There are many different types of squeegees on the market. Each tool has its own unique characteristics. In my vinyl application kit some of the squeegees that I carry with me include a gold-colored nylon-reinforced squeegee for general vinyl application; a softer, more flexible plastic squeegee for applications to corrugations; and Teflon and felt squeegees for vehicle wraps. Learn which types of squeegees you should have in your vinyl application tool box.
By Jim Hingst
Although
a squeegee is little more than a thin, piece of plastic, it is an installer's
most important tool. Squeegees are made from a variety of materials and in a
number of shapes and sizes. The 4”
squeegees are most popular, but they also available in 6” and 12” sizes.
The
people at Lidco Products (St. Paul, MN), who have been the leading innovator in
squeegee design, have been good enough to send me boxes of their stock and
prototype squeegees to test and evaluate.
Although
I keep many of their squeegees in my bag of tricks, I generally use just four
types: a gold-colored nylon-reinforced
squeegee for general vinyl application to smooth and riveted surfaces; a
softer, more flexible plastic squeegee
for applications to corrugations; and a Teflon® squeegee and a thick felt squeegee
for vehicle wraps.
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Good
squeegee pressure is critical in graphics application. Remember that vinyl films are pressure, so use some pressure in the application process! For most applications, I prefer to use a gold nylon squeegee, which has the necessary stiffness to maintain adequate force. On the upstroke, push
with your thumb, slightly angling the squeegee to force the air out from under the film.
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On
the down stroke, position your fingers on the top of the squeegee. The angle of
the squeegee should be low and close to the application substrate. Always maintain
good squeegee pressure. Always overlap your strokes.
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Soft, Plastic Squeegees.
Although a nylon-reinforced squeegee is generally my
weapon of choice, a softer, plastic squeegee usually works better, in my
opinion, when applying vinyl graphics to corrugated or contoured surfaces.
Because these squeegees are more flexible, they conform better to the curves of
the corrugation. These cheaper, softer
flexible squeegees will wear out and lose their shape more quickly.
How to Sharpen Your Squeegee.
Before starting any vinyl application, you should get into the habit of inspecting your squeegee's edges, which should be smooth and straight. Using squeegees with nicked, bowed or uneven edges often causes bubbles. Most squeegees with nicks or burrs can be sharpened by vigorously rubbing the squeegee’s edge against one of the two beads or ribs in the center of another squeegee. As you sharpen the squeegee, you will produce a very fine plastic dust. To prevent developing a squared off corner on your squeegee, you should also sharpen the rounded corners of the squeegee, by rolling them against a squeegee rib.Get a Grip.
Squeegeeing for hours at a time puts pressure on your wrist, which could develop into carpal tunnel syndrome. To give you a better grip on your squeegee and reduce wrist strain, Lidco Products developed the EZ Grip Squeegee Handle that slips onto a standard squeegee. The ergonomical design of the squeegee handle allows you to apply more pressure on the graphic as you are squeegeeing. Squeegee handles come in standard sizes of 4”, 6” and 12”. The cost of a standard four-inch squeegee handle is about $4 each.
Roller
Applicators. Although I prefer using the traditional
squeegee for vinyl application, I own a few different types of roller
applicators, also referred to as brayers. Roller applicators come is a variety
of designs and a few different roller widths.
Prices for roller applicators generally range from $8 to $30.
In
shopping for a roller applicator, look for a heavy-duty one that will
allow you to apply firm, downward
pressure. I prefer the Sabel block
roller because it's easy to handle, and I think it delivers the most pressure.
Nylon-reinforced Squeegees.
Although squeegees look alike, their hardness can differ. Soft squeegees nick and wear out easily, and often generate tiny bubbles in the vinyl. For this reason, most professional decal applicators prefer the hard, gold-colored nylon-reinforced squeegees. They cost more ($2.25 to $3.25 each), but they outlast the flimsy ordinary squeegees. If you sharpen these squeegees before each use, (which I will describe shortly), the golden squeegees will provide months of use. |
| Gold nylon nylon-reinforced squeegees are the professionals' choice. When squeegeeing, apply good pressure to allow the adhesive to flow out onto the surface of the substrate. Keeping the angle of the squeegee at a low angle to the application surface ensures a smoother application with fewer bubbles. |
The
stiffer, nylon squeegees allow you to apply the right amount of pressure, to
force air from under the film and aid the adhesive’s flow out. Remember, vinyl films are pressure-sensitive
materials. You need to apply the right amount pressure for the film to
stick.
