VinylEfx Metalized Vinyl Graphics FAQs

By Jim Hingst 
@hingst_jim

When using an overlaminate with a UV inhibitor on a VinylEfx ® graphic, how much additional  outdoor life can you expect?

Using an overlaminate with a UV inhibitor can help extend the life of our VinylEfx® films. How long is unpredictable.  In some cases, an overlaminate has provided a couple of years of additional durability beyond what is considered its normal life. This does not mean, however, that a UV overlaminate  will always guarantee the same results. Here’s why. 

Environmental conditions vary from one part of the world to another. The intensity of UV light varies from one latitude to another.  The intensity of light in Tokyo, Japan is certainly much less than in Quito, Ecuador.  Elevation also affects the lifespan of a graphic.  At higher elevations, there is much less atmosphere to protect a graphic.  This is one reason that graphics fade and fail much sooner in the mile high city of Denver than in Chicago, which is only a couple of hundred feet above sea level.

The photodegradation of ultra violet light isn’t the only cause of weathering. While most overlaminates protect a graphic from humidity, abrasion, chemical spillage and pollution, I don’t know of any overlaminate that will protect against heat.  Exposure to high temperatures will accelerate the aging of any graphic and will result in its premature failure. 

The type of overlaminate selected also greatly influences the outdoor durability of a graphic. Just as sunblock lotions have different SPF (Sun Protection Factor) ratings, films with UV inhibitors provide various degrees of UV protection depending on the concentration and the type of inhibitor used. 

Can I use the  VinylEfx® Outdoor Durable Series for vehicle graphics?

The outdoor durable series of the VinylEfx® films are suitable for application to most flat and slightly curved vertical vehicle surfaces.  When using these films for fleet graphics and other demanding applications, take into consideration the following factors which could compromise the application and durability of the film:

•       You will note that I qualified the statement, stipulating “vertical” surfaces.  Many pressure sensitive films, including our VinylEfx® films, should not be applied to the hood, trunk and the top of a car, truck or van.  Applications to surfaces above the engine compartment of a vehicle are subjected to high heat.  The heat is further intensified, if the vehicle is a dark color.   Dark colors, such as black and dark brown, which absorb heat, will bake the film, prematurely aging the vinyl.     

•       Some clear coats and automotive paints, which contain additives to repel dirt, grime and graffiti, are problematic and not recommended for application. Untreated low-energy surfaces, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, are also not recommended for application.

•     Do not apply VinylEfx® films and other metalized vinyls, reflective sheetings and  polyesters to bare metal surfaces.  Dissimilarity of the metalized layer of the film with the metal substrate can result in galvanic corrosion.

•     Fleet graphics are subjected to extremely demanding environmental conditions. Please bear in mind that all printed graphics, which are subjected to gasoline spillage or abrasion, MUST be protect with an overlaminate.  (The graphic below was protected with Avery’s DOL1000 cast vinyl overlaminate and edge sealed.)

Can I apply VinylEfx® films on top of another vinyl films?

    Yes, if you apply the VinylEfx® graphic to a cast vinyl film.  Cast vinyl films are less prone to plasticizer migration, which could contaminate the adhesive of the overlaid film. Before applying VinylEfx® over a cast vinyl film, be sure to clean the surface of the cast vinyl with isopropyl alcohol to remove any contaminants.   Using the cast film as a base layer can also aid in the removal of the film, when it comes time for “de-identification”.

VinylEfx® Diamond Plate applied over cast vinyl films.

     Can I peel off a VinylEfx® film, after it is applied to another vinyl film, and reapply it?

    VinylEfx® films are coated with an aggressive permanent pressure sensitive adhesive. Once VinylEfx® film is applied to another vinyl, it is unlikely that you can remove it from the first layer without deforming and damaging it. 

           

     Can I paint on VinylEfx®  films?

     If you decide to paint on VinylEfx® films, before going into production, test and evaluate the paint system to see if there is a reaction between the film and the paint. Always remember: Test, Don’t Guess.

    Before airbrushing, wipe down the film to  remove any oils or other contaminates from the substrate. That’s also good advice before printing on these films. To ensure paint or ink adhesion, give the surface some tooth by roughing up the vinyl with a grey Scotchbrite pad.  The pad does not sand away any film, but just scratches the surface. After abrading the film with the Scotchbrite pad, wipe the surface again with isopropyl alcohol.    After airbrushing, protect your work by spraying it with clear coat, such Frog Juice. (Note: in the photograph below, the reading “plumbing” was airbrushed using Createx-brand “Auto Air” paints.) 

     You can also paint on VinylEfx® films with lettering enamels. In the photo below, I painted and pinstriped the graphics using 1Shot paints. 

   

    VinylEfx® films can also be applied to a substrate, airbrushed with urethane paints and buried in several coats of clear coat. Airbrush artist, Jimmy Jackson of Myrtle Beach, SC, first painted the ghost flames as the background. Then he applied his tribal design using VinylEfx® MultiLens.  After pinstriping the outline around the film, he protected his artwork with four coats of a urethane clear coat. 

For design ideas, click on this link.

Why do VinylEfx®  films and other vinyl films adhere well to some plastics but not to others?

How well any pressure sensitive vinyl adheres to a plastic or any surface for that matter depends largely on the surface energy of the substrate.  Here’s why.  The surface energy  determines how well the adhesive wets out on the substrate. The wet out of the adhesive describes its ability to flow and cover the application surface.  If the adhesive wets out well, it will flow into the microscopic pores of the surface and create a strong bond.  The higher the surface energy, the better the wet out.  The better the wet out, the better the bond.

The surface energy of plastics ranges greatly from one plastic to another. Polyolefins, which include polyethylenes and polypropylenes, are typically low energy surfaces.  On these types of substrates, the adhesive does not wet out the surface well and consequently does not bond well. 

