after vehicle been sprayed when can i apply vinyl?

[Robert Lambie]

There is some paints dry faster than others..
if you check back on posts in the search engine you should find them no probs..
Quick solution..
Make sure you advise the same thing to the paying customer. Then tell him what the paint guy says.. If he says go for it you do.
If anything happens then its not your fault and the customer will respect your professional knowledge and advice given upfront.
He may be annoyed but wont look elsewhere to replace you because you did tell them, well in advance 😉

[Phill Fenton]

You’re right to be concerned about this. However, In my experience, vehicle bodyshops apply graphics and lettering almost immediately after spraying – and do this constantly with no apparent problems 😕 .

When I have applied graphics to a newly resprayed vehicle I have been aware of the softness of the paint and the fact that the new paint can even take on the texture of the aplication tape due to the pressure applied from an applicator. I can only assume this effect is only temporary 😕 as vehicle repair centres (2 or 3 that I know of) seem to do this all the time. Not only this, but gases given out by the paint can also create bubbles in the vinyls which most likely dissapear again after a few weeks.

In my case – I usually supply the decals for the repairers to apply themselves – In which case they are responsible if it goes wrong. If they are asking you to apply them, I can only suggest you raise your concerns with them, and ensure that they are aware of the potential problems, and will take responsibility if the customer is not happy with the end result.

In an ideal world – I would ask them to wait a couple of weeks before you go applying graphics. However, in the real world – needs must 🙄

[keith]

Thanks Rob.

I will advise them accordingly and hope they understand. I have tried to find the old posts on this subject but there are so many to look through, and you know what it’s like. Once you start reading………

KEITH

[Rodney Gold]

Ask the guy thats painting the vehicle when he recommends that it can get its first wax , don’t apply any graphics before that.

[Richard Urquhart]

after the vehicle has been painted the body shop would bake for around 40 mins depending on type of oven they are using ,after it has been on full bake and it has been given time to cool down the vehicle can go in to service ,i.e back on road however i think it would be fair to say give the job a week after painting,2k paint works on chemical reaction which is why you mix it with a hardener old type celly works on solvent evaperation and needs a lot longer for all the solvent to escape

[Mark Horley]

I did a job a few weeks ago….the van had just been painted…I was so uneasy about doing it 😕 .. told the customer straight… he said carry on at his expense…. NOT A PROBLEM… I was very nervous about putting masking tape on …..but everything was fine 😀

I think paints have come a long way in 8/10 years it used to be just cellulose now all sorts of products & garages having spray booths with bake facilities…not just air drying on dodgy primer…

[keith]

Thanks evebody for your help 😆 😆 .
I spoke to the customer today and told her of my concerns. She is more than happy to proceed and see what happens (at her expense).
This one will have to be special as it was a double recommendation, one from the body shop and one from friends of hers who we have yet to identify.
So by using the advice given here I have avoided any potential embarassment and still won a new customer 😀 😉

[Martin Pearson]

Keith, don’t worry to much about this, celulose paints give off a lot of gas as the paint is curing and can take up to 2 weeks before it is safe to decal a vehicle.
Most bodyshops now use 2 pack paints (as this on is) which cure in a different way. The manufacturers recommend 48 hours before applying decals but there is a safety margin built into this to cover their ….s. As Phil has already said most bodyshops apply graphics almost as soon as the vehicle is out of the oven and cooled.

[Mike.Smith]

I had my rear bumper painted last week on my little van.
i applied some transparent vinyl to it to prevent the dog scratching the paint when jumping in the van.
anyways. i managed to get a load of bubbles in the vinyl and wasnt happy with the end result.
so i took it off, bearing in mind the bumper was painted the previous day and was not put in an oven atall.
the paint didnt come off with the vinyl.. (drink1)

[Martin C]

Done a van today, a Merc Vito. The diagonal side graphic went over the grey plastic rubbing strip at the bottom so needed to be cut. On one side the overlaid vinyl that had to be removed came away fine. On the other side the vinyl took the paint off! 😕

Can these rubbing strips be re-painted??

[John Childs]

We wouldn’t do it without specific customer instructions.

And we’d want it in writing! 🙂

[Phill Fenton]

I sympathise with you Martin. This has happened to me before and there’s nothing you could have done to prevent it. It’s not that unusual for the paint to peel away on a poor quality re-spray as I have found myself. Explain the problem to your customer and let him decide what to do about it. I’ve seen re-sprays that are so bad the paint has lifted when removing the application tape 🙄

[Martin C]

This was on the grey plastic rubbing strip down the side, not the paintwork. It’s never happened to me before. Customer was ok about it. The van was T Reg, arrived dirty, I took an hour plus to clean it thus improving it’s value by £500 😆 and while he beamed admiringly at the graphics took him straight to the problem and pointed it out. (I’ve always found this to be the best policy, never try and hide something, put your hands up and say I messed up (eve if it’s not your fault) and most people are ok about it. Failing that a kick in the xxxxxxx’s brings them round to your way of thinking real sharpish!) 😮

I’m only assuming that car body shops have some magic spray for recoating these and this had been done at some stage before he got the van? 😎