GF Etch vinyl when it's on, it's on

[Vinyldog]

Covered a standard glass door yesterday using the General Formulations Etch Glass Film and unfortunately had some issues with surface contaminants. No problem, I did a wet install so thought I would just remove and re-do the next day after cutting the replacement piece.
That's what I thought. I've never seen anything stick that well that quick!
I have blisters on thumbs from removing it one half inch at a time down the whole door and it fought me all the way.
End product looks great, but if you put this stuff on you better be serious about leaving it there.

 

[rjssigns]

Sounds like the 3M dusted crystal I removed from an outdoor installation. Took a couple hours. Nasty. Had one piece of Oracal on the same job and it was off and cleaned up in 15 minutes. Guess what I'm usin' now?

 

[Billct2]

It was that hard to remove with a razor scraper?

 

[rjssigns]

It was that hard to remove with a razor scraper?

Yup. Absolute evil. Razor would take off the vinyl and barely graze the glue. Then the glue didn't want to come off. 3M adhesive remover, urethane reducer, etc...barely softened it.

Maybe the full year outside with a southwest exposure caused the issue.

Indoors or out I'm not using it anymore.

 

[Vinyldog]

I have a heavy duty scraper but don't think that would have been faster as it would have left the residue behind. And using remover was not an option in a busy nail salon during hours.

I used a razor scraper years ago. Then one day the blade broke off and the broken part stuck into the adhesive and sliced my arm neatly as it slide on by. Then it was off the the emergency room and then the car wash to clean up all the blood.
I haven't been too keen on those since then.

 

[Jester1167]

I saw a trick for removing 3M etch look vinyl. Spray the graphic down with soap and water, cover with plastic so the water doesn't evaporate and wait 1hr or so. believe it or not, vinyl is gas and water permeable and it softens the adhesive. Obviously it's time consuming for one window but great for multiple windows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqI2nEj1vo4

Cookies Tips are awesome learning tools.

 

[rjssigns]

I saw a trick for removing 3M etch look vinyl. Spray the graphic down with soap and water, cover with plastic so the water doesn't evaporate and wait 1hr or so. believe it or not, vinyl is gas and water permeable and it softens the adhesive. Obviously it's time consuming for one window but great for multiple windows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqI2nEj1vo4

Cookies Tips are awesome learning tools.

Cool! Thanks for the tip.

 

[Marlene]

I saw a trick for removing 3M etch look vinyl. Spray the graphic down with soap and water, cover with plastic so the water doesn't evaporate and wait 1hr or so. believe it or not, vinyl is gas and water permeable and it softens the adhesive. Obviously it's time consuming for one window but great for multiple windows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqI2nEj1vo4

Cookies Tips are awesome learning tools.

thansk for that tip. when I read it was nearly impossible to remove with a razor, I wondered what would work. we don't buy that brand but we do work for national sign companies who do

 

[shoresigns]

I saw a trick for removing 3M etch look vinyl. Spray the graphic down with soap and water, cover with plastic so the water doesn't evaporate and wait 1hr or so. believe it or not, vinyl is gas and water permeable and it softens the adhesive. Obviously it's time consuming for one window but great for multiple windows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqI2nEj1vo4

Cookies Tips are awesome learning tools.

We tried that trick once and it didn't work with whatever brand we were using at the time - Mactac most likely. Most frosting I've encountered is extremely difficult to remove - I spent 2 hours removing frosting from a single glass door once.

 

[Jester1167]

I don't think the tip is Brand specific, more adhesive type specific. Pretty sure most films have an acrylic based adhesive and that is why the water works.

 

[Stella_FB700]

rapid remover - removes General Formulations Etch