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Wrapping over rubber welds
Just wrapping a brand new transit minibus, and the welds between the panels are filled with a grey rubber sealant.
No amount of heat, rollers, squeegee’s will get the avery supreme to stick in there.
As it’s a partial wrap I’m not 100% happy, as water will find a way in behind the vinyl, and cutting will look awful as it’s dark blue wrap over white.
Any suggestions?
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8 Replies
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In my limited experience of vehicle graphics… in the few I’ve done I’ve actually encountered this with an experienced friend of mine from Corbeau Seats whilst doing a new LDV van.
Apparently that silicon stuff will render almost all vinyl and adhesive retarded (even if you think you’ve got it to stick!)
He recommended either just getting it stuck down as close as you can (some will lift) and whilst it probably won’t last the full lifetime of the vinyl, it should stay long enough to keep a client happy. Or cut around the silicon, and whilst it may affect the look of your graphics, at least you’ll know that it isn’t going to come off.Tough call I know, but he claims after years and years of wrapping racing cars full of silicon, he has yet to find a vinyl which will stick properly.
Maybe speak to the client and see which outcome he’d prefer? Cosmetic or Warranty…
Going off second hand information here but it’s the all I have!
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I usually trim it away otherwise in time it will lift anyway. The black line you’re left with doesn’t look any worse than the door shut line that you would normally have on the other side (assuming is has a sliding side door).
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I did a fleet of toyota Hiace vans with thick black rubber round the windows.
The customer was insistent that we cover the rubber, so we used 3M 94 primer over those bits, and gave him a disclaimer that it will probably fail. He was happy with the terms.
The vinyl used was 3M IJ180
Five years later the vinyl is still mostly covering the rubber, and still looks okay if you dont look too closely.
Whether it will work with Avery vinyl and your particular type of rubber is anybodys guess – worth a try I suppose? -
Cheers simon, it’s more like a sealant down the welds so not a massive area. We have slit it and worked it in, and it’s looking good.
Only 1 more to wrap :sleep:
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i noticed this the other day on a new one, grey silicone in the joint between the panels. We just sliced the vinyl other side of the join. Ours was a partial wrap, one side had a sliding door the other didn’t, the side without the door had the silicone, and when cut didn’t really look any different to the other side with the door.
cheers
Dan -
We’ve taken the decision to slit down the welds, and work in to the weld. We cannot see any white showing through, and will make the client aware, and to keep and eye on it. :thumbup2:
Will post some photo’s when we’ve finished it off this AM. :thumbup2:
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unless it’s been properly painted over (like the seals on mid noughties vivaro’s) it gets trimmed out every time!
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Will post a photo when I can, the client asked us to.hold off going public until an official ceremony next week. :thumbup2:
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