Signgeer - Super Tools for Sign Heroes - Edition 22 - Catalog - Page 225
HOW TO REMOVE VINYL GRAPHICS
Let’s get started. Basics you will need...
Standard equipment - any hot air gun +
plastic scraper (plastic - so as not to damage
panels, paintwork or glass) A plastic blade is
ideal to use as a tool because it’s much safer
for both you and the substrate. The plastic
blade will still work the same as a metal razor
blade but without the chance of it scratching
or scraping ... Plastic razor blades are
designed to slide under vinyl and decals to
gently lift them.
HEAT
PEEL
REPEAT
Glue/residue remover - There are a choice of
glue removers available which are either
chemical or citrus based. They both work by
attacking the chemical bonds of the adhesive,
allowing you to wipe it off of the substrate
using your plastic scraper. Chemical based
products can offer better results and are more
aggressive in breaking down the adhesive.
Nitrile Gloves disposable gloves are a good
choice and provide superior resistance to
chemicals, cuts, abrasions and tears.
HEAT
PEEL
Tip - Test an inconspicuous area such as the bottom sill of
a door with a small strip of Sellotape (Yes, Sellotape!)
Firmly apply a short length and give a sharp tug to give
yourself a good indication if the paint or lacquer is going to
lift (this can be a common occurrence when a vehicle has
had a poorly keyed respray job)
Customer questioning the price?
Give them a choice. Arm them with the basic kit - a plastic
REPEAT
Wipes – Disposable strong blue wipes
are a good choice for soaking with glue
remover and taping to the vinyl with
masking tape for a short period to speed
up the vinyl/glue removal process. They
can also be used for wiping residue from
scrapers and the final wiping down of
panels. A heavy grade 85gsm wipe
would be a good choice - robust enough
for industrial solvents and chemicals as
well as being very absorbent, leaving
surfaces clean and dry.
HEAT
PEEL
scraper and some adhesive remover - you’ll find demonstrating
to them how difficult and time consuming it is to strip the vinyl
will soon justify the price, plus there’s the task of polishing the
panels at the end of it too if ghosting occurs (especially with red
or dark paintwork)…
Rest assured, once the customer has tried it for themselves
they’ll either invest in their own time or they’ll hand the job back
to you and won’t care what it costs.
As vinyl ages, the plasticiser “migrates” to the front and back surfaces. Eventually it saturates the
adhesive, resulting in the face film becoming brittle and breaking down into small pieces on removal
or the adhesive will delaminate from the face, leaving a lot of adhesive residue to remove separately.
