What do you need vinyl stickers for?
Stickers are made of a convenient, reliable and safe material – polyvinyl chloride. Such stickers have appeared in the market for quite some time, but they have gained popularity only in recent years, along with the spread of ideas of modern design. You can meet these polygraphic products practically everywhere. That explains such a wide spread of vinyl stickers:
- For the original decoration of interiors. This method of decoration can be applied in the arrangement of the interior of any room. Vinyl stickers will look great in the living room, bedroom, kitchen. When creating a unique atmosphere in the office these products will be able to show all their qualities;
- In order to change and improve the design of a car or motorcycle. If you want to stand out in a dense urban car traffic, you do not have to go to the car dealership and buy a new car model. There will be no need to repaint the body. Vinyl stickers will help you to decorate your transport as quickly and inexpensively as possible. This variant of decor is very durable in relation to external exposure and wear-resistant. You can choose different patterns and ornaments, choose an interesting color palette and present an interesting design;
- Decorating phones, laptops and other gadgets. The purpose of using vinyl stickers is exactly the same as when decorating cars. Just in this case, the plane on which the stickers will be attached is much smaller. The use of such stickers will be very useful – they will help you to protect the body of your device from damage after a bump or fall;
- Window and shop window decoration. For advertising purposes stores, offices, restaurants and cafes are decorated with different pictures, inscriptions, plots. Of course, you can paint the glass, but it is impractical, expensive, and the picture is much harder to wipe off. Therefore, to place information about discounts, promotions apply vinyl stickers.
Types of vinyl stickers
If you want to highlight your new or already long used gadget, and also want to surprise guests with a new decor in the apartment, for these purposes you can choose different types of vinyl stickers:
- Small format stickers. They belong to the most common type of printing products, with the help of which you can decorate any surface. Stickers differ in shapes, patterns and ornaments. Shades and design variants abound. Stickers are used for original decoration of rooms, but they are perfect for decorating electronic devices;
- Stencil – is a design of a vinyl sticker, when on its surface there are cutouts of different sizes. They can be painted over, obtaining an attractive pattern or ornament. In this case, the color, as well as the shape of the stencil, is chosen by the designer himself;
- Stickers in the form of an organizer are printed on a special surface of a matte type. Due to this solution, you can draw or write information on the sticker with an ordinary ballpoint pen or chalk. Organizers are very popular among office workers, who can easily write down the necessary information or send a message to another person. And if you are so busy with current affairs that you constantly forget your plans, a sticker will help you not to keep a large amount of information in your head. Everything can be transferred directly to the sticker. Attach it to the table, the wall or on the surface of the laptop lid;
- Stickers with glowing effect are used for home decoration. They are also suitable for various entertainment venues. Glowing stickers on the laptop, tablet or smartphone lid look wonderful. They are not only a colorful drawing, but also can glow in the dark.
What are vinyl stickers made of?
A vinyl sticker is a convenient way to quickly update your gadget and show your surroundings its new original design. It can be done quickly enough, without much effort. The reason is that the structure of the sticker is very simple. It provides a secure attachment and high durability. This is what vinyl stickers consist of:
- A vinyl-type film that acts as the base of the sticker. It is made of a special polymer with the help of innovative technologies. Most often, calendering or casting technology is used for maximum effect;
- The adhesive base, which ensures the sticker’s attachment to the surface to be decorated. For this purpose, a special adhesive is used. The most effective is a water-dispersion acrylic mixture. For its manufacture, a water base is used. The specified option guarantees a reliable attachment of the sticker to any surface – it can be a wall in an apartment, a laptop lid, a car or the glass of a showcase. If you decide to change the design, you won’t have any problems either. It is easy to remove the sticker, thanks to the adhesive base it separates without trace;
- Pigments. Their quality determines the appearance and durability of the figure that will flaunt on the sticker. The main task is not only to provide a catchy image, but also to create resistance to external factors. Experts note that the greatest durability is characterized by black and white shades. But with yellow, green, red and other colors you must be careful, because over time the brightness will deteriorate;
- Backing prevents the glue base from drying out and subsequently provides a reliable attachment. For its manufacture use paper with the application on the surface of a certain amount of silicone. This component helps to eliminate the possible interaction of the substrate layers with the adhesive composition. As a result, when using the sticker there is no difficulty in detaching it from the paper layer with subsequent attachment to the substrate.
Advantages of vinyl stickers
The use of polygraphic vinyl stickers became widespread for a reason. Such stickers have many advantages, thanks to which they can be used more effectively for decorating different surfaces:
- Durability of the material. If you have bought a quality sticker and at its attachment followed the instructions, the decorative decoration will last for more than one year. Experts say that the service life can reach 5 years;
- Thermostability of stickers. It is possible to use vinyl stickers in different conditions. They retain their operational qualities at excessively high and at low temperatures. Stickers are not afraid of extreme cold in -40oC, will not lose their appeal and in hot days up to +50oC;
- Polyvinylchloride stickers are resistant to moisture. The film is glued both indoors and outdoors, for example, on shop windows or ordinary windows. The sticker will be a godsend for motorists who want to decorate their cars and advertisers who decorate the body of public transport. The stickers are not afraid of extreme weather conditions with rain and snow;
- Stickers are not exposed to ultraviolet light. This property must be taken into account if you choose a certain method of decoration. Some products may lose their appearance and brightness under sunlight. But the vinyl sticker will not deteriorate under the sun, affecting the surface for a long time;
- Variety of colors, textures, shapes. Vinyl stickers can be printed with a matte base or glossy. In the process of agreeing on samples, it is necessary to stipulate the desired size and shape. With the help of a printing press and modern technology, the manufacturer provides different shades and types of designs;
- The ability to preserve the integrity of the smartphone and laptop with the help of a protective film. In the event of an accidental bump or scratch, the case will not be damaged;
- The stickers themselves are quite durable, wear-resistant and can retain their aesthetic and protective properties for a long period of time;
- Affordable prices while maintaining high quality parameters.
Features of production
The quality of vinyl stickers is influenced by the way they are produced and the equipment used. In this case it is desirable not to use technically outdated equipment, because you will not be able to create a quality product in this case.
When large orders are usually made using silk-screen printing technology. In this case, the text content or image is transferred using a special type of printing grid. The technology involves squeezing a certain amount of paint through the cells. When the product dries, it is transferred for postpress processing. The disadvantage of this method is the limitations of the color palette – stickers can only be designed in three shades. If you set a larger number of colors, the image will be blurry.
A small number of stickers can be made with simple devices – laser or inkjet printers. They print even on oracle film. Large circulation is made on special equipment designed for offset printing. An order is executed quickly and with any number of shades.
Rules of sticking
Attach the vinyl film on the wall in the room or on the lid of the laptop can be yourself, without resorting to the services of professionals. It is enough to follow a few rules:
- The surface, which will be decorated, must be even and perfectly cleaned. It is necessary to degrease the surface of the laptop or smartphone, remove dirt from the wall;
- If the wall is uneven, cracks or bulges are eliminated with putty;
- The sticker should be secured with tape on one edge to prevent skewing. Then gradually remove the backing and press the film to the base. You can use a ruler for leveling, placed with a rib. To remove bubbles, you can carefully “kick out” them with a cloth from the center toward the edges or pierce with a needle.
With the help of vinyl stickers you can decorate your home in an original way. The decor on a smartphone or laptop looks great. It is not just a beautiful decoration, but also protection from scratches and damage.