Reflective vinyl installed on plexi windshield bubbling

[LMSigns24]

Hello,
I installed 3m reflective lettering on a plexi glass windshield of an ATV looking good with maybe 1 or 2 bubbles. 5 days later, it completely bubbled. The entire decal has acne throughout entire graphic. What would cause this? i did install wet. I never had this problem before. Is it the plexi? Should i reinstall with a different method?

 

[gnatt66]

ive had that happen a bunch with lexan windshields, no clue why. and not all the time either. mines been with reg vinyl (digital and cut) however.

 

[J Hill Designs]

Hello,
I installed 3m reflective lettering on a plexi glass windshield of an ATV looking good with maybe 1 or 2 bubbles. 5 days later, it completely bubbled. The entire decal has acne throughout entire graphic. What would cause this? i did install wet. I never had this problem before. Is it the plexi? Should i reinstall with a different method?

pretty sure its not ok to install reflective wet

 

[gnatt66]

ohh i didnt catch that you installed wet. yeah something with the metallic layer and the heat and you'll never get the solution out of it completely. no bueno.

 

[LMSigns24]

I install wet all the time and never have issues. I install reflective all the time. I guess its something with the acrylic. driving me crazy

 

[Biker Scout]

Every manufacturer of reflective specifically mentions NOT TO INSTALL WET or to INSTALL DRY ONLY.

I've been a victim of the bubbling because of the lazy installation method too. Lesson learned... expensively.

 

[player]

No wet.

 

[mbarden]

When you use the term "Plexi" I assume your refering to trademark name "Plexiglas" which is acrylic. Your substrate could aslo be polycarboante, often refered to as "Lexan", (Another trade name). Polycarbonate will absorb moisture from the air as well as anything that is used on it. So if you are applying your vinyl wet to polycarbonate you can expect this to happen.

 

[thesignexpert]

When you use the term "Plexi" I assume your refering to trademark name "Plexiglas" which is acrylic. Your substrate could aslo be polycarboante, often refered to as "Lexan", (Another trade name). Polycarbonate will absorb moisture from the air as well as anything that is used on it. So if you are applying your vinyl wet to polycarbonate you can expect this to happen.

Exactly right, polycarbonate will absorb any ambient moisture which will then create the bubbling. When using reflective, retro-reflective, diamond-grade type films (which will not allowthing to escape through the film due to the metal layer) you have to literally bake the moisture out of the substrate in a drying kiln before applying. I went through this process extensively a few years ago when we had to do full coverage retro-reflective films on tons of faces. Faces are still up over 10 years later and we never had even one bubble pop up.

No Bake = major bubbles, Full Bake = no bubbles

 

[Turfa]

Likely to be due to outgassing from the acrylic (plex) sheet. Lots of people don't seem to believe outgassing exists, but it does. If you put a non permeable film such as reflective, polyester anti-graffiti or mirror chrome over it you will likely get bubbles. As mentioned above, polycarbonate is even more prone to it than acrylic.

 

[nashvillesigns]

isntalled dry...

but i have to ask, everyone,
outgassing?

-Mosher