peeling letters, need advice

[TyrantDesigner]

one of my larger clients called me up telling me that the numbers they have been putting on their trailers are coming off. anyways seems the place they need to stick these numbers are on some REALLY textured polypropelyne doors and now I'm in an odd place. If I start using wrapping vinyl, i know I MIGHT help ... but you need to apply heat to form it into the grooves of these pebble textured doors. and that will warp and damage the doors. they won't be able to sand and clear coat the doors since that will take a few days of trailer use out of service to prep properly. really the only idea I can come up with is to use an edge sealer for vehicle wraps, but I really can't find any information on if 3m or any other edge sealer will stick to white plastic doors or if it will prevent the lettering from still pealing. if anyone has any suggestions (other than putting them somewhere else ... i already suggested that) that would be fantastic.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Convex high-bond or another high-adhesive vinyl for low-energy plastics

 

[Custom_Grafx]

You need a film which is for "low energy surfaces". I use Hexis and just started trying some Convex. They are both ok. Reading on this forum, I found out that there is also an Avery version - I'm not sure what other brands are out there, but ask you supplier - they should carry one of them. If they don't know what you're talking about and make you feel like you don't know what you're talking about... time to change suppliers.

 

[Custom_Grafx]

dam you beat me to it lol

 

[TyrantDesigner]

I already thought of convex, I was looking for something that didn't require digital printing capabilities. We still outsource our solvent work (still not enough demand for it) which is why I thought of an edge sealer, but i've never used it on plastic that hasn't been clear coated or painted. and like I said, i also thought of a wrapping vinyl, thought of orcal 970ra and used it a few times before ... but it requires heat which will warp the plastic. Not only that but while I do a lot of work that I install myself, the numbers I'm cutting that are peeling on this horrid and insidiously textured door is applied by others so i'm trying to be a little fool proof. that being said, if anyone has tried something like the 3m edge sealer on plastic like white poly doors, it would be great to hear if it stuck.

 

[Custom_Grafx]

I don't know about the edge sealer...

however, you could find a double sided mounting tape which is very aggressive, then mount your coloured vinyl to its adhesive side, then stick that on? Of course, not a GOOD long term solution (depending especially on the adhesive you use) but might do the trick for a few months.

 

[SightLine]

I've run into the same issue on doors on wraps on some 5th wheel trailers before. What did work halfway decently on the last one - still holding up good after 4 years.... I of course cleaned the door very well, then used primer 94 around the entire perimeter, window, handle, and a pretty big X through the middle. Applied the vinyl (printed and laminated 180C), then went over the entire door with a rivet brush to really work it inot the texture, then went over the entire door a second time with the rivet brush and heat gun to "really" set it into the texture.

 

[Mosh]

Seriously what I do is Oracal 651. I know it is a 6 year film but it has a more aggresive adhesive and sticks to stuff like this. We have to use in on the front of reefer semi trailers, the reif door are textured plastic and this stuff sticks pretty good.

 

[AUTO-FX]

+1 for 651

Avery has high tack black and white only.
Universal makes a limited selection of colors in high tack for converting to striping for cold weather applications.

It would be nice if Oracal or somebody came out with a whole line of colors in high tack for winter time lettering jobs.
Maybe if we bombard them with requests....???

 

[TyrantDesigner]

Oracal 751 is what I'm using now, I think the oil content on these doors are a little high. It's actually odd, the 4" and up lettering is sticking like a champ and I know it's because of the surface area of the thick lettering ... the tiny stuff though ... not so much.

 

[john1]

General Formulations makes their version called Auto Mark i think it is in the Fellers book. May be a cheaper solution to get this job going right if you can't afford the convex.