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Air bubbles under vinyl

Do you believe small air bubbles under vinyl dissipate over time?

  • yes

    Votes: 150 67.0%
  • no

    Votes: 47 21.0%
  • I'm not sure

    Votes: 27 12.1%

  • Total voters
    224

Mardi

New Member
What bubbles? :help:

On serious note....We do spend all the time necessary to take out most of the air pockets. Whatever remains does vanish over period of time depending on the vinyl used and climate. No question about it.
Ofcourse that is if the surface is prepared properly and has no dirt on it.
 

Replicator

New Member
Kinda like being a kid and having a few zits . . . Why bother trying to pop 'em

someday they'll just go away, and without the popping damage that so many

do to their faces . . . and their vinyl !
 

Sign Works

New Member
Hey call me old fashioned but wouldn't it be easier and appear to be a bit more professional to actually learn how to apply vinyl properly without bubbles or wrinkles?
 

Marlene

New Member
Being a pro doesn't mean no air bubbles. When you apply to plastics, there is out gasing going on. I do signs for Coca-Cola and they re-use the faces so I get to see over and over again signs that I know had ton of little bubbles that have flattened out and have none over time.
 

Creative_Lance

New Member
I agree with Marlene, you will always have bubbles no matter what, unfortunately in our trade we do have 2 enemies: dust and bubbles or at least those my biggest enemies anyway, if you are a perfectionist like me then you wouldn't tolerate neither one of them, i do prefer laying my vinyl on dry and it took me a while to get to that point but i still work out the air from little tiny ones some times and also depends on what kind of surface you're dealing with but i always finish up my product before giving it to customers and try not to rely too much on the fact that bubbles will disappear with time.
 

The Big Squeegee

Long Time Member
Bubble free installs?

Hey call me old fashioned but wouldn't it be easier and appear to be a bit more professional to actually learn how to apply vinyl properly without bubbles or wrinkles?
Yes, it would. It would also get the job DONE faster.:thumb: Now you can learn it pretty fast.
 

CenturySigns

Custom Sign Shop Designer
On all our trucks and signs we use an 1/8" drill from the back side, gives the bubble lots of room for the air to escape, of course you have those nasty holes on the back to deal with but hey after awhile those holes will close up on thier own.
 

high impact

New Member
Larry Boy...hahahahahaha...

until a newie actually tries it! Then it may not be too funny.

Some bubbles go away, some don't. Do the job correctly (if you get some, redo it before the customer picks it up) and you don't have to worry about them-protect your reputation.

Wanna debate creases now? LOL
 

Bradster941

New Member
In my neck of the woods, those aren't air bubbles, they're government required Braille Type for the Blind which, while we usually charge extra for, have been included on your sign at no charge cause we like 'Ya All..!..

Come back and see us real soon now, 'ya here !... :smile:



.
 

cdiesel

New Member
The only bubbles I've seen stick around are in metalized films, such as chrome. As long as it's a standard pvc vinyl, they have always gone away for us. Obviously NOT getting bubbles in the first place is ideal, but it doesn't always work out that way! :wink:
 
On all our trucks and signs we use an 1/8" drill from the back side, gives the bubble lots of room for the air to escape, of course you have those nasty holes on the back to deal with but hey after awhile those holes will close up on thier own.

until a newie actually tries it! Then it may not be too funny

You are not kidding! I am not so sure that I would limit that to newbies either. I have seen many "pros" from many industries do some really hair-brained things!
 

Ken

New Member
I was applying vinyl to an excavator today..Just as I was pressing down the vinyl, a fly got stuck to the sticky side. I picked it off as best I could..but that one may have a permanent bubble. lol
Cheers!
Ken
 

imaSIGNr

New Member
I just had a bug shield come back a few days ago. Didn't have any air bubbles in it when it went out a month ago and now it was ALL air bubbles....I replaced it with different vinyl...
 

Elwood Moose

New Member
I have a summer student this year, and he's been working out fairly well. He usually does my grunt work (small coro signs etc...) but on one particular day, he had to deal with a customer as I was on the phone.

I didn't hear what the customer said, but I did hear him say to the customer..."A few days in the sun oughtta get rid of those..."

I must be training him correctly.
 

petepaz

New Member
i have noticed over time most bubbles will go away
if you squeegee them and stretch the vinyl you will have some problems
but if you have a big area to cover try to use the ez apply or control tac or what ever vinyl has the air channels in the adhesive this stuff is the sh#*t
i am by no means an expert but i consider my self pretty good with the installs but no matter how many i do i can't get a consistancy for not having bubbles
i have fleets that i do and i can do the same truck 2 days in a row and the vinyl /bubbles can be different on both
good to know others have similar problems
 
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