For an adhesive to stick to these substrate, you must change the surface energy. If you are an installer out in the field, here’s how you do it.  Using your propane torch with a spreader tip, flame treat the surface.  Pass the tip of the flame over the surface so that the blue portion of the flame touches the substrate.  Keep the flame moving so the heat does melt or distort the plastic. This flame treatment will reorient the molecules on the surface, converting it to a high energy surface that the adhesive will stick to.

Plastics that inherently have a high surface energy include polystyrenes, polycarbonate and ABS.  Adhesives wet out these surfaces easily, which creates a better bond.  

What are the differences between VinylEfx®  films and polyesters?

In the sign industry, two of the most popular types of metallized films are polyester and vinyl.  Each film is a very different type of plastic with its own unique set of physical properties, performance characteristics and applications.  Here’s how these two films are different:

1.    VinylEfx® films are  thermoplastics.  Vinyl and other thermoplastics, such as polycarbonate, acrylic and styrene, can be reheated and thermoformed. VinylEfx®  films can be  thermal die cut. VinylEfx®  films are also as easy to cut and weed as any other intermediate vinyl – much easier to cut than polyesters. 

Polyesters are a different type of plastic called thermosets.  These plastics start out as liquids and cure with heat.  Once they’re cured, they can’t be reheated, reformed or thermal die cut. Compared to vinyl, polyester is a very hard, durable film, which can resist chemical spillage.  The toughness of polyester is both its strength and its weakness. Because polyester and other thermoset films cannot be reshaped by reheating, they cannot be thermoformed or thermal die cut. Hard, rigid polyesters are also more difficult to cut, which contributes to blade wear.

2.    VinylEfx® films are vinyls NOT polyesters and can be printed using the same technologies that are used in printing other vinyl films. These technologies include vinyl screen print inks, thermal transfer systems, eco-solvent and solvent inkjet printers. Virtually every technology other than water-based inks. Polyesters cannot be printed unless they have a special print-receptive top coating or have a surface treatment.

3.    VinylEfx® films are embossed after the film is extruded and still hot and impressionable.  Embossing the film hot produces patterns as deep as 1 mil, which makes the designs look  3-dimensional.

Polyesters are embossed while the film is cold, so their patterns are flatter and more  2-dimensional.

4.    VinylEfx®  films use an integral colorant. That means that the color is inside the film through and through. Because the colorants are part of the  VinylEfx®  films, colors are richer, more vibrant and more durable, and cannot be abraded or solvent-washed from the surface.

Polyesters are surface-dyed, which means that the color is roller-coated onto the surface of film.  Because the color is on the top of the film, it’s exposed to abrasion and chemical spillage. This limits the film’s durability, especially when used for outdoor signage. 

What kind of a printer do you need to print on VinylEfx®?

You can print on VinylEfx®  using just about any type digital printer, except those that use water-based inks. These digital printers include thermal transfer systems; solvent-based inkjet printers; ecosolvent printers; UV-curable inkjet printers; latex printers and electrostatic printers.

For more information on RTape VinylEfx® films see my article: 

Processing and Installing VinylEfx Films

Slides of VinylEfx films used for store graphics.

COMMENTS PLEASE  

To contact Jim Hingst, write him at hingstjim@gmail.com or at Jim Hingst, PO Box 671, Chesterton, IN 46304 USA. For immediate assistance, call RTape at 1-800-440-1250 or 908-753-5570. RTape is a division of Nekoosa Holdings. Jim Hingst is the author of Vinyl Sign Techniques,which is available at sign supply distributors and at Amazon.

NEW INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS.  Five new videos have been added to RTape’s  YouTube channel. The following is a description of the new videos:

Squeegee Technique. Nothing is more basic in vinyl application than the squeegee. But some squeegees work better than others. And there are right ways and wrong ways to use this simple tool. This video clip reviews squeegee selection, squeegee care and squeegee technique. Click here to view the Squeegee Technique video.

Wet Applications. Dry applications are typically recommended for most vinyl applications. For those exceptions to the rule, this instructional video explains the right way to perform a wet application. Click here to view the Wet Applications video.

Introducing AT65. Installing multiple color overlays with a paper application tape is not much easier than driving in the dark without your headlights. For these challenging applications, RTape developed its AT65, the universal high tack film. This video clip explains the features and benefits of this remarkable new film application tape. Click here to view the Introducing AT65 video.

Application of Window Graphics. Installing vinyl graphics on glass can be challenging, because the adhesive aggressively grabs onto this high energy surface. Repositioning graphics on window is generally difficult, if not impossible. This instructional video explains how to dry apply window graphics right the first time. It also describes the necessary steps required for surface preparation. Click here to view the Application of Window Graphics video.

Transferring Frosted Window Graphics Films.  Because frosted window films are highly textured, transferring cut vinyl graphics can be problematic. This video provides direction in selection of the right application tape and how to apply these films quickly, easily and without problems. Click here to view the Transferring Frosted Window Graphics Films video.

About Vinyl Sign Techniques 

RTape Business Development Manager, Jim Hingst, is a recognized authority in the field of vinyl graphics application. In Vinyl Sign Techniques, Hingst provides a comprehensive guide to the vinyl graphics business. Built around his firsthand experiences working for major fleet graphics screen printers and pressure sensitive manufacturers, Hingst offers a perspective on the vinyl business that thoroughly covers sales and marketing, materials, fabrication, and installation and removal of vinyl products of all kinds. Vinyl Sign Techniques has something for everybody in the vinyl graphics business. Hingst’s book, provides ideas and techniques for graphics fabricators and installers along with advice for executives and salespeople that will result in higher sales and profits.

© 2014 Jim Hingst