Shelf life

[donkur]

Hi everyone. I am doing a bit of a cleanup at the shop and I have some vinyl that has been laying around for about four years. I am just wondering what kind of life expectancy I can expect from, let's say a 6-year vinyl if it has been on the shelf for four years? Some sites claim that it will still have almost a full life expectancy if the storage conditions were right. Anyone with experience on this matter? I don't know if I should use it or just hand it over to some cricuteers.
Is there a general formula? Four years on the shelf equals two years less life expectancy?

 

[ikarasu]

All depends on the vinyl.

Most vinyls, even 3m list a 1 year shelf life.... It lasts longer once applied as moisture / air are less likely to get to the glue.

We have some vinyls that are 5 years old.... Some that are 8 years old.... Some are good, some aren't, and they've always been in a heated shop.

Our general of rule is uf it's 2 years old... We won't use it on a project that we wouldn't mind redoing.

A sign here or there, temp signage... Coroplast, etc... or for spray mask or stencils, or anything else. But if it's a long term sign going up for years, and it'll cost us more than. We'd save by using it.... It goes into the recycle bin.

Pull back the vinyl in the old roll and on a new roll, and see how sticky the glue is. We just did inventory and there was a $2000 roll of reflective the boss didn't want to throw out because we occasionally use it .. so I pulled it back and let him feel the difference... It lost so much of its sticky ess then it wouldn't stick to an aluminum sign without us being able to easily peel it off. We threw the whole roll in the garbage ... It sucks, but it's better to keep better control of how much inventory you're ordering than to have to redo signage.

 

[donkur]

All depends on the vinyl.

Most vinyls, even 3m list a 1 year shelf life.... It lasts longer once applied as moisture / air are less likely to get to the glue.

We have some vinyls that are 5 years old.... Some that are 8 years old.... Some are good, some aren't, and they've always been in a heated shop.

Our general of rule is uf it's 2 years old... We won't use it on a project that we wouldn't mind redoing.

A sign here or there, temp signage... Coroplast, etc... or for spray mask or stencils, or anything else. But if it's a long term sign going up for years, and it'll cost us more than. We'd save by using it.... It goes into the recycle bin.

Pull back the vinyl in the old roll and on a new roll, and see how sticky the glue is. We just did inventory and there was a $2000 roll of reflective the boss didn't want to throw out because we occasionally use it .. so I pulled it back and let him feel the difference... It lost so much of its sticky ess then it wouldn't stick to an aluminum sign without us being able to easily peel it off. We threw the whole roll in the garbage ... It sucks, but it's better to keep better control of how much inventory you're ordering than to have to redo signage.

Thanks, I will be tossing it.

 

[unmateria]

U will save time and money throwing those with more than 2 years. Even in a full time heated and dehumidified store room we have, thats usually their shelf life so we stock the less we can

 

[MarkSnelling]

Most manufacturers will tell you 2 years max in a controlled environment. I believe that claim to be sort of like "if you give them a foot they'll take a yard". I like the comment above that said 'use it if you don't mind redoing the job' but if it is an easy application, it should work fine if the product has been inside in a controlled room. When I say easy, foamboard, gator, glass, smooth metal. Things which are pretty easy to adhere to. No way on a vehicle