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An alternate to perf, or a way to increase visibility w/rain
Hi All,
I currently do some bus wraps for a tour bus company, and they’ve been asking about ways to make seeing out of the bus better during a rain storm.
We’ve tried using optically clear lam, but it only made things worse when it rained. We currently use a 70/30 perf film, but really want some better ideas as they are looking to wrap more buses if we can sort this out.
Would going to a large hole size help?
Thanks in advance!
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8 Replies
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this is a very good alternative way to create the same effect whilst stopping the ran water problem. i did this demo about 6 years ago now…
http://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=17602
the problem with perforated window films is the rain water sits in the pockets of the preforation. although i havent tried it, my understanding is that lamination stopped this?
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quote Robert Lambie:this is a very good alternative way to create the same effect whilst stopping the ran water problem. i did this demo about 6 years ago now…http://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=17602
the problem with perforated window films is the rain water sits in the pockets of the preforation. although i havent tried it, my understanding is that lamination stopped this?
Seems I need a membership to view that section of the site?
Is this just a link re: lamination, or something else?
We had the same issue with optically clear lam as well for some reason too.
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Lamination does prevent the water getting in the perforations, the downside being that it gives a patchy look to the print, like you can see areas of glue on the glass.
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quote Scot J:quote Robert Lambie:this is a very good alternative way to create the same effect whilst stopping the ran water problem. i did this demo about 6 years ago now…
http://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=17602
the problem with perforated window films is the rain water sits in the pockets of the preforation. although i havent tried it, my understanding is that lamination stopped this?
Seems I need a membership to view that section of the site?
Is this just a link re: lamination, or something else?
We had the same issue with optically clear lam as well for some reason too.
sorry scott, yeh its a members area… i forget when linking some folk cant access..
no its not about lamination etc its showing an alternative to a perforated film that doesn’t pocket rain water.
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I found that clear laminate made visibility from inside the vehicle really difficult close-up. Probably not an issue at a distance.
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Hi Scot,
I’m surprised that an optically clear laminate ‘made things worse’. Assuming the glass is flat, a good polyester “optically clear” laminate should work. Look for one on a polyester liner – if a manufacturer’s gone that far to get the best clarity, the chances are that the material is otherwise good as well. I doubt that the perforated vinyl hole size will make any difference. You are trying to bridge the holes, not get the laminate to conform into them.
There is an alternative to perforated vinyl. If you have access to a UV-cure inkjet printer with a white printing station, you can create your own see-through graphics ‘from scratch’ printing onto non-perforated self-adhesive polyester. No holes! It’s a Contra Vision patented/licensed technology. Google should get you there!
Hope that this helps.
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seeing your post Rob, i have a question for you mate. (sorry to hi-jack the thread Scott, but is still on-topic… just!) 😳
Contravision… does it only come in the one grade/series of vinyl. i know there are some differences to hole size and the like, but i mean the actual film its created from?
to help explain what i am trying to say…
we covered a few rear windows of vehicles we had branded up, using controvision. i returned to the customers place about 6-8 months later to do another vehicle. a couple of the ones we had already done were parked up, so i examined them out of nosey-ness.
each of them were the vinyl had went round/over a sort of convex area of the glass, the vinyl had cracked in places. what it looked like, (and only my guess here on this) was that the vinyl had shrunk slightly and due to the perforation, instead of holding its own, it split/cracked in ragged/stepped lines and very slightly pulled apart. i took it that this was maybe a short-life calendared vinyl that has been used to create the film, which resulted in the shrinkage. if it was a soft cast, then i wouldn’t imagine this being an issue…
however, i do understand that this film is for promotional "print" work mostly, there for short term…or am i completely wrong?
just for the record, i have done loads of flat windows in shops, offices and the like with zero problems… just on these vehicles with the shaped glass.
anyway… thanks in advance for any advice.
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Hi Rob,
There are 3 grades of perforated window films, and different quality levels within those 3 grades.
Produced from monomeric vinyls
• These often suffer from shrinkage, which manifests itself as black circles around the inside of the holes as the exposed adhesive picks up dirt.
• These are not conformable, and only suitable for use on flat surfaces.
• They tend to be coated with adhesives that may leaving a residue when removed.
• They can contain some nasty (phthalates) chemicals.Produced from polymeric vinyls
• These benefit from less shrinkage, and more conformability.
• If the manufacturer has gone to the bother of using a polymeric vinyl, then the adhesive may be better and the vinyl not contain any Substances of Very High Concern – but check.Produced from cast vinyl
• Rare, although one manufacturer is about to introduce a new range.
• Great for curved surfaces.While “Contra Vision” is used generically to describe all perforated window films, the only range of perforated film from Contra Vision is the Contra Vision® Performance™ range, which only uses polymeric vinyl.
There are loads of other things to look out for when choosing a perforated window film – for example thinner films tend to break up when removed, there are different levels of transparency – it might be better to use a 30% transparency material on a shop window, but 40% transparency on a vehicle window. If you are laminating, a polyester laminate is only suitable for flat surfaces. We’ve got a fairly impartial “Definitive Guide to See-through Graphics” that I can send to anyone who is interested.
Your cracking problem is probably caused by a combination of the shrinkage and rigidity of a monomeric perforated window film.
Hope this helps.
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