vinyl graphics on vinyl Awning materials

[Johnette Beaver]

I designed and fabricated residential and commercial awnings for many years. I had all my graphics printed out by a local print shop but installed them all myself. I recently had lettering printed for a large banner for my sister in laws 70th birthday and when I explained I would install the letters myself on a piece of left over white weblon Awning material I was told they won’t stick. I have heard this time and time again from graphics people. They do stick when properly applied. Throughly clean the vinyl first. Use a spray bottle with a few drops of dish detergent and spray the vinyl, I usually use a pencil to draw straight lines where my graphics will be going. Try to leave the top edge dry so you can use tape to keep your graphics in place. Remove your backing paper, sometimes I only remove half depending on the size of the graphics. Then using a burnisher rub the graphics down throughly. Then let it sit!!! Do not immediately try to remove the top layer, especially with the thinner cheaper vinyls. I allow some of the water to evaporate for sometimes up to an hour, going back rubbing the graphics down every 20 minuets or so. Then very slowly and carefully start trying to remove the top skin. Once the top skin is off, I once again burnish the letters to remove excess water and I then use a hair dryer NOT a heat gun to warm the graphics. Keep the hair dryer moving at all times. Yes it’s a bit more time consuming but I have awnings I installed that had the lettering and graphics on them for over 12 years. The awnings needed to be reskinned but the graphics were still perfect though a bit faded.

 

[Johnette Beaver]

I designed and fabricated residential and commercial awnings for many years. I had all my graphics printed out by a local print shop but installed them all myself. I recently had lettering printed for a large banner for my sister in laws 70th birthday and when I explained I would install the letters myself on a piece of left over white weblon Awning material I was told they won’t stick. I have heard this time and time again from graphics people. They do stick when properly applied. Throughly clean the vinyl first. Then Using a spray bottle with a few drops of dish detergent and spray the vinyl and leave it wet. I usually use a pencil to draw straight lines where my graphics will be going. Try to leave the top edge dry so you can use tape to keep your graphics in place. Remove your backing paper, sometimes I only remove half depending on the size of the graphics. Then using a burnisher rub the graphics down throughly. Then let it sit!!! Do not immediately try to remove the top layer, especially with the thinner cheaper vinyls. I allow some of the water to evaporate for sometimes up to an hour, going back rubbing the graphics down every 20 minuets or so. Then very slowly and carefully start trying to remove the top skin. Once the top skin is off, I once again burnish the letters to remove excess water and I then use a hair dryer NOT a heat gun to warm the graphics. Keep the hair dryer moving at all times. Yes it’s a bit more time consuming but I have awnings I installed that had the lettering and graphics on them for over 12 years. The awnings needed to be reskinned but the graphics were still perfect though a bit faded.

This is best done on a flat hard surface such as a table but I have also installed on site. Though it is more time consuming so take this into account when bidding the job.

 

[Billct2]

Vinyl will stick vinyl awnings. It won't stick to most other types of awnings and maybe that's what they thought you had.

 

[Johnny Best]

Maybe they think it is like Sunbrella material.

 

[Johnette Beaver]

No I was very clear it was vinyl. I was even asked if it was Sunbrella and I repeated, No it is Weblon Vinyl Awning material. As stated this isn’t the first time I have been told this by multiple people from different Graphics companies. I had also read a thread from someone who was asking about it. I actually back many years ago was able to get a type of vinyl that had a very aggressive high tack adhesive that worked even on Sunbrella. It hasn’t been sold in over 20 years. It was very thick, stiff and it’s use was very limited to almost block lettering and simple graphics. You had to be spot on the first application because it was stuck period, no repositioning at all. but it was at least an option. Don’t remember what it was.