cool art design BLOG

What tools do I need to apply a decal design?

Depending on the complexity of the wall decal design you may need any of the following:

• Masking tape
• Ruler
• Spirit Level
• Scissors
• Another set of hands
• Squeegee/ piece of cardboard/ credit card

 Let’s explain each in more detail, how and why you would use it.

 

Masking tape

Masking tape is essential for applying wall decals.  You cannot use a clear sticky tape or duct tape or any other tape.  Masking tape is the best product to use.

There are two main uses:  initial alignment and then securing the decal firmly.

When you are initially aligning the pieces of your decal, you simply need to tape them very lightly with a small piece of masking tape.  If the decal design is a single piece, just place a 2cm piece at the centre at the top to enable you to step back and view the placement.

For longer sentences, you will need 2 or more small pieces at intervals along the sentence holding it lightly in place while you observe the general placement on the wall.

These initial pieces of tape are not meant to be a secure hold during application.

Once you are very satisfied with the placement of the decal you will need to SECURELY fasten one of the edges of the decal to a wall.

Normally this will be the top edge, unless indicated on some designs when we opt for the  smaller side edge.  The edge that you are securing will be used as a pivot, to flip the design and start removing the backing paper.  Because of this, it is VERY important that the edge is SECURE.  If you feel the taped edge is not secure, we recommend you get another person to hold this edge on top of the masking tape ensuring it does not lift during application.

For long sentences you might require quite a bit of masking tape.

 

Ruler/ Tape Measure

Mainly used for measuring distances to assist in centering or aligning your design precisely on the wall.  We recommend using the tape measure to find the points on the wall you wish to place the decal and then lightly mark with a pencil that can be rubbed off later.

 

Spirit Level

We believe this is essential if you are applying  wall quotes or sentences.  That is if you wish the lines to be horizontal.  A very long way of doing this without a spirit level is to use a tape measure and measure the exact distance across the sentences.  The main problem with that option is that the roof or floor alignment may not be exact which may throw your sentences out of position.

 

Scissors

Mainly used for snipping between words on long sentences making application easier.  Also used to trim backing paper edges etc etc.

 

Another set of hands

For any decals which are made up of kits, or smaller pieces you will be able to get away with one set of hands.  For larger decals we highly recommend a second set of hands.  The purpose of the second person is to support the lower edge of the  decal in case static pulls the decal onto the wall before you want it to.  It also enables the main person to concentrate on smoothing the design to the wall without any bubbles without having to worry about the other end of the design.

Particularly useful for large decals which need to be applied from left to right or right to left.

 

Squeegee/ piece of cardboard/ credit card

You will need something to use when smoothing the design onto the wall.  To be honest you can use your hand, using the fingers dragging across the surface. 

Ideally though you want a straight surface dragging across the design to “squeegee” the air bubbles out.  You can use a credit card or something of a similar shape.  But one of the cheapest best methods we have found is using a piece of cardboard.

About 10cm x 10cm cut a piece of corrugated cardboard out of the side of a box.  Fold this in half to be about 5cm x 10cm.  Using the folded edge as the scraper, hold the other edge and drag the “tool” across the design to smooth out the design onto wall.

 

(The above information only applies to designs provided by Cool Art Vinyl.  We cannot vouch for other companies methods or tools).

Results of our poll- Deekal or Dehkal

The results of our pronounciation poll are as follows:

67% of voters pronounce the word decal as dee-kal

33% of voters pronunce the word decal as deh-kal

The Difference Between Stickers and Wall Decals

We get a lot of questions and feedback about wall decals.  Many readers will benefit from the answers we give, so we are going to start posting them in this blog as well as in FAQ section on the Cool Art Canvas website.

Q: Is a wall decal the same as a sticker?

A: No.  We all know stickers are on a sheet, and you peel up the corner of the design and pull it off the backing paper and then stick onto another surface.  Basically a sticker is a print onto paper which has adhesive.  Sometimes this paper is glossy, sometimes it is plastic coated etc.

A "true" wall decal is cut from vinyl.  Vinyl is a synthetic material that appears like a thin plastic, but it is not plastic.  A decal will have a backing paper and a front transfer paper.  Vinyls are self adhesive, much thinner than a sticker, and are able to withstand heat which can be used to ensure it sticks properly to the surface.  A sticker would just bubble, but vinyl likes the heat and will contour to the surface.

Image: Stickers just peel off, decals sit between two layers for application.

   

Q: I bought a wall sticker from Ikea and now parts of it are not sticking.  Can you give me any advice?

A: If the sticker was a peel and stick product, it is more likely to peel off the surface.  There is no solution unfortunately and many consumers are tricked into thinking the wall stickers will look "just like the picture".  These stickers are often thicker than walldecals and therefore it is more difficult for them to stick to the wall.

If the product was a decal made from vinyl you could try using a hair dryer or heat gun to assist in adhering to the wall.  Don't do this to a sticker because it will burn and bubble.

Q: Can you print full colour wall decals for us?

A:  Wall decals or surface graphics usually consist of a design that is cut from a solid piece of vinyl.  We put different coloured vinyls into the machine depending on what you order, and then we cut the design and prepare the decal for you.

To print full colour onto vinyl, essentially you are moving into the "sticker" idea where you would be printing colour onto a white vinyl and then cutting around the design.  The vinyl is much thicker.

Yes we print full colour vinyl, however, this is only normally used for large signage for shops, offices and corporate applications.  All of our consumer decals consist of a single solid colour.

Watch this space for more answers to your wall decal questions....

WHAT IS COOL ART VINYL?

Cool ART VINYL is a trendy and inspirational way to compliment your current home decor. They consist of an exclusive matte vinyl that is cut into words or designs. These vinyl words are then applied to a place in the house, or office, or school or restaurant.

Exclusive to Cool Art Canvas because the vinyl took about 6 months to source! The vinyl is not found in Australia. Most Australian sign places have certain brands of vinyl and most are gloss vinyls for signwriting. We were determined to find a matte vinyl in a gentle cocoa colour. Well, it wasn't easy!

    

The only matte colours were horrible and were in a low grade vinyl. We bought samples of every available vinyl and through testing found none that could be confidently used for our product. To enable the finely cut lettering to adhere to the maximum amount of surfaces you have to use premium grade vinyl.

The outcome is that we have sourced exclusively a fabulous matte vinyl! The matte finish gives a hand painted look to the quote.

You can let your creativity work for you or enquire about some of our most popular words. The options are endless, so get thinking, and let us help you make your dream quotes a reality.

(NB)- Cool Art Vinyl does not adhere to rough paintwork, stucco or brick- nor to new paints that contain teflon. Best applied to smooth surfaces, again be creative! Apply to shower screens, bathroom mirrors, door trims, windows, walls, kitchen cupboards. Don't go overboard either, see our Cool Wall Quotes suggestions for the best home decoating ideas.