Teflon Squeegee.
In doing a vehicle wrap, at some point in the
installation you will be applying the film without an application tape. Hard nylon squeegees tend to scratch the
graphics. To prevent scratches, some installers use felt squeegee or wrap
their squeegee with a soft cotton rag.
Another
alternative is to use a Teflon® squeegee. The slick surface of these
flouroplastic Teflon® squeegees glides smoothly over the film without
scratching it. And these rigid squeegees are stiff enough to push out stubborn
wrinkles and edge puckers, that invariably develop as you work the film around
compound curves.
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| Teflon squeegees are essential tools when performing a vehicle wrap. The application techniques used in wrapping are different from standard applications. In the above picture, I am pushing the squeegee forward, with the edge angled like the blade of a snowplow, forcing the air out from under the vinyl film. Photo courtesy of Chuck Bules of Arlon Graphics, |
To
see the difference between the new Teflon® squeegee and an old-fashioned nylon
squeegee, pull both of them across the
surface of a vinyl graphic. The Teflon® squeegee will slip over the film’s surface
effortlessly. By comparison, you will feel the considerable drag pulling the
nylon one. The standard 3” x 4” Teflon® squeegee costs about $1.50 each.
Felt squeegees.
Nearly twenty years ago, while traveling in
Europe, I noticed that the installers there preferred felt squeegees. At the
time, these squeegee were unheard of in the States. Today, many sign supply distributors sell a
variety of felt squeegees, available in different densities, shapes
(rectangular and semicircular shapes)
and thicknesses.
A
dense felt squeegee is the perfect tool
for vehicle wraps, because it is flexible enough to work a vinyl graphic
into tight corners and around compound
curves; it generates sufficient pressure
when stretching a film into an yet
indentation or crease on the side of a vehicle; yet it is soft enough to
prevent scratching of the vinyl. Felt squeegees are available in various
densities, and in rectangular and semicircular shapes.
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| Felt squeegee are flexible enough to work a vinyl graphic into tight corners and around compound curves. Photo courtesy of Chuck Bules of Arlon Graphics. |
Felt
squeegees should only be used for dry applications. Once felt gets wet, it
starts to disintegrate. Priced at about
$8, the denser and harder felt squeegees are usually preferred for vinyl
applications. My advice is to try numerous squeegees, and use what works for
you.
Low-Friction Sleeve.
After removing the application tape, always resqueegee the entire graphic, especially the edges and overlaps to prevent edge lifting. Without the protection of application tape, hard squeegees can easily scratch bare vinyl.
To
prevent your vinyl graphics from damage, slip a low friction sleeve, over your squeegee. Made of DuPont’s Tyvek®,
which is a polyethylene, paper-like fabric, low friction sleeves cost about
$.60 each.
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| A low fricition sleeve can prevent scratches on the surface of bare vinyl, when re-squeegeeing a graphic, after the application tape has been removed. Re-squeegeeing the film ensures good adhesion and helps prevent problems, such as edge lifting and tunneling. |
One
of the new additions to my tools box is a felt squeegee sleeve, which is made
of an industrial grade white felt. The soft felt squeegee sleeve, which
prevents the edge of a hard squeegee from scratching or gouging the vinyl, is
ideal for applying digital prints
without an application premask. More expensive than a low-friction sleeve, felt
squeegee sleeves cost about $1.60 each.
As
an alternative to squeegee sleeves, you can also use a squeegee wrapped with a soft, felt edge. Squeegees wrapped with a felt edge cost about
$2.99 each. You may want to opt to make your own, wrapping a squeegee with the soft, felt side of a Velcro®
strip. Rolls of Velcro® are readily available at office supply stores.
TECKWRAP Plastic Felt Edge Squeegee 4 Inch
TECKWRAP Plastic Felt Edge Squeegee 4 Inch
3M 5151 PFTE Glass Cloth Tape.
