How do I find a competent vinyl installer?

[Matt Meiser]

I've seen some vinyl graphics I'd like to get on my truck on eBay but the size is larger than I think I could successfully install. How can I go about finding someone who is competent to install them? There are numerous sellers selling the same thing with the same style/part number (EE1611) so I'm assuming its a readily available pattern someone could cut and install for me.

[Tom M King]

Any good sign shop should be able to do the whole job, including any design, cutting, and installing.

[Mike Null]

I agree that a sign shop can do it. I think that number may refer to a hexi decimal color.

[Matt Meiser]

It can definitely mean a red color, but I think in this case its a style like the example below. There are numerous postings with the same upper part of that image.

So how do I know who's a good sign shop? What should I look for in terms of expertise and quality of materials?

[Wes Mitchell]

My MIL used to own a Signs by Tomorrow that did vehicle wraps and graphics. I think 3M has a certification, looking for someone with the certification is probably a good start.

[Matt Meiser]

Thanks. I contacted about a half dozen sign shops or vinyl graphic shops I found in the Toledo area with a Google search today. So far a Fastsigns franchise wrote back that they don't do that work but did recommend one of the others I contacted.

[Matt Meiser]

I contacted another as well and I've heard back from 4 now. One doesn't do that kind of work. Another wants to make me the graphic which he'd redraw but won't install it. Not sure why I'd do that when its readily available. One say he could do it Thursday and quoted a price but didn't say whether that included the graphic (cheap if he was planning to) and hasn't responded to my question about that since Friday. The fourth asked a asked a couple questions, I responded, but he hasn't responded back some 24+ hours later.

I watched a video of someone applying this exact graphic using the wet method and I think its something I can do. Honestly looks like the biggest risk is not getting it clean and trapping dirt. Internet shopping wins again thanks to great "local service." I was willing to drop at least a few hundred bucks, possibly more (going off the internet pricing on the graphic and a couple hours install time) and apparently no one wanted the work.

[Joe Pelonio]

That is odd. Easy couple of hundred bucks. I have never used the wet method. Too often traps moisture underneath that then bubbles in the sun. To get it clean I use denatured alcohol to get the wax off, after washing. Then re-wax over it to get wax back on the paint that still shows. With the shape being long horizontally, put it in place and use masking tape vertically down the center and on the left end. Then pull back the right side, peel the liner off to the middle, carefully cut it off making sure not to hit your paint. Then apply with squeegie center to right, rubbing up and down and laying the vinyl/transfer tape down as you go. The remove all the masking tape, lift off the left side, peel the backing off and apply center to left end.
There are probably You-Tube videos showing this. They key is to use a new squeegie with no nicks, and hold it at a short angle to the car, going slowly up and down as you move slowly toward the end. You can nick any bubbles with a new razor blade and squeeze out the air with a fingernail. The premium (cast) vinyl is fairly self-healing.

[Scott Shepherd]

Matt, it's really hit and miss on ebay. There are things one would need to know before knowing if that was okay.

Materials are key. Someone might say it's 3M, but 3M makes low end films that have permanent adhesive, and then higher end films that are made to be removed with heat. So one is removable, one isn't. Something like IJ-35 is the low end and it's cheap for the sign person. IJ180-cv3 is high end and made to go over curves, etc and it has "air egress" patterns in the adhesive, meaning you can have a big fat bubble and you can push it out the edge really easily. You can do amazing things with it.

Oracal is another good one, but again, it depends on the product. They have the same issues, low end and high end. Without being in the business, you could get burned fairly easily.

If it's made with the right material, it will do fine.

Then there's the printing part. Once printed, you need to have a laminate on top of it (clear) to protect the ink from scratching off. Cheap places won't even laminate it.

So you want an Oracal or 3M product, you want air egress (or equivalent) materials, you'd want a Cast vinyl (not calendared), and you'd want it laminated.

There are other brands of product out there, but those 2 are the most commonly used in the vehicle side of things.

If they do it right, it's easy to put on. You NEVER put air egress type materials on wet. The material doesn't stick until you squeegee it. So you can lightly stick it to your truck and lift it and move it around until you get it right, then you start squeegeeing. Once you do that, it will stick.

You also need to post heat any curves into the body area to 180-200 degrees or it'll pop out the channel over time (weeks or months). Post heating resets the memory in the material so that it's not trying to pull itself out of the channel.

Hope that helps. If you have any questions, just ask and I'll try to help.

[Matt Meiser]

Thanks. They say its "3M Scotchcal Automotive Grade High Performance 5 - 7 year Cast Vinyl Film." I believe it to be a single color film, not printed. They say install wet so it sounds like its not air release. The way its designed, there aren't any tight radii it has to follow and here aren't any major compound curves--there's a break in the "splashes" where it meets that character line at about wheel height. My truck has the 6-1/2 foot bed as opposed to the 5-1/2 like the truck above so less of it will go on the door as well.

[Scott Shepherd]

Thanks. They say its "3M Scotchcal Automotive Grade High Performance 5 - 7 year Cast Vinyl Film." I believe it to be a single color film, not printed. They say install wet so it sounds like its not air release. The way its designed, there aren't any tight radii it has to follow and here aren't any major compound curves--there's a break in the "splashes" where it meets that character line at about wheel height. My truck has the 6-1/2 foot bed as opposed to the 5-1/2 like the truck above so less of it will go on the door as well.

Matt, I've installed a lot of stuff wet. Buy a bottle of a product called RapidTac. It's an alcohol based product, you soak the back of the vinyl and your truck, and it'll "float". You can move it around all you want. Once it's where you want, squeegee it and it'll press the liquid out and anything left will evaporate. It'll give you a very smooth install. Any tiny bubbles that you do end up with will come out over the weeks to come. The bubbles will be where fluid or air got trapped under the vinyl and as it heats and cools in the day/night, it'll eventually lay flat and look like glass.

Easy to do, I'd have no problems thinking you could install it yourself. But you do need the rapid tac.

You apply it (it'll have transfer tape on the front), then once you squeegee it and let it sit for 15 minutes or so, you spray rapidtac on the transfer tape and it'll break the bond the transfer tape has with the vinyl and the paper tape will just about fall right off after 5 minutes or so.

[Matt Meiser]

Thanks, found someone selling that in-state, and have a 32oz bottle on the way.

I'm gaining confidence...or getting cocky...not sure which.

[Scott Shepherd]

If you need help before doing it, shoot me a PM and I'll give you my number and we can talk it through before you do it. In fact, shoot me a PM with your address and I'll send you some cut vinyl with the application tape on it that you can practice with.

[Matt Meiser]

Thanks! PM Sent.

[Matt Meiser]

How important is the 50 degree minimum for install? Rapid Tac says it works for cold weather installation but gives no details. We're hovering right in the mid-upper 40's for the next week or so.