Laminating solid colors?

[T_K]

So, does anyone laminate solid color vinyls before wrapping with them?

My supervisor is looking at the Avery 900 Supercast Black film we have, and thinks it's too thin for what the customer wants.
He suggested we could laminate it, which could increase the thickness and add a protective layer.

I've never laminated solid color vinyl before, so I'm not sure what to think.

Thoughts?

 

[reQ]

if its a regular 2mil cast film - sure, why not? But i would not laminate wrapping films on top like 1080

 

[Gino]

I doubt it will hurt, but it seems like he's going to extremes. The stuff is warranted for 10 to 12 years without laminate. I see no real harm, but I highly doubt the customer will wanna pay for added protection that isn't needed, unless your boss bamboozles the customer into it.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

I doubt it will hurt, but it seems like he's going to extremes. The stuff is warranted for 10 to 12 years without laminate. I see no real harm, but I highly doubt the customer will wanna pay for added protection that isn't needed, unless your boss bamboozles the customer into it.

Be careful as your statement in bold is not true at all from any manufacturer. That is just their suggested life span.

 

[Gino]

Be careful as your statement in bold is not true at all from any manufacturer. That is just their suggested life span.

Yowsa, you're absolutely right. I thought with their mentioning it 4 times it really meant something.

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Let this be a lesson to me.......... ​

 

[T_K]

Yowsa, you're absolutely right. I thought with their mentioning it 4 times it really meant something.

Sorry, Gino. But warranty and lifespan are not the same. Just like with cars, appliances, etc., the expected lifespan is much longer than the warranty.

See here: http://graphics.averydennison.com/content/dam/averydennison/graphics/na/en/documents/Product-Data-Sheets-NA-ONLY/SandC/opaque-sign-cut/supercast/PDS-SC-900-Series-Opaque-EASY-APPLY-CR-MW-rev-1-11-25-13.pdf

Now, I would expect the vinyl to last longer than the warranty. But there is a huge difference between those two terms.
If I tell a customer that something is warranted for 10 years, then they'll be back in 9 years, 11 months for me to completely redo the work for free.
Telling them the expected lifespan is 10 years does not create the same liability.

 

[Gino]

Sorry, Gino. But warranty and lifespan are not the same. Just like with cars, appliances, etc., the expected lifespan is much longer than the warranty.

See here: http://graphics.averydennison.com/content/dam/averydennison/graphics/na/en/documents/Product-Data-Sheets-NA-ONLY/SandC/opaque-sign-cut/supercast/PDS-SC-900-Series-Opaque-EASY-APPLY-CR-MW-rev-1-11-25-13.pdf

Now, I would expect the vinyl to last longer than the warranty. But there is a huge difference between those two terms.
If I tell a customer that something is warranted for 10 years, then they'll be back in 9 years, 11 months for me to completely redo the work for free.
Telling them the expected lifespan is 10 years does not create the same liability.

Yeah, I see that now. I think it's quite deceiving, but they, like almost everyone else, know how to cover their a$$es.

When we used to buy a lotta 3M, Gerber and other products, they were classified as High Performance or Intermediate..... haha, no Low Performance. That meant the high stuff was good 7 to 9 years and the other stuff about 4 or 5 years. Later, everyone wanted to be cool and said, Cast or Calendared. Like mentioned earlier in another thread, nothing remains level. They are always changing the rules and we end up paying for it.

Ya know what........ do whatever your boss wants and let it go at that. Play it safe and at least cover your butt. There ain't no way of predicting squat anymore.

So, if you're color changing this vehicle to black and laminate basically protects inks and against UV rays, what in tarnation is gonna happen to black..... that ya hafta extend it's life ?? Its not gonna discolor, there won't be any color shifting and if somebody keys the vehicle, he's got insurance to repair that. I'm just glad it's Friday.
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[Mattie_BR]

If I understood the initial point correctly, the supervisor wants to laminate the full color vinyl to facilitate installation...as 900 cast is to thin. Not necessarily to protect the colors.

Considering you will spend some money on a cast lamination + using avery 900, you might be better off using 900 wrapping series or 3mIJ1080.

 

[Gino]

Just today, for sh!ts and giggles, I was pricing out some vinyl, so I called several of my vendors and guess what, They all said the same thing when I asked how long will this vinyl last outside ??

They would say...........

That's an 8 to 9 year product
So is that the expected life or suggested or what ??
It will last basically that long in the weather
Oh, is that a guarantee or warranty ??
Well, not by us, but by the manufacturer..... yes. You should easily get their recommended time if not better from their product

Yep, they all pretty much led me to believe, I'll get many years from these products. However, you guys are telling me maybe 2 years, huh ??

So, now I'm lost....... who do I believe ??


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[tim99]

think of is as it MAY last as long as x years. Not it Will last that x years.
I have had white calandard (4-5 year) material yellow in as little as months
and cast material spiderweb and brown in as little as 2 years.

that being said i have had opposites of those as well where cast and calendar both lasted way longer than i expected.

As far as the original post goes, i wouldn't laminate it.. Odds are the laminate will UV bake long before the original vinyl would have.

 

[crystalcoastgraphics]

I always compare it to like a tv for example to my customers. It can last 5 years or so, depending on the care of it, but it is only warrantied for xxx years

 

[T_K]

I always compare it to like a tv for example to my customers. It can last 5 years or so, depending on the care of it, but it is only warrantied for xxx years

Exactly. If companies guaranteed or warranted the expected life span, they wouldn't generally make money. The purpose of the guarantee/warranty is to help ensure quality control, and compensate customers for defective product.