Wrap this remarkable tape to the edge of your squeegee,
and your squeegee slides across a vinyl graphic like a skater on ice. So what
makes this glass
cloth squeegee tape work the way it does? It’s impregnated PTFE or polytetrafluoroethylene. To the layman, PFTE is better known by the DuPont brand name
“Teflon”, the slick stuff that makes frying pans non-stick. The thick PTFE coating on the tape
gives squeegees a non-stick
surface. Even when working aggressively,
this low friction surface protects graphics from scratches.
RECOMMENDED VINYL APPLICATION TOOLS
3M Power Grip Rivet Brush Applicator RBA-3
● Thicker handle provides a more comfortable
grip and put less stress on the tendons around your elbow.
● Stiffer bristles provide the more burnishing pressure to
better secure vinyl films to rivet heads.
● Minimizes
strain on muscles, nerves and tendons that lead to repetitive motion injury.
Teflon Hard Squeegee 4in for Car Wraps
● The slick
Teflon surface of the squeegee glides smoothly over vinyl films without
scratching.
● Ideal for
vehicle wrap applications for pushing out stubborn wrinkles as you work the
film around compound curves.
3M Hand Applicator Squeegee PA1-G Gold
● Stiff nylon squeegees provide the right amount of pressure
to force air from under vinyl films and aid the adhesive’s flow out.
● Nylon squeegees can be sharpen over and over for longer
life.
● Preferred by most
professional decal applicators.
3M Hand
Applicator Squeegee PA1-B Blue
● Softer, plastic squeegee is more
conformable, for better vinyl application to curves, corrugations and irregular
surfaces.
● Flexible yet durable plastic.
3M Hand Applicator Squeegee PA1-B Tool-Kit w/ 3x Felt Tips & Lint Free Gloves
● 2 Wrapping
Gloves.
● 1 Blue 3M
medium-hard professional squeegee.
● 3 Self adhesive felt edges for squeegee.
SEALITPEN
● Felt tipped marker filled with acrylic clear coat.
● Use the SEALITPEN to edge seal a vinyl graphic.
● A clean way to apply edge sealer - no brush required.
3M Brand 3950 Edge Sealer
● Seals exposed edges of vinyl graphics.
● Prevents pressure-sensitive vinyl films from lifting resulting from environmental exposure or cleaning.
● Easy to apply clear edge sealer with a small artist’s paint brush or sign maker’s quill.
● Essential sealer for any professional graphics installer.
● Suitable for graphics applications in temperatures from 50°F to 100°F.
3M Tape Primer 94 1/2 Pint 8oz For Vinyl
● Promotes adhesion of all brands of pressure sensitive vinyl films and 3M™ VHB™ Tape.
● Use when vinyl graphics will be stretched into concave areas.
Steinel HG 2510 ESD Programmable IntelliTemp Heat Gun with a LDC Display
● Temperature range: 120°F -
1200°F.
RollePro Vinyl Application Roller
● Using a RollePro eliminates the need to puncturing holes in vinyl films. No need to use a rivet brush.
● Reduces the speed of applying vinyl graphics over rivets up to 50%.
● Install vinyl graphics faster to make more money.
RollePro™ Textured Surface Kit
The RollePro™ Textured Surface Kit includes a standard handle, an original wheel and a high temperature wheel. The high temperature wheel can be used on a variety of surfaces such as brick and concrete.
3M Air Release Tool
● Needle point punctures bubbles under vinyl graphics to remove entrapped air. ● Retractable point protects graphics installer from puncturing himself.
Car Wrap Magnets
● Vinyl
wrap magnets hold vinyl graphic in place for easier application.
● Replaces
masking tape in positioning graphics.
Knifeless Finish Line Vinyl Wrap Cutting Tape 50 Meter Roll
● Knifeless tape cuts vinyl graphic film without using a
knife.
● Extremely flexible. Applies smoothly around doors,
windows and wheel wells.
● Creates perfectly smooth, straight lines.
RAPID TAC Application fluid for Vinyl Wraps and Vinyl Graphics
● During hot weather applications RapidTac prevents
preadhesion that results in damaged vinyl graphics.
● RapidTac allows you to reposition vinyl graphics
without distortion, until you register it to the right location.
● Proven formulation.
RAPID TAC II Application fluid for Vinyl Wraps Decals
● Specially formulated for vehicle wraps.
● Allows application of vinyl graphics at lower
application temperatures.
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.
© 2018 Jim Hingst
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