Laminating Application Tape and HotMask™ Films

Learn an easy way to laminate application tape and HotMask™ Films by hand with a minimum of wrinkles and bubbles..

Stick It In Reverse

How you apply an application tape to a vinyl graphic or a HotMask™ transfer tape to a printed heat transfer applique can affect the appearance of the finished product. If you get wrinkles or bubbles in the paper application tape, I can just about guarantee that you will get wrinkles and bubbles in the applied vinyl.  

You don’t believe me?  The next time that you wrinkle the application tape or entrap a bubble, remove the release liner from the vinyl and look at the adhesive side of the film. You will see that wrinkles and bubbles have already started to form.  At this point, no matter how accomplished you are as an installer, the wrinkles and bubbles have already formed and you will transfer them to the application surface. The good news is that the tiny bubbles will usually breathe out through the film. And if you get a big bubble, you can easily pop those with a pin and press them flat with your thumb. When you get wrinkles, it is a whole different story. Wrinkles are there forever. That’s because a wrinkle occurs when the vinyl sticks to itself.

Applying HotMask™ transfer tape is equally important. If you entrap a bubble in the film over a printed applique, the shape of the air inclusion could manifest itself in a telltale impression after the applique is heat pressed. Impressions of these inclusions are very apparent over the dark areas of a print.

The best way to apply application tape on a graphic is with a laminator. But what do you do if you don’t have one and you have to apply the tape by hand?  Applying a tape to a large graphic can be challenging. There is, however, an easy way to get the job done with a minimum of problems. I call this method “stick it in reverse”.  Here’s how to do it:

·         The first step to preventing bubbles from forming is to always work on a perfectly smooth work surface. When I worked for fleet graphics companies, we always worked on glass covered tables. If you are working on an old wooden tabletop covered with cut marks, you will likely generate bubbles.

·         Unwind the application tape or HotMask™ so that the adhesive side of the tape faces upwards and the facestock is against your work surface.

·         Turn the weeded graphics so that the vinyl film faces down and lay the graphics panel on top of the sticky side of the application tape. See the photo below.

·         Starting in the center of the graphics panel, use your plastic squeegee to laminate the film to  the application tape or HotMask™. Starting in the center of the graphic, squeegee one side and then the other. To prevent bubbles form forming between the tape and graphics, apply firm squeegee pressure and overlap your strokes. See the photo below.

·         After completing the first step in the laminating process, turn the graphics panel over so the application paper or HotMask™ film is on top. To complete the laminating process, use the plastic squeegee to resqueegee the entire graphic. See the photo below.

Vinyl Application 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 to Link

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 to Link

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 to Link

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 to Link

3-Step Surface Prep. This instructional video describes how to properly clean the surface of a vehicle before applying pressure sensitive vinyl graphics to a trailer or doing a full wrap of a car or van. This three step surface prep involves detergent washing, solvent cleaning and a final wipe down with IPA. Click to Link

Vinyl Application Over Rivets. Applying vinyl graphics on vehicle surfaces with rivets is challenging for most sign makers. Vinyl failures to these surfaces are all too common. This video demonstrates some tips and procedures, used by professional decal installers, which will make these demanding applications easier and more trouble-free.  Click to Link

Vinyl Application to Corrugations. Learn how to apply vinyl graphics to corrugations in a relaxed state. Forcing films into the valleys of corrugations puts too much mechanical stress on the film. Sooner or later, the vinyl will lift or tent in valleys. Click to Link

Applying Air Egress Vinyls. Vinyl films with air egress release liners have almost eliminated bubbles and wrinkles from applied graphics. Air egress release liners with their highly textured surface structure are problematic. Not much will stick to these liners other than the vinyl film. At RTape our best premask solution for air egress liners is a special Conform® tape called 4761RLA. Click to Link

About Jim Hingst: After fourteen years as Business Development Manager at RTape, Jim Hingst retired. He was involved in many facets of the company’s business, including marketing, sales, product development and technical service.

Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer.  Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.

Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 150 articles for  publications, such as  Signs Canada, SignCraft,  Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and  Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 325 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published.  Vinyl Sign Techniques is available at sign supply distributors and at Amazon. 

© 2016 Jim Hingst