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So what do you suggest?
Ok, a van turns up this morning to get lettered. A Luton body LDV. The body has been freshly painted last week and has had a cheap (VERY) paint job….. done with a paint roller… and I’m not kidding! Anyway, the vinyls have been designed and cut to suit the client and he brings along the van today.( I saw the van before the paint job) The paint work is so rough that I can’t even get masking tape to stick to it…. so I decide, no go, I ain’t wasting hours trying to get anything to stick as I reckon first wash and it will all fall off anyway.
So I phone the customer who’s disappointed, he knows he was getting a cheap paint job but was assured by the painter vinyl would stick.
He’s willing to pay extra to cover my time to get it to stick, but I’m not keen, not convinced it will. So he asks is there anything I can do to the paint to get the vinyls to stick? Mmmmmm…… any suggestions……..???Other than cover it in petrol and put a match to it…????
I’ve cut all the vinyls so I don’t really want to be out of pocket.Tim – Vivid…….. don’t say a word!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
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35 Replies
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If the temperature is right Marcella, there isn`t a whole lot of things winyl won`t stick to so it must be one hell of a bad job if masking tape won`t stick to it.
Sounds to me like the guy simply does not care about image if he got his comapny vehicle painted with a roller so if i were you i`d stick the stickers on, take the cash and inform him there is no guarantee whatsoever.
Rod
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Try applying it with a heat gun and bake it on. Had to do this with a couple of sheds recently and it got me through though i did tell the customers that i would not guarantee them for lasting long. By the looks of the vans, the vinyls will outlive them 😀
p.s. I charge 25% extra for doing this.
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Why is it when I post to this site, it’s like being in a timewarp. Every time I post, the time posted is an hour earlier then I posted. This could get me out of a scrape every Friday when everyone wants their job by the end of the week 😉
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Hi Rod,
easier said than done……..can’t get masking tape to hold the vinyl and backing paper in place never mind try and stick it on! We’ve been up ladders to try and put the logo on place but the masking tape is just curling up and the entire thing just falls off!!! 🙁
I’ve cut two extra logos and numbers and put them onto his cab – he initially was going to leave them blank, but since the cab has not been painted, the vinyls stuck on there a treat. At least his name and number is on it somewhere for the time being.
The guy is going to scrub the van over the weekend to see if it makes any difference…..
Could there be some sort of chemical reaction in the paint? -
Marcella i`ve used automotive paints for 17 years now and never have had any problems like you mention.
I do recall one time, however, when a situation arose, just like the one you described in your original post whereby a customer had brought in a van that had been painted with “something i bought out of B&Q”.
What you descibe reminds me of this.
It seemed like an interior paint that painters and decorators used and with it being water based, it never really cured out properly leaving a sort of waxy finish.
other than leaving it for a long time, theres not much i can suggest.
Next time tell him to get it professionally painted atsome super duper skilled paintshop….like….err…..A. Gray & Sons in Glenboig 😎 🙂
Rod
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quote Capricorn:Why is it when I post to this site, it’s like being in a timewarp. Every time I post, the time posted is an hour earlier then I posted. This could get me out of a scrape every Friday when everyone wants their job by the end of the week 😉
Go on to your profile and set the time to “GMT +1”
Rod
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I think leaving it for a while may be the answer Rod, it feels like an orange, it does feel waxy.
I think the problem may be the fact they’ve used a roller. -
Sounds like a type of emulsion as McRod say’s, The other problem can be if you do get the tape to stick, depending on how you remove it there’s the possibility that it will take the paint with it, as there might be hardly any key between the new paint work and old, I’am only basing this on the fact that it’s a cheap job and chances are no prep was done. Another option is to sell him the taped lettering, show him the action of applying the lettering collect CASH and wave him goodbye with a smile.
Regards Russ.
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Marcella
I had a similar job for a horse box. The customer painted it themselves, probably with emulsion. I suggested there could be problems and was not prepared to sign the box myself. She wanted the letters anyway, and as Russ suggests, she applied them herself. Sure enough they didn’t last. I cut her some more and suggested she stripped the paint right back ( and do a proper job).
I would cover yourself – try to sell him the lettering to get back your material costs, but definately shy away from the installation – it will not stick and then it’s your problem.
Tony
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I’m guessing it’s latex paint as well.
I did 2 jobs where the van was painted with a roller in Oil based enamel and it stuck fine.
I did one sign where the customer made the panel and painted with latex. It was about a week old and acted just as you described. I ended up installing it, Wiped with alchohol, which took some paint off, but seemed to help. it took about 3 times as long to install. I Did it dry, then heated and rolled it after i Finally got the tape off. One advantage was that it was impossible to get any bubbles.
i put it in writing that I wouldn’t guarantee it.
Anyhow, it’s been hanging on a building for over a year and the vinyl’s still on.. ??Hope this helps..
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Get the customer to give it a going over with T-cut or better still rubbing compound- this will flatten off the paint and get rid of the peaks.
If masking tape ain’t sticking just swap to packing tape or better still some cheap duck type tape- I very rarely use masking tape for positioning vinyls- unless it’s 50mm wide or more.
