Wrapping Over Silicone?

[Signed Out]

We got an enclosed trailer to wrap next week. This is a brand new trailer that has all sorts of A/V stuff inside, and someone went crazy with the silicone gun. Everything has been silconed. Seams, around hinges, latches, speakers, even the stick on reflectors have a half inch wide finger smudge of cone around it. I guess they figured that since the silicone is clear that they didn't have to be neat with it. I know that the vinyl isn't going to stick around these areas, probably not even with some primer. And I don't really want to fine line tape around everything becasue the silicone extends about a half inch around everything, so that would leave a lot of white area in the mostly red and yellow wrap.

Any suggestions on how to tackle this? All I can come up with is fine line tape around the silicone or try to cut some of the silicone out with a plastic razor blade.

 

[SightLine]

Either cut all the vinyl back from the silicone or remove the silicone. Goo Gone does make a remover for caulking now, specifically for dry silicone or acrylic. Works okay but it will be a lot of messy work to remove it all. And EVERY last trace of it must be removed or the vinyl will not stick. Primer is useless in this situation.

Easiest solution IMO, apply the vinyl, then hold a straightedge on the trailer and trim it back past the silicone. If the customer wants the silicone removed, we will do that too for a rather high additional cost.

 

[TXFB.INS]

the silicone happy trigger finger is a situation to dread

SightLine has the best options to follow

 

[Sticky Signs]

I recently did a trailer that was probably siliconed by the same guy. The stuff was everywhere. I pointed out the problem to the client and gave them a couple options. A - cut around the silicone (which would be ugly), B - wrap the silicone and then add clear silicone over the vinyl to keep it in place and to avoid having moisture get under it. I also explained that I had no idea how this would turn out or how long it would last. They chose B and it worked great. The trailer was wrapped back in February and still no word of any problems (knock on wood).

 

[FTG]

If the guy that siliconed it did a decent straight job I just run knifeless tape along the bottom edge of it.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

Spend the extra time for silicone removal and charge for it. Simple.

 

[bwrapped]

Remove the silicon for best looking results and adhesion. Cutting on seams and around hinges with still allow the silicon to do its job and makes your install look better

 

[CSOCSO]

sometimes even if I remove the silicone the vinyl just wont tack to the surface no more. Doesn't matter if i clean it a million times with agent orange, xylene or alcohol.
Yeah sometimes cutting back on reapplying silicon on top of it is the best.

 

[bwrapped]

sometimes even if I remove the silicone the vinyl just wont tack to the surface no more. Doesn't matter if i clean it a million times with agent orange, xylene or alcohol.
Yeah sometimes cutting back on reapplying silicon on top of it is the best.

i have seen this one time reapplying silicon over the material itself and it did hold up pretty well. again another mess to clean when removed though.

 

[GuizmoDesigns]

I recently did a trailer that was probably siliconed by the same guy. The stuff was everywhere. I pointed out the problem to the client and gave them a couple options. A - cut around the silicone (which would be ugly), B - wrap the silicone and then add clear silicone over the vinyl to keep it in place and to avoid having moisture get under it. I also explained that I had no idea how this would turn out or how long it would last. They chose B and it worked great. The trailer was wrapped back in February and still no word of any problems (knock on wood).

This would have been my answer.