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Huge Mistake, vinyl on paint

brdesign

New Member
Whelp, I've been lurking these boards for over three years now. I figured my first post should be one of meaning. Well.. now it is. And I'm hoping one of you might be able to assist me with my own muck up.

I work in a small sign shop and I'm trying to help a woman with a 8' x 4' metal sign she has artistically hand-painted with Behr 100% acrylic flat stain-resistant outdoor paint. (After I gave her the idea of trying to help her figure out what she wants. Like an idiot.. ) It's well dried, over 6 weeks.

We attempted to apply Oracal 651 to it but it just.. won't. I tried heat and rolling. Nothing seems to help. It's on there now, but a light breeze will blow it right off.
Is there a way to prep the already painted sign to apply the decal to it or a finish we can put over the top? I'm not new to laying vinyl out but I am to a painted surface.

I was told a different vinyl might work, but the issue I am having is that my boss isn't wanting to use a different vinyl. He's had issues with instances similar and now I'm doing this now in my free time with my own money to try and help her out so a recut with a different product isn't really an option for me. I'm simply trying to correct a mistake with what I have.

I guess I thought if the painted sign just had a sealant or finish of some kind on it it might allow for the vinyl to stick.
Does anyone have any advice?
I'm legit wanting to quit based on the fact that I thought I was helping and I just made everything worse. Help! :(
Would adding dimensional letters or some kind of panel that could be mechanically fastened to their sign be an option. So far this job just sounds like a recipe for disaster!
 

Ian Stewart-Koster

Older Greyer Brushie
Flat paint = low surface energy - like trying to stick to sandpaper.
I'd brush or roll on a coat of a clear gloss varnish or acrylic clear - but glossy - and then see if the vinyl will stick better to that.
 

Billct2

Active Member
Go with your own suggestion to trace the vinyl lettering that is already on there then peel it and handletter. I would use the same paint. It will take a couple coats and it's a bitch to letter with latex but it can be done, I know I lettered a few signs with latex paints when I was in an area that didn't have sign suppliers within reach and I was in a rush.
 

Inks

New Member
Flat paint = low surface energy - like trying to stick to sandpaper.
I'd brush or roll on a coat of a clear gloss varnish or acrylic clear - but glossy - and then see if the vinyl will stick better to that.
I suspect flat paint is not the issue, it is most likely the stain resistant additive. Flat, rough surfaces are not typically a problem for adhesion, which is why you rough up some surfaces so they accept new paint. Low surface energy is usually a result of impurities on the surface, hence corona treatment or wash coats for oelfin plastics. Also plasticizer migration on pvc is another example of surface contamination.

If there is silicone in the paint or any coating for that matter all coatings on top need silicone (typically used as a flow agent, water resistance and stain resistant additive). Otherwise the overprint clear, another paint or adhesive from vinyl will have difficulty wetting out on the surface.
 
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