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  • Help with removing etched vinyl

    Posted by David Gwyndaf Povah on July 24, 2018 at 3:25 pm

    Hi All

    i am after some help/advice just before xmas i did a job with some etched vinyl 7 solid windows 900×700 they have now changed there mind and dont want solid windows so we have redone some with their logo on .

    My question is what is the best way to remove the old ones that have been on for a while i have been round already to remove one a month ago as it was bothering one person more than others only problem was it took me nearly 2 hours as it was peeling off in tiny peices , i tried scoring it with a scalpel and pulling strips it didnt help and i also tried scraping which just made a sticky mess,

    the vinyl i used was mactac glass decor 700 etch

    TIA!

    Robert Lambie replied 5 years, 9 months ago 5 Members · 7 Replies
  • 7 Replies
  • Alex Crosbie

    Member
    July 24, 2018 at 3:29 pm

    Decorators scraper and plenty of soapy water, I’d say around 10 minutes max for a window of that size. Spray soapy water on then scrape away!

    You’ll wonder how you ever managed before!

  • Chris Windebank

    Member
    July 24, 2018 at 3:43 pm

    personally I would use a triumph scraper with stainless steel blades as they are made for this sort of thing.

    I do use a chemical that turns this to a plyable latex type of material and will come off in one piece, will find some info for you


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  • Chris Windebank

    Member
    July 24, 2018 at 3:53 pm

    here is a video I made a couple of years back, might be some swearing in it!

    $this->BBvideo_pass(‘$8’, ‘$4’, ‘$7’)

  • Simon Worrall

    Member
    July 24, 2018 at 7:03 pm

    This is how we do it. Just using water. Works well.

    $this->BBvideo_pass(‘$8’, ‘$4’, ‘$7’)

  • Chris Windebank

    Member
    July 25, 2018 at 6:23 pm

    Used Cookies method before and it does work, also used dustbin liners and left overnight but time consuming

  • David Gwyndaf Povah

    Member
    July 26, 2018 at 7:13 am

    hi

    job done for some reason when i went to do the rest of the windows it all came off easy in strips about 5 minutes a window, no idea why the first one was so difficult all were done same time same vinyl same room very odd.

    thanks for the input ill be keeping it in mind should i have to remove some in future.

  • Robert Lambie

    Member
    July 30, 2018 at 7:28 pm

    @3M Cook…
    Fair play, every method to make the job easier or faster is worth considering, but 2 hours before you lift a finger, then cut up to make easier etc etc… even the minimum of an hour is hard to swallow.

    if the vinyl is stubborn, a decent blade scraper will cut it right off. any residue left, quick soak in tar & glue remover, back over with blade scraper and finally a wipe with isopropanol. job done. 10-15 mins start to finish and lets you get on with the rest of the work.
    I know of this method Cook uses, but never done it in 28+ years in the industry and I never see me trying it. personally, and only going by the way he is speaking to the camera, i think this maybe directed more at the hobbyist or start-up.

    the only way i can see something like this ever helping is if you have about 15+ windows to do and applied the bubble wrap to all and then went back to the start and just began removing as normal. hopefully you wont be going fast enough that you catch up on the vinyl before it has began to react.

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