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Vinyl lifting out of recesses – advice required, please?
Been fitting vinyl for a number of years now but never really got involved in wrapping/ part wraps, but recently been doing vinyls over recessed van panels, straight steps, not curved recesses.
I’ve noticed that some (not all) are starting to lift out after only a week or so, I use Spandex 5700 vinyls and apply wet on big stuff and dry on the small bits.
I’m very carefull on pushing the vinyl right into the step before continuing on over the recess.
Am I missing something? They’re not lifting far or cracking, but there’s a visible ridge where they’ve come away from the deepest bits.
Any advice would be appreciated. -
7 Replies
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Post heating!! You need to post heat every bit of vinyl that’s been stretched into a recess or it will do exactly as you’ve described. Check your manufacturers recommended temp but it will be up around 100 degrees
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I don’t think you are using a cast vinyl.
If you’re stretching the vinyl into the recess you will be stretching the adhesive too, so less of a bond to the bodywork.
It is possible to get polymeric vinyl into a recess and stay there reasonably well, but I would be rolling/folding it into the recess with NO stretching.
A cast vinyl would be a better option as you can then post heat it to cast it to the contours of the recess.
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Could be a number of reasons why you are having problems, as David says you are using a polymeric vinyl which isn’t really meant for recess work, very shallow recesses/steps are normally OK but anything else then a cast or wrap vinyl should be used. on straight recesses/steps the vinyl can be laid into & out of them rather than stretching as David has also said.
Two most important things which haven’t been mentioned yet are cleaning or lack of cleaning which often leads to recess failures & the application method.
You need to pay particular care to cleaning recesses as they are an area that dirt often accumulates over a period of time.
As for application method well this should be dry, water will collect in a recess & sit there preventing a proper vinyl bond.
Robert will no doubt be along & explain things much better that I have.
Post heating is also vital as Ewan has said, invest in a decent laser thermometer if you don’t already have one. -
Sorry all, should have explained myself better. It was a straight step over a van panel, I fed the vinyl right into the corner rather than stretching it into the corner, and yes it was polymeric but as mentioned previously it should be good enough for straight steps.
Interesting to note about cleaning in the step, maybe that’s the cause. Or maybe because I applied wet and pulled it too tight after the step causing it to lift out a tad.
Appreciate all the replies. Thanks. -
quote Gordon Smithard:maybe because I applied wet.Right there IS your cause!
It does not matter what vinyl you use, use an application fluid in a recessed area and your asking for failure. -
quote Gordon Smithard:I fed the vinyl right into the corner rather than stretching it into the corner, and yes it was polymeric but as mentioned previously it should be good enough for straight steps.
I’m curious how you fed it into a corner, I am of course assuming you mean a radius corner of the panel?
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No, not the radius corner, it’s a straight step. I mean the very top of the panel where it steps out to continue up to the roof. I was pushing the vinyl right into this recess before carrying on upwards as opposed to laying it straight across then stretching it in. Not sure that corner was the right word to use for this but I meant the bit where it curves 90 degrees outwards for about 15mm then 90 degrees up again.
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