Is there a problem getting vinyl to stick to real frosted glass?

[gabagoo]

I printed 9 panels of photographs for a client that has basically a hollywood squares wall in his board room. Each panel is actual frosted glass. It felt smooth to me and I never even gave it a second thought that I would run into trouble,. because each photo completely filled the panel I decided to use soap and water to apply, and a good thing I did as I found out pretty fast that these panels were all out of square so some needed to be removed and realigned as best as possible to fit. I thoroughly squeegied them down and when I was finished basically went over all of them again using a soft squeegee and then a harder one with velcro. They seemed fine to me, and letting go did not even enter my mind. If any were going to lift off I would have thought from the point of doing the first one to the point of finishing the 9th one that something would have happened.

I used a calendered vinyl with a matte laminate.

Receive an email from the customer Saturday that he went into the office and many of them are lifting off, and not holding to the glass. I am not sure to what degree they are lifting, so I am waiting to see a couple pictures before venturing out and trying a heat gun.

I have done thousands of installs over the years and you kinda know if there is going to be a problem, but I left fully confident that these were adhering properly so I really wonder if the glass with its matte frosting effect is the issue here.

Anyone have experience with working with frosted glass panels?

 

[shoresigns]

Frosted glass isn't smooth, but the texture is so fine that it might feel smooth to the touch. Due to the texture, you have a fraction of the surface area for the vinyl to adhere to.

My advice would be to switch to a hi-tack vinyl and try again. Test a piece on the glass before you reprint everything, of course.

 

[Gino]

I highly doubt any vinyl will stick for any length of time to a frosted surface. That's very porous.

If you can't remove and print directly onto the glass, I would probably clear-coat the glass with a few coats to build up a somewhat non-porous surface, wait a week or so, then try to re-hang the graphics.

 

[Chasez]

We've never had luck on sandblasted glass... unless its smooth glass we stay far far away cause you're just asking for trouble.

Chaz

 

[gabagoo]

Well I spent about a half hour with a heat gun and worked the edges, but I can see that it still wants to lift. The central areas are all fine, only around the edges. I peeled one back and it still feels a little moist. I also see that none of the images along the top are lifting, just the ones on the second and third level and wonder if moisture may still be trickling slowly through. I am going to give it 2 days then go back again and hit it with heat and then once more by Friday. if the trouble continues I will reprint on something more aggressive or even just use 2ml air release and apply dry.

 

[Gino]

I didn't think of this before...... was this glass acid etched or sandblasted ?? Regardless, you might get it to stay down for a while, but I doubt it will remain down and taught for an extended period of time. Besides, someone is bound to touch them at some point, if not just to clean them. Are you gonna tell them to never clean them ??

 

[gabagoo]

Yes I will say NEVER CLEAN THEM!!! EVER!!!! lol

They are a regular client so I will do what it takes to finish the job, but I have no idea what kind of glass it is or how it was made and either do they. Why do you suppose the top layer of prints are fine...I can only think there is still moisture leaking down from the top...with that surface it probably takes very little to allow the vinyl to lift off.

 

[Billct2]

What about using a rough surface vinyl

 

[T_K]

What about using a rough surface vinyl

I doubt it would be much better. Most rough surfaces I've seen overlaid with vinyl are larger bumps. I've been applying vinyl to powdercoated MDF desktops and it's hit and miss on those some days, and even then you have a sand-like texture. Sometimes the tops we get just don't have enough space between bumps to let the vinyl and adhesive get in there, even with a good post heat. It sounds like the frosted glass has no measurable texture by feeling with your hand.