Do you laminate your plain vinyl lettering?

[Boudica]

My installer says to laminate it, even if it is a solid factory color vinyl, a friend of mine in the industry who prints and installs says he never laminates plain lettering if it doesnt come off the printer. Personally I feel like using solid color vinyl, and then putting laminate in it before cutting, is a waste of laminate

If you are cutting lettering out of solid color vinyl, say black or red, do you laminate it?

How much does your installer really know about production? How long has this person been a professional installer? Why are we all contributing to a poll because of some possible nincompoop giving you silly demands? No offense to the op... I'm picking on your installer.

 

[ProSignTN]

If my memory serves me correct, I was sticking cut vinyl many years before digital prints much less laminates were available. It was good enough to decorate Miss Budweiser (the speedboat), who pounded the water at over a hundred miles an hour. I agree with Boudica, why are we talking about a non issue. At least now I know how to spell nincompoop.

 

[GAC05]

Think of it like sunscreen. If you put some on it helps you from being burnt by UV rays... Helps protect you from cancer and other things.

Laminate doesn't magically make a print last year's longer. It blocks UV rays until said UV protection wears out. So when it says it can increase the life by xx years... It's estimating the overlam will last xx years before it stops protecting the ink from degrading.


Does overlaming colored vinyl help? Maybe in a super UV exposed place. I've never seen a colored vinyl fade... Usually the vinyl will fall apart before the color will. So there isn't really a point in overlaming pre colored vinyl. As others have mentioned you're just adding another point of failure... Unless you use expensive lam, odds are it'll burn/darken and do more harm than good.

We're on the equator so we could have super UV exposure:

The red is not printed, it is 3M180c-13 Tomato Red Controltac. Been on there about 9 years now. Still tomato red on the underhanging part of the tank but tomato white all along the top. We are in the process of replacing it with 3M 2080 Dark Red. 2080 is supposed to have a built in uv overlam layer to protect the color . In another 8 to 10 years I will report back with results.

 

[Imageray]

Vinyl is tested to extreme to achieve its life estimate , they found years back that vinyl lasts longer in real life conditions and extended life expectancy, If you laminate solid vinyl it is a waste of money and material, and may even cause failure sooner as it may shrink on the vinyl if not same type as vinyl

 

[Stacey K]

Vinyl is tested to extreme to achieve its life estimate , they found years back that vinyl lasts longer in real life conditions and extended life expectancy, If you laminate solid vinyl it is a waste of money and material, and may even cause failure sooner as it may shrink on the vinyl if not same type as vinyl

I was thinking this also. I have been replacing quite a few signs around my area (done by other signmakers) in which the laminate is failing BEFORE the print! No idea the combo of materials but I would much rather take my chance with cut vinyl than add laminate which could fail before the vinyl and make it look horrible.

I also have a job in the que to apply matte lam just because I don't have the matte vinyl in stock.

 

[CKCUSTOMKC]

Outta curiosity............. your profile shows you have less than a year's experience. That's fine, nothing wrong with that. We all started at some point, but how much time does your installer have??

Does he want you to.... first, laminate colored vinyls, then feed them into a cutting machine and then cut it all at once ?? Sounds like a novel idea, however expensive in material costs and timewise, plus an unnecessary step, since cast vinyl is already far better and longer lasting than any laminate can help. The laminate would probably burn it in many cases.

good question Gino, and yes in printing wraps I have less than a year under my belt, the the installer has experience installing only and not printing nor operating a cutter. I came to my position from digital corrugate packaging, with no experience with vinyl. But I think his reasoning behind putting laminate on it was to ensure easy stretching and installation without the chance for ripping the lettering. But with the cost and time involved behind it, it does not make sense to,

 

[CKCUSTOMKC]

We did once. Needed matte black for a quick small job so applied matte lam to gloss and cut.

how did that turn out? got any pictures by any chance, I would love to see that before trying to do that myself because I have people who want matte

 

[karst41]

My installer says to laminate it, even if it is a solid factory color vinyl, a friend of mine in the industry who prints and installs says he never laminates plain lettering if it doesnt come off the printer. Personally I feel like using solid color vinyl, and then putting laminate in it before cutting, is a waste of laminate

If you are cutting lettering out of solid color vinyl, say black or red, do you laminate it?

YES of course not.

When applied to vehicles and Equipment, the vinyl will get damaged even with laminate.
There is no escaping that fact.

HOWEVER

The question you pose can offer alternative, as I have customers do this
Polyurethane Clear Coat, is a massive layer of protection.

When the base coat of the color is laid down the vinyls can be installed
after the base has off gassed.
The first coat is a light to medium spray, this is called a Mid Coat, and must be tack free
prior the the final coat.
The off gassed mid coat is the layer that protects the vinyl from the final coat which is
a substantial spray.

Next time you see a Boars Head truck parked, check it out , they use this method
and is why you never, ever, never do any work for Boars Head.
Damages to the Graphics must be addressed at a body shop.

 

[weyandsign]

I "laminated" prints with krylon clear coat spray cans 15 years ago, and they still look good.

 

[Scotchbrite]

I was thinking this also. I have been replacing quite a few signs around my area (done by other signmakers) in which the laminate is failing BEFORE the print! No idea the combo of materials but I would much rather take my chance with cut vinyl than add laminate which could fail before the vinyl and make it look horrible.

I have noticed that about laminate as well.

 

[Zendavor Signs]

I had a customer a few years back that requested we laminate solid color translucent vinyl for an elaborate lighted sign. He claimed the vinyl faded too quickly on the original lettering (in particular the Burgundy color). I believe I had found a 3M document to back up that laminating would help reduce fading. He was willing to pay the extra cost, so I figured why not.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I would assume that this is like porcelain vs ceramic tile. 1 has the color on the surface, the other runs all the way through. So with cut vinyl, surface degradation doesn't eat into the color as much as a print where it is only on the surface. Totally pulling that out of my bum but it does seem to be the case. Eventually it all cracks and degrades, paint, vinyl, ink and even whatever it is put on. Laminate would probably be a point of failure well before the cut vinyl.
Reds always fade faster, as far as I can understand, it has to do with the use of organic pigments in order to create the color.

 

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

Tha laminate will eventually break down, and make what's left of the vinyl look worse.

 

[Boudica]

Perhaps there is a real quality and compatibility factor with laminate. Why not... If it's cheaper, like almost half the price of a reputable high quality brand or product... How would you not be surprised with failure?

 

[StephenOrange]

Nope

 

[Cheezer]

Can't believe you people are even having this conversation. It's like "Do you varnish your house after you paint it?

Get a new installer ASAP!

 

[Cheezer]

Here's another thought. Why would you want any sign you sell to last more than 5 years? That is plenty long enough for the incredibly high value a sign provides the buyer. Say you charge $500 for a 4'X8' sign. That's less than $10 a month for the best advertising money can buy. You would be cheating yourself out of repeat business!

 

[Terry01]

NO.. someone went to a lot of trouble to make the vinyl colors in just
about the full spectrum. Laminating is for printed products only.
Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[jdragun]

Does your installer work for glantz on the side? Just wanting to sell more material....lol

 

[netsol]

Here's another thought. Why would you want any sign you sell to last more than 5 years? That is plenty long enough for the incredibly high value a sign provides the buyer. Say you charge $500 for a 4'X8' sign. That's less than $10 a month for the best advertising money can buy. You would be cheating yourself out of repeat business!

because what actually happens, in the real world, the sign lasts better than 5 years, (perhaps not much more) the customer feels disappointed, decides you cheated them with an "inferior product" & calls someone else in to replace it. perception is everything.