Avoid Sticky Situations with Five Simple Rules
October 27, 2011
 A Guide for Selecting the Right Pressure-Sensitive Media
Sticky situations are bound to occur, especially when choosing the right vinyl media for a project. Rather than making an “expensive” mistake or dealing with an unnecessary “time-consuming” situation, it’s important to have a rule of thumb – or five in this case – to go by in the decision-making process. This article reviews the “Five Simple Rules” to help printers and installers make the right decision.
1. Understand the application details.
Whether it’s an application in which you are experienced or something new, learning as much as you can about the application is of utmost importance. Before contacting a media supplier, find out the answers to the key questions, such as what type of surface the media must adhere to, is it treated, is it curved or riveted, how long must the application last, how will the media be removed, how will the graphic be printed and will the media be exposed to wind, rain, UV light or other environmental elements. Don’t leave anything to chance.
2. Understand your installer’s skill level.
Installers are going to fit into one of three skill levels – beginner, intermediate and experienced – and the installer’s capabilities can make a difference in what media is best for the project. The media characteristics and adhesive properties can be similar but will produce extremely different results if not installed correctly. For beginner and intermediate installers, it’s best to use a vinyl with bubble-free adhesive because it’s the most forgiving, allowing for a longer open time and repositionability. An experienced installer can opt for a vinyl with a high-tack adhesive that quickly develops a high bond limiting the repositionability to 5 minutes, allowing for a faster project completion.
3. Protect your work.
Overlaminates are designed to protect the finished product for its life cycle. Overlaminates should be used in most applications, and it’s particularly important to use them in high-traffic areas and areas with exposure to extreme environmental conditions.
4. Select a supplier that is an application expert.
Most suppliers offer application education and training programs. By building a strong relationship with your supplier, expert advice will only be a phone call away. You may have done your homework and know everything there is know about the application and installer, but the supplier can assist with finding the ideal combination of the adhesive, facestock and overlaminate for the application while keeping the budget on track.
5. Get the facts.
Do you ask your customers or media supplier the right questions? Do you know the ins and outs of what the media must adhere to? Do you know how long the media is expected to last? What type of ink will be used? Ask questions and ask a lot of them. Don’t be shy. The level of success is dependent on knowing the answers to the right questions.
Jeff Stadelman has 24 years of experience serving the pressure-sensitive adhesive industry while at MACtac. His first six years were spent working in MACtac’s laboratory as a senior lab technician and chemist. For the past 17 years, Stadelman has been part of the MACtac Graphic Products commercial area, which produces wide-format digital media, overlaminates, mounting and marking films, screen printable media, and other pressure-sensitive vinyl solutions for the graphics industry. Stadelman’s expertise lies in the areas of new product development, marketing and sales of graphic products, technical writing and customer technical support.
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