installing perf

[signwizz]

i have to install perf on a windstar rear window just did a test on mine looked like crap....Installed dry but there was air in spots and it distorted on one side it is laminated .Where do u start top bottom middle and hot or cool day and can it be done wet....First time with this stuff lol

thanks shane

 

[tsgstl]

Middle or close to it if there is a wiper and never wet. Never had a issue with window perf.

 

[OlsonSigns601]

I started off installing wet and I thought it was easier. However once you get the hang of it, dry will be easier.

Also you wont be able to get to conform to curves wet.

Tried to insall on a grand prix back window wet a couple years ago... bad idea.

So yes you can install wet on flat surface but I would not recommend it.

 

[signwizz]

hard or soft squeegee and should i do it when its a little cooler out it kind warped down on the one side.And hard or soft pressure mine had shinry spots in it from air i think

 

[OlsonSigns601]

I use hard 3m gold squeege and I dont remember how id did it wet but I thin it was a felt tip squeege.

also with the perf, if I feel like its not going down right, I just peel it up and try again. I use solveex and for me its forgiving.

I also use crest shaped waves and work it out as triangles.

also I work in ac so its never about 75. would not do this in the sun that is for sure.

 

[4R Graphics]

Install it dry especially if its laminated. Do a center hinge like you would regular vinyl and use a soft edge squegee and medium to light pressure. You can pull it up if you dont go to far to get the air out. Also if you press hard the laminate will stick to the window and look weird dont freak out it will almost always come back up after a week or so in the sun. The window should be 60 to 80 degrees anymore or anyless and it will be more difficult. Make sure to seal or egede tape the perf or it will roll up on you in the future and look like crap.

 

[Circleville Signs]

I say this with absolutely no snakiness intended.

If you can't lay perf, go into a different business. It is about the easiest stuff on earth to lay down. Remove the rear wiper first.

 

[anotherdog]

If you are laying laminated perf, has to be dry. Also if you are laying perf laminated with optically clear lam you have to watch the pressure and lay evenly. I have had both the lam sticking to the glass and trapped air in the holes making thousands of little sealed domes. My advice is to practice on your own car until you are happy before you put a bow on it and sell it to a customer.

My own preference is non laminated, wet or dry it goes on a dream. Shorter life and terrible in rain or ice though.
One thing I have discovered, using Oracal perf if the window is clean I don't have to seal the edges, doesn't curl up.

 

[Circleville Signs]

+1 to not laminating perf.

 

[Brands Imaging]

I thought the same about not laminating perf....
Not true anymore. You'll be re doing all those projects in a year ...FOR FREE

 

[Desert_Signs]

I thought the same about not laminating perf....
Not true anymore. You'll be re doing all those projects in a year ...FOR FREE

Hmm. We never laminate perf. Ever. I've never had to re-do one. In fact, just the other day I re-did a back window for a guy because he changed his website. The perf was almost 4 years old. One of the first we printed on our latex. It still looked damn good. Came off easy.

I've done at least 200 unlaminated back windows in the past couple years and I've never had to redo even one. Oh, and I never edge seal.

 

[401Graphics]

Hmm. We never laminate perf. Ever. I've never had to re-do one. In fact, just the other day I re-did a back window for a guy because he changed his website. The perf was almost 4 years old. One of the first we printed on our latex. It still looked damn good. Came off easy.

I've done at least 200 unlaminated back windows in the past couple years and I've never had to redo even one. Oh, and I never edge seal.

what brand of perf you using?

 

[Desert_Signs]

what brand of perf you using?

Be-Line, N. Glantz house brand, for about the past year and a half. Before that, a house brand from Regal Plastics.

 

[Mosh]

I used to be on the "not lam perf" bangwagon, but I have done several Ford Transits and laminated them (the customers wanted them to last at least a couple years) Not a big deal, it is easy to lay. I just use a teflon squeegie with some soft velco stuck on one end. It goes on pretty easy. I go from top to bottom, or left to right (left handed) using a tape hing. Pretty staight forward, no hidden tricks I found.

 

[JERHEMI]

So for everybody who doesn't laminate their perf... you never receive complaints from customers not being able to see out the window when it rains or snowing? Or do they just think that is normal and accept it for what it is? From my experience the holes do fill up with water making whatever you're looking out that window very blurry if the perf is not laminated. I have had a few complaints over the years and have always laminated with optically clear ever since.

 

[signwizz]

ok redid it no lam went on a little easier but still having probs with it forming properly had a few ripples at the bottom due to the curve in the rear window anyone have this prob with these although looks better than my first attempt used a bit of heat still cool here maybe that has to do with it

thanks shane

 

[Stuckup]

Laminate by law here on rear windows.

 

[rjssigns]

What is the most conformable perf without using heat? Did a rear window on a Mitsu' Outlander with Oracal yesterday. Took a while because of the compound curve, but it turned out well.

As far as the lam thing. I spray with SW Kut-In Clear. No issues. Gives a little extra pop too. Law here doesn't require anything.

 

[Circleville Signs]

I know a lot of people hate it, but I use Solvex - never have any issues with conformability, and I tell every customer that they should plan on replacing their perf every 18-24 months anyways...

 

[rjssigns]

Thanks Gary. We were using Solvex then moved away from it because of client demands. We were sending a bunch of perf to the Southwest and clients said they wanted Oracal. So we just kept using it.(funny how you get in that rut) I will go back to using Solvex with my top secret SW Kut-In Clear.