Window perf lifting in corners... solutions?

[Texas_Signmaker]

I have some window perf that was installed this winter. One of the panels has some lifting in the corners. I prep the corners pretty well because it's happened before and the glass feels slick. Is there anything I can do to fix this? Can I spray adhesive on the back and re-stick it? Do I just need to redo the whole thing? I'm afraid if I print just one panel that the color will no longer match and this window is part of

 

[ikarasu]

Use some edge tape. 3m recommends (insists, more like.it) that you use edge tape on all window perf installs.

If you.dont have any... All it is is optically clear overlam. Cut some thin strips and apply it to just the edges and it'll hold the corner down

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Use some edge tape. 3m recommends (insists, more like.it) that you use edge tape on all window perf installs.

If you.dont have any... All it is is optically clear overlam. Cut some thin strips and apply it to just the edges and it'll hold the corner down

I have some on the truck. I know your supposed to use it but I've never really seen it used on all the edges of storefront windows before.

 

[ikarasu]

It looks like the top left panel also has some lifting on the bottom right... and the bottom right panel is starting to lift too.

It may be an optical illusion from the photos... but are you wrapping over the silicone? it looks like it's a quarter inch over the silicone in some spots. 3M again recommends cutting 1/8" away from the silicone because the moment the vinyl touches silicone,the glue wont stick to anything else. Another rule we never listen to... we usually squeegee to the edge then trim away as close to the silicone as we can. But if we slip and the vinyl touches the silicone, it's usually game over for whatever touched it.

I'd say your best bet is to trim away as small of a section as you can and put some edge guard on it, hope it prevents it from lifting

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

It looks like the top left panel also has some lifting on the bottom right... and the bottom right panel is starting to lift too.

It may be an optical illusion from the photos... but are you wrapping over the silicone? it looks like it's a quarter inch over the silicone in some spots. 3M again recommends cutting 1/8" away from the silicone because the moment the vinyl touches silicone,the glue wont stick to anything else. Another rule we never listen to... we usually squeegee to the edge then trim away as close to the silicone as we can. But if we slip and the vinyl touches the silicone, it's usually game over for whatever touched it.

I'd say your best bet is to trim away as small of a section as you can and put some edge guard on it, hope it prevents it from lifting

Yea I trim to 1/8" from the silicone. I use a straight edge and just go along the sides just inside the edges for that reason. I'll trim a little and use edge tape and see how that holds

 

[Reveal1]

+1 for ikarasu tips. Window perf in our top ten $$ and we always mount w/1/4" clear margin and 3m edge tape. Zero failures since doing this.

 

[Eforcer]

We have done plenty of perf'd graphics on store fronts. What we have learned is to always use double sided tape (banner tape) in all corners. On our own we pass by all our windows that we have done in the past even over a year, and if we see edges peeling back we carry tape and cleaning solutions to clear area of debris and reapply perf material on to tape. Works very well.

 

[Reveal1]

We have done plenty of perf'd graphics on store fronts. What we have learned is to always use double sided tape (banner tape) in all corners. On our own we pass by all our windows that we have done in the past even over a year, and if we see edges peeling back we carry tape and cleaning solutions to clear area of debris and reapply perf material on to tape. Works very well.

Interesting idea, but isn't it a PIA to remove?

 

[BigfishDM]

I have some on the truck. I know your supposed to use it but I've never really seen it used on all the edges of storefront windows before.

Always use it, ALWAYS. Its like the best insurance against that problem.

 

[MikePro]

issues like this usually come from trimmed perforated material having little "fingers" with very little surface adhesion. all it takes is for a couple to start lifting, and then the sun/weather forces them to curl and then it curls more and more until the corner/edge is shriveled-up/curled-up.

this, paired with the fact that glass expands/contracts with temperature and if you apply graphics all the way to the edge of the window seal, then as everything moves around your vinyl is getting pushed against the seal and causing it to start lifting in that fashion as well.

you may be able to salvage your graphic, by flushing the area & vinyl with application fluid, to clear any dust/debris, and then using a heat gun with application fluid to "train" the vinyl to lay back in place. finish with more heat to dry & confirm it sticks and then trim 3/8"-1/2" away from the perimeter and finish with edge sealing tape....which is basically just optically clear overlaminate @ 1/2" wide.

 

[unclebun]

I have to say I've never experienced this problem, either with perforated vinyl I've printed myself, or when doing installations for stores that received the perforated vinyl from a supplier or from a national advertising company. We typically see the vinyl still stuck on the window long after the print has faded to oblivion.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Yea, the corners are where I have trouble areas. Not all my windows did that but some of them. I went out yesterday and pulled back some of the vinyl, sprayed it with iso alch. and wiped the backside of the vinyl. That restored some of the sticky and I cleaned the corners out real well. I like the idea out the clear VHB tape, I might do that. I did some edge tape but I hate how that looks. It's glossy and brings weird attention to the edges.

 

[GAC05]

Yea, the corners are where I have trouble areas. Not all my windows did that but some of them. I went out yesterday and pulled back some of the vinyl, sprayed it with iso alch. and wiped the backside of the vinyl. That restored some of the sticky and I cleaned the corners out real well. I like the idea out the clear VHB tape, I might do that. I did some edge tape but I hate how that looks. It's glossy and brings weird attention to the edges.

View attachment 148360

Maybe cut some strips of 3M 8520 cast matte lam - no gloss

 

[ikarasu]

You can get Matte edge tape. 8520ES is the product code.

Not sure how wide known it is... but all edge tape is, is the corresponding overlam cut down to tape size. IE 8520Es is just 8520, So if you stock the overlam...you can just cut it down to whatever size strips you need.

We never edge seal on windows mainly because it's always short term. We do have some windows that stay up for 2 years...and we never have an issue. I think it mainly depends on what they use to clean the window... No matter how good you re-clean it, its hard to get years of oily cleaner off the window.

 

[signage]

I have found the best window cleaning process is to use Bonami or Zuds, this seems to remove oil cleaners and some window treatments.

 

[gnubler]

Giving this a bump. I got a call from someone who said all their window vinyl is peeling. I'm going to check it out today or tomorrow. With the edge tape, you don't want to touch the silicone seal around the window, right? So if the existing vinyl is already butting up against the seal maybe I can try some banner tape under the vinyl, or liquid edge sealer?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I should drive by the place and see of this fix lasted.

 

[CanuckSigns]

We have done plenty of perf'd graphics on store fronts. What we have learned is to always use double sided tape (banner tape) in all corners. On our own we pass by all our windows that we have done in the past even over a year, and if we see edges peeling back we carry tape and cleaning solutions to clear area of debris and reapply perf material on to tape. Works very well.

Doesn't that look horrible from the front? I imagine you can see the white banner tape through the perf no?

 

[gnubler]

I have clear banner tape. The job I'm dealing with isn't perf, but printed vinyl. I'm also going to try some liquid edge sealer and see what looks better.

 

[eahicks]

Are these laminated? I find unlaminated easier to apply, and doesn't lift later on.