Do you have a DIY Lettering project and now you’re feeling a little tense over the installation? The great news is that there’s nothing to worry about, installing DIY Lettering is a quick and relatively easy process. We would encourage all first time installers to take a quick glance through our suggestions and save your business or wallet a few bucks in ruined vinyl. Because we can make it even easier with a few quick tips and tricks from DIY Lettering professionals!
Measure Twice – Order Once! The very first tip we can’t stress enough is ensuring the measurements for your design are correct. Check the surface you’ll be looking to apply your lettering to and keep in mind any hanging letters such as “j’s” or “y’s” that may change the overall size of your DIY Lettering. When measuring, depending on your surface it may also be smart to use a cloth tape measurer to measure around curves or soft bends in the surface. This is often best if you’re applying your DIY Lettering to a car or unusually shaped object.
Speaking of surfaces, take a hard look at your surface you’ll be applying DIY Lettering to, is it smooth? Is it glossy? For best results, we would encourage smooth, glossy surfaces for best adhesion to the vinyl material. While you can use course or matte material such as applying DIY Lettering to a wall, you may need to apply additional pressure to the vinyl during installation or take additional precautions that the vinyl itself is adhering at all. While your surface is incredibly important, take into considering the environment as well. Humid or wet environments may make it difficult to apply the DIY Lettering and in these cases you should do your best to dry the area and ensure the vinyl is sticking. On the other hand, if the environment is receiving an abundant amount of sunshine you may consider protecting your investment with a UV protective coating, such as a laminate for your vinyl.
Apply it Wet! Is this your first time applying DIY Lettering? One of the best tips we can offer is to apply the vinyl using an application fluid for an easy installation. By making the vinyl and the surface you’ll be applying to wet before application- this will allow the DIY Lettering to be pulled up and moved throughout installation. This is a very easy method for novice users to apply Vinyl. However, there are drawbacks such as the obvious fact that the Vinyl will need to dry longer before it will properly stick to the surface. You should also be careful when wetting the surface if you are applying to a non-glossy surface.
The biggest tip Installation Professionals will provide you with however, is to take the installation slow. Be patient and if you make a mistake don’t fret. If you’re looking for additional tips and tricks, you can always check back out blog for aid in installation, design tips and specialized how-to articles.