• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

The wall from hell. Save me

Flame

New Member
Alright, I'm losing it here. lol. I have a new shop, that I'm trying to get setup to move in. First though, the bland stained white walls, need something. So, I went out and got 2 colors of latex paint, went to town...but the weirdest thing, the paint didn't seem to like to adhere. It was like painting on water. It dribbled down and even after 2 coats, wasn't covering properly at all. Like water and oil going on.

So I'm like **** it, I'm wrapping my walls! Ordered in a full roll of Oracal 3268. Printed up a sample, let it outgas for half a day, and left 2 sides with a 1" white bleed, 2 sides full bleed. I applied it up to the wall, and it fell off!!!!! WTF.

I got it up with a lot of heat and pressure, but it looks like it'll just come back down again. Very, very poor adhesion.

So can someone tell me what variable I'm missing here? The finish on the wall appears to be nothing special, gloss or semi gloss. Why #1 will latex paint not stick and #2 why will my Oracal not stick?

Is the 3628 poor quality?

Could I prime the wall or use adhesion promoter on the edges?

Your ideas and suggestions, would be much welcomed.
 

thmooch

New Member
The latex paint is the problem. Oil based, even though it stinks to hi heck & takes days to cure, is proally a better choice. Is the humidity high in the area. Maybe try a dehumidifier for a few days-week to remove some moisture. Just my .02...
 

Flame

New Member
Pretty committed to wrapping now, since I bought a full roll of a material I'll otherwise never use. So what do you think I could apply over to help adhesion? or possibly just need to heat to high heavens?
 

Flame

New Member
Is this place a new construction?

No it's been around for atleast 15 years. 2 concrete walls, 2 drywall walls. Both textured, paint doesn't really doesn't look awfully old, just some coffee stains and crud. Gloss or semi gloss finish. Sealed showroom, not garage space or anything.

Room was around 60 degrees, but it's been 50 and raining for the past week if that makes any difference...
 

John in Cali

New Member
Could be oil based paint? Latex doesn't do well on oil without a primer. Definitely want to degloss before painting with an enamel.

Maybe there is moisture coming in behind the wall? I think I remember taping a plastic glass to the wall and waiting to see if moisture forms inside?
 

Flame

New Member
I no longer have plans to paint it. I just need my wrap to adhere so forget I even mentioned painting lol.

Although that would make sense if I tried putting latex over oil based!!!
 

Flame

New Member
Going to do some tests in the morning with an area I put some primer down, and an area where I put some Bulldog adhesion promoter down.
 

skyhigh

New Member
first clue.......latex doesnt come in gloss. Now u got paint that isnt going to hold or last, on top of that oil base paint.... and now u want to put vinyl over that.

Depending what type of latex....some adhesives will never stick

nope id say u were screwed. Cover the wall with dibond and put your wrap on.
 

GAC05

Quit buggin' me
I'm with sky, if you can't get paint to stick I don't think any vinyl is going to stay up without something between it and non-stick Teflon coated wall.
 

Flame

New Member
Only painted a 3' x 4' part of the wall in latex. I stopped when I noticed it just was NOT working.

So not exactly screwed. So sounds like it's primer time eh?
 

Flame

New Member
and BLACK?

sweet.....not.

Meh yeah well only a small part of the entire room. I'm going to see how my spray primer/adhesion promoter works. If not, guess time for a few gallons of Kilz.

Man it never hit me that it might actually be oil based but after inspecting it again I'm sure it is. Atleast I know my problem now, thanks for making me actually use my head guys.
 

visual800

Active Member
latex paint is rubbery, flexible, oil is chippy and flaky in case you ever have to wonder. If the walls are gloss oil I would coat with kilz oil based primer, yep the good old nasty stuff thats thin as water and stinks. wait a day and THEN paint what ever you want on top of that. I would suggest eggshell as your prints will stick to that and posiibly be removed with minimal damage later

If paint wont stick neither will decals, sir.
 
Top