Apply Big Decals Without Wrinkles or Bubbles

Here's how the pros put decals on.
Ever turn a nice decal into a wad of crap and wreck your paint job in the process?
Learn the true secrets here. The same methods work with bumperstickers, contact paper, etc.

Don, Dan, and Vincent bust out the masterful skills and put some major decals on the catamaran "Nalani".

They printed these decals on a huge inkjet printer/sign cutting machine made by Roland.
The decals come attached to some heavy shiny paper with some thinner cover paper over them.
So it's a sandwich with three layers, decal in the middle.

Step 1 Big Tape at Top

Leave the decal attached to the wax paper.
Face the decal with the tissue paper cover toward you.
Tape the decal at the top edge using the biggest masking tape you can find.
Don and Vincent are using foot wide masking tape. Don says "that tape is the hinge".

Comments

[trimoh]

windex also works great as well instead of soap water

[gemtree]

Oh, this is fabulous! I was wanting to put a white or silvery decal on the roof of my very hot black van. It is like an oven getting into the flippn thing in the summer. (Texas Gulf Coast gets real hot) I may look into making my own decals.

[mweston]

Is Dan really praying? Check step 4, little typo I used the soap and water method to apply decals to R/C planes and boats - it gives you a little leeway because you can move the piece around before you squeegee out the solution below it. I never thought o using it on a decal this big though, good tip, I'll remember it next time I do something like this!

[TimAnderson]

Thanks! fixed it

[mrmath]

What's the soap to water ratio, and what kind of soap?

[TimAnderson]

I added that info to step 4, thanks for the question!

[rik.magon]

Hi Tim,
Thank you so much for sharing. I wanted to ask you about the part :
They printed these decals on a huge inkjet printer/sign cutting machine made by Roland How can I get my design pre-cut like this - which kind of stores do this, and how does the machine actually cut the middle layer only?

[TimAnderson]

I think they cut and pull off the stuff they don't want before sticking the cover paper on there. I've seen a vinyl cutter in action, the business I think is called a "drag knife" and it's just an exacto blade on a swivel. The backing is pretty hard to cut through, so you can actually do it pretty easily by hand with an exacto blade if the place you get the decals from doesn't offer the service. Can any readers recommend a service bureau?

[mrmath]

Thanks! I've been thinking of covering my laptop with contact paper, and this would really help with the air bubbles I was expecting to get.

[etlerd]

Wish I'd read this before I tried to apply heat blocking film to a window. Now that was frustrating. Thanks.

[monkeywithawrench]

Why is he "praying the surface with soapy water?"

[DWRead]

I use plain water under the decal.

[salazam]

the soap... it doesn't affect the adhesive? How does it work???

[Namsab]

This is great! I've been planning to put some contact paper designs on my walls, my laptop and lots of other stuff.. and knowing me, I'd end up with hundreds of bubbles! Thanks for the tut.

[DigitalMayhem]

I would put a bunch of rubbing alcohol in your application fluid.

[GorillazMiko]

Nice work Tim, looks great!