News Vinyl Cracking In Cold Temps

[Brennen]

IMG_3734

• Brennen
• Jan 17, 2018

IMG_3733

• Brennen
• Jan 17, 2018

Second time this has happened to this vehicle. First time client says he power washed it. This time he claims power washing was not done. What are your thoughts? I suspect power washing in frigid temps.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

If it was pressure washer then he washed the car and then got it dirty. Cleaned where the decal used to be and then got the car dirty some more.
Vinyl and lam types? Application Temps? If it's low temp when the install was done then the decal may have never really adhered to the car.
How did he say it happened this time?

 

[Brennen]

If it was pressure washer then he washed the car and then got it dirty. Cleaned where the decal used to be and then got the car dirty some more.
Vinyl and lam types? Application Temps? If it's low temp when the install was done then the decal may have never really adhered to the car.
How did he say it happened this time?

My thought is pressure wash got moisture behind it and then it froze causing cracks. He drove it plenty after he said the issue started. This time he claims if blew off on the highway. I have never heard of that before. This is also the only spot it happened. The first time was 3M Cast IJ180 Cv3 with the laminate for that and second time was Alpha Brand Wrap Film with the corresponding laminate. First time printed on our Mimaki and second time on our Roland. Cleaned with 90% Isopropel Alcohol and vehicle sat in our shop until warm before application begain. We post heated to 180degrees after install as well.

 

[AKwrapguy]

So do you have an image of the vehicle and graphic not covered in dirt?

What's cold? I live in Alaska and deal with cold weather all the time and have not seen an issue like this before.

If this guy is a power washer I would think that he has never actually cleaned his car before but just sprays the dirt off. Did you feel the vehicle before the install? Was it smooth and clean or could you feel the dirt embedded into the clear coat/paint, it would almost feel like sand paper? I would go out on a limb here and say this is most likely the issue is applying graphics to clean/dirty car. Look at using a clay bar on the area to remove all the debris in the area we have to do it all the time up here. You will notice a huge difference. If you've never used a clay bar before watch some youtube video's on it. It's pretty amazing what will come off a 'clean' car.

 

[Brennen]

The last time we did this with windchill it was around -30 F outside, our shop was at 76 F. It felt smooth to the touch. I'll look up what a clay bar is.

 

[MikePro]

definitely looks like a freeze&snap, but it shouldn't simply come off in large fields like that....
I could see possibly cracking, due to freezing temps and flex of the door panel, but I would guess that there might be a hint of car-wax in the equation? decal never fully-applied, but rather "floating" on a layer of wax, froze, & shattered.

 

[Brennen]

Thanks for the help. I'll double check everything when we replace the graphics.

 

[equippaint]

Try to use a wax and silicone remover, we use it for paint prep and most autobody places carry it. They may have some sort of synthetic wax that the alcohol is not cutting.

 

[unclebun]

Why is it breaking in a straight line? Car's so dirty I can't tell what's underneath, but it looks like the car is two-toned with vinyl that is also coming off, and the emblem is sticking to the two-tone vinyl but not to the paint.

 

[Brennen]

So after further discussion with supplier and client, power washing in the extreme cold was the culprit. Water from the power washing got behind the graphics and froze. We have never seen it happen like that before .

 

[CanuckSigns]

So after further discussion with supplier and client, power washing in the extreme cold was the culprit. Water from the power washing got behind the graphics and froze. We have never seen it happen like that before .

Did you tell the client that they can't power wash the area around the decal? That's pretty standard stuff to tell a client after applying vehicle graphics. If you did and they didn't take your advise, I don;t think you owe them anything.

 

[Brennen]

Did you tell the client that they can't power wash the area around the decal? That's pretty standard stuff to tell a client after applying vehicle graphics. If you did and they didn't take your advise, I don;t think you owe them anything.

Oh we definitely did both times and finally told them we won't fix it again as it is due to their negligence.