn’t very resistant to water and bacteria. On the other hand, 751 and 951 use acetone-based adhesives, which are stronger in stickiness, highly resistant to water, and better protect against bacteria.
Conclusion
Sticking the vinyl decals on your glass might not be an easy task for some or most people. Unlike metals, plastics, and ceramic, vinyl decals may have trouble sticking to the glass surface. There are various factors involved through which you could face this situation. That’s why in this article, we’ve cleared the air for you and written an ultimate article on everything you need to know about vinyl stickers on glass.
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