Need Help Laminating vinyl

[Mark H]

How often do you laminate vinyl, whether it's printed or not? While laminating stuff like vehicle graphics will increase life, I've beed told the not laminating will also allow you to sell the job again in 5 years. Thinks like fund raising decals should probably always be laminated. What is your opinion? Is a laminator a must have?

Thanks.

 

[BigfishDM]

How often do you laminate vinyl, whether it's printed or not? While laminating stuff like vehicle graphics will increase life, I've beed told the not laminating will also allow you to sell the job again in 5 years. Thinks like fund raising decals should probably always be laminated. What is your opinion? Is a laminator a must have?

Thanks.

I think for car wraps its a MUST HAVE. Installing 2 mil cast vinyl with no lam is not that easy. If your in the car wrap biz then yes a laminator is a must.

 

[JTBoh]

We. Laminate. Everything.

 

[JTBoh]

I've beed told the not laminating will also allow you to sell the job again in 5 years.

This is some of the most shysty sh*t I've ever seen on this forum.

 

[Mark H]

This is some of the most shysty sh*t I've ever seen on this forum.

I didn't say I agreed, just asking opinions. I've outsource vehicle graphics for years and never once used unlaminated vinyl.

 

[Starter]

I always laminate printed graphics. The best way to sell the job again is to produce quality signs and customer service. Do it right the first time.

 

[OhioSigns]

We laminate just about all vinyl. The only exception is stuff that is temporary or short term like for coro / foamcore signage. Then you have to figure out what laminates to use to match the life expectancy of the product you are selling. We use our laminator for more than just installing overlaminate. It's used to apply transfer tape, layer graphics and to mount graphics to substrates. I don't know how any sign shop could not have a laminator..... unless you outsource your printing.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

There isn't a way to say this without sounding harsh, but if you're not laminating printed vinyl, you don't need to be in this business. Are there circumstances where you don't want/need to laminate vinyl? Sure, but they're so few and far between that you shouldn't even consider them. Like JTBoh said: laminate everything.

Whoever told you not to laminate so you could sell the job again is a dirtbag.

 

[Billct2]

For any permanent sign laminating printed graphics is a must. We still do a lot of signs and vehicles with cut vinyl which outlast printed vinyl.

 

[AGCharlotte]

we laminate everything going outside (except for maybe cut lettering). I do a lot of small labels for retail that lamination would be overkill for.

 

[Lindsey]

I laminate every print. It helps the durability of the print. It makes laydown/install easier. It makes for a better product and a happy customer. A laminator is a must.

 

[equippaint]

We laminate most everything but unlaminated vinyl lasts longer than what many people say. I think using real cheap lam like oracal 210 is a waste and looking at the browning issues posted here, it may be worse than nothing at all.
Our trash cans all have full color area labels with no lamination and they look fine as well as the fire extinguisher labels on my service trucks that are 3 or 4 years old. Our entrance sign has no lamination either, 2 years old and looks the same as when it was new. Every time I look at these I honestly question if lamination is always needed or if its just a way to sell more product. IMO, expecting a printed sign to last 8-10 years is a bit unrealistic.

 

[equippaint]

There isn't a way to say this without sounding harsh, but if you're not laminating printed vinyl, you don't need to be in this business. Are there circumstances where you don't want/need to laminate vinyl? Sure, but they're so few and far between that you shouldn't even consider them. Like JTBoh said: laminate everything.

Whoever told you not to laminate so you could sell the job again is a dirtbag.

I have a customer that tells me exactly this, that 5 years is plenty and he will just buy them again from me when they start looking bad.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

I have a customer that tells me exactly this, that 5 years is plenty and he will just buy them again from me when they start looking bad.

Is he doing the installation and removal?

Even cheapo laminate on temporary signs is better than nothing. It makes installation easier. It makes removal easier. It gives a measure of protection to the print. It increases the value of your product and your company name.

I'm not trying to tell anybody how to run their business, but the majority of people (not just on these forums, in every aspect of life) don't look any further than five feet in front of them. "I don't need laminate, it adds 20 minutes to a job and costs a few extra bucks" is short sighted. Most people don't tend to think big picture. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," makes my skin crawl.

 

[JTBoh]

I have a customer that tells me exactly this, that 5 years is plenty and he will just buy them again from me when they start looking bad.

It's your job as a professional to tell him he's wrong, lol.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

It's your job as a professional to tell him he's wrong, lol.

I tend to agree with equippaint more than I disagree, but I think you hit the nail on the head here, JTBoh.

 

[equippaint]

Is he doing the installation and removal?

Even cheapo laminate on temporary signs is better than nothing. It makes installation easier. It makes removal easier. It gives a measure of protection to the print. It increases the value of your product and your company name.

I'm not trying to tell anybody how to run their business, but the majority of people (not just on these forums, in every aspect of life) don't look any further than five feet in front of them. "I don't need laminate, it adds 20 minutes to a job and costs a few extra bucks" is short sighted. Most people don't tend to think big picture. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," makes my skin crawl.

We do laminate theirs but its 3165 and 215 oracal because I am scared of early failure even though I have never seen it. It doesnt increase the value if the customer has already determined that there is no added value for them. Installation is the same, we mount a 4x10 sheet of aluminum then shear it to size.
Its like buying a new car and having them brow beat you into buying 3m paint protection film for the front. I dont want it or see value in it. When the paint starts chipping Ill just repaint it. Its not short sighted. If they tell me to go down the road and buy a different car from a different dealer because of it then I will.

 

[equippaint]

It's your job as a professional to tell him he's wrong, lol.

Ill do that after I change our name to: Prima Donna Signs in a month - because you cant rush quality art

 

[Gino]

Within our customer base, we have a guy who replaces his vehicles about every 4 to 5 years. He says, he wants to go the route, whatever route it takes, to get them to last 5 years. Now, he also has lotsa machinery and that can be in the field 15 or 20 years. He just replaces that stuff on an 'as needed' basis. Most is die-cut, which doesn't required laminate, but we also do a lotta printing both roll-to-roll and flatbed for this guy. He's been with us for almost 35 years. He's a happy camper. He trusts us... like so many of our customers. We listen and do what they ask. We get paid and everyone goes home quite content. He has around 400 vehicles and so much machinery, I have no idea how many. We do on an average 25 vehicles alone, a year, for this guy. We have others like him, but not so many vehicles for any one customer.

 

[Spannah]

I have a customer who wants to wrap a vehicle plain white. Ive got Briteline cast vinyl in shop and was thinking about using this for the color change. Should plain white vinyl with no print on it still be laminated?