When you have got the graphics on give em a bit of a heat with the app tape still on and give a good rubbing. Let it all cool and wet down the app tape and leave for about 10mins- this will loosen the adhesive on the app tape and make it easier to gently peel away.
The vinyl will stick in time- the punter’s just gotta be careful with it- I would say no washing of the van for a least a month.
As you say you’ve made it all up so it needs to go on the van. If, the vinyl does fail along the line it’s not your fault .
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Hi, you could try a clear lacquer over the areas where the graphics are going. I sometimes use a lacquer from Halfords in spray can form which dries in minutes £6 a can.
Cheers
Fred -
“Anyway thank god it’s Friday”
Famous last words…….. :lol1:
Tim.
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Tim – I warned you!!!!! 😉
Anyway, the van has been returned to the customer. He’s taking it back to the guy he paid to paint it to rub it down with some 1200 wet & dry. He says he doesn’t care if it dulls the paint as long as it leaves the surface smooth enough to stick the vinyl to. It was apparently done with enamel but it looks and feel like an orange! I think it may still be wet below the surface…..
He’s bringing it back in a few days to see if it’s ‘cured’. Anyway he’s agreed to pay whatever it will be to cover my costs even the vinyl doesn’t eventually go on. He seems pretty straight down the line. But hassle you can do without.THANK GOD IT’S FRIDAY TIM!
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Hi,
I would walk away from the job, but if your customer insists on you trying to help……….
I would ‘T’ cut the area where you need the graphics to adhere and then roller on a coat of clear varnish over the top of the existing paintwork, this will give you a ‘ shinny ‘ finish and the vinyl should stick O K. Insist he counter signs a disclaimer saying you are not responsible for the graphics, paintwork, etc.
Brian. -
#1- I have always been told to wait two weeks after a paint job to apply vinyl.
#2- Could it have been treated with that “wax” in a spray bottle? Like ArmourAll for cars? Vinyl and paint won’t stick to it…maybe it has silicone added to it???
#3- I’d sell the guy the stickers and let him apply them himself. If they peel up, I’ll bet they peel that new paint off too. No warranties!
Sorry you are having a bad day Marcella!
Love….Jill -
Get him to tell his painter to laquour the sides (with a spray gun not a yard brush 🙄 ) that should smooth it out a bit 😛 🙄 )
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Marcella i dont understand why it wont stick …is it caked in wax ?
Brian
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Definitely no wax on it. Normally you can feel wax on your hand if there’s any on it. But in this case he’s lucky he got some paint on it never mind wax!!
It’s just an exceptionally rough job, I reckon the paint was too fresh and too lumpy. The fact it#s been applied by a roller is a part of the problem I think. Evin if it’d been brushed on it may not have been so bad. Anyway, he just wants to see his name on it and will rub it down a bit to smooth it then leave it for a few more days.We’ll see…… 😕
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mmmmm best of luck marcella.. 😀
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Hi Marcella. leave it a couple of days and should be ok, did a coach which was fresh out of the paint shop. Went to stick vinyls came straight off, it held better to the silicon backing paper, 2 days later all was fine. Its propably painted with oil paint which skins and dries from the outside in whilst this process happens solvents evapourates you wont stick anything to it
Kev
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That sounds about right Kev…. there was still a strong smell coming from the paint…
thanks.
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Well, the job from hell….. the van came back today again….. and I’m pleased to annouce IT’S DONE!!!! :cheer:
No problems today at all sticking the vinyl on, it stuck like sh*t to a blanket. The difference…. well wait for it…… he’d rubbed the whole van down with Scotchbrite and left it!!! :rofl: What a finish!!! It was scuffed everywhere! I’ve never seen nor worked on anything like it.
Well, he’s just came back for it and LOVED it, thought the signs made it look great, paid in full and even gave me a £10 tip to buy a bottle of wine (drink1)
Job done. Thank God! 😀
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lmfao………
Bet his Mrs gave him hell when she went to do the pans…….lol
Tim.
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well …lets see the phots then marcella
regards Brian 😀
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I hate to disappoint Brian…. I didn’t take a pic for my portfolio…. wonder why! 😀
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mmm what a bummer
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Marcella I’m really glad it worked out o.k. for you 😀
Lynn
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thanks Lynne! I’m sipping on the £10 worth of wine as we speak!
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Oh Lynne, I meant to say, tell Peter he looks very dapper in his new photo…………!!!!!!!
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quote Marcella:thanks Lynne! I’m sipping on the £10 worth of wine as we speak!is that just one expensive bottle or three cheapies marcella… 😉
nik
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here ….if were talking drink…mines a newky brown (drink1)
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Oh come on Nik……. I check the alcohol content weigh it up against the price and if the math adds up I buy! In other words 2 and a bit cheapies 😀
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Marcella thats what he really looks like ask Nik 😮
Lynn
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quote Marcella:Oh come on Nik……. I check the alcohol content weigh it up against the price and if the math adds up I buy! In other words 2 and a bit cheapies 😀
ye me too!! :lol1: :lol1: just testing to see if you are a connoisseur or like me never…. have the need to by a wine stopper!! 😉
nik
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