Sometimes the adhesive on vinyl graphics dries up or loses its tackiness. Then the edge of the vinyl decals will peel or lift. Is there any way to fix peeling vinyl graphics instead of replacing them?

Why Would You Need to Make Vinyl Stickers Sticky Again?

Most people may consider if the vinyl graphics or stickers are lifting, just remove them and apply new ones, fixing may need more time and energy. However, there are many reasons why people may wish to re-stick a sticker. Some stickers are vintage and cannot be replaced. Some have special meanings – perhaps it was a gift. So it is not always necessary to replace a sticker. Therefore, knowing how to fix and re-stick vinyl graphics is a valuable skill.

Now let’s check how to make peeling or lifting vinyl graphics become sticky again. We caution you not to re-stick large, professionally placed car decals on your own. These require a lot of experience. The method mentioned below is for small spot repairs like peeling edges or bumper stickers only.

Tools

3M Edge Sealer (or similar). Ensure it is a sealer formulated for vinyl or graphics.
A small paintbrush
A hairdryer or a heat gun
A cloth

Fix Peeling Vinyl Graphics – What To Do:

1. Clear or Remove the Peeling Stickers

For lifting edge – Put your squeegee in a paper towel, and soak the tip of it with a little mild surface cleaner to clean up the lifting edge of the vinyl wrap film. Do NOT use an aggressive cleaner as it will compromise the adhesive underneath the film. By doing this, the stickiness of the lifting edge can be brought back to some extent. Then use a hairdryer or heat gun to dry it out.

For peeling stickers – Apply gentle heat on the peeling vinyl graphics with a hairdryer or heat gun. This will reactivate the glue, so have some wax paper ready to lay the sticker on.

You may like to know: How to remove old vehicle decals.

2. Cleaning Residue from the Surface

After removing the sticker, you must clean and dry the vehicle surface before putting the sticker back on it again. Be careful of your surface paint when doing this. Check how to clean vehicles before applying decals.

3. Apply the Sealer

With the surface cleaned, you must edge seal the vinyl graphic to prevent further lifting. For this application, many sign makers use a SEALITPEN. Resembling a felt-tipped marker, the pens are filled with an acrylic clear coat. If you don’t want to contend with the mess involved in using a brush, this little pen is a neat way to apply edge sealer.

Many professional decal installers prefer applying edge sealer. Carefully apply a very thin coat of sealer to the body of the vehicle, where the edge of the film was covering up. Gently press the sticker onto the vehicle surface and smooth it down, removing air bubbles with your fingers or a plastic squeegee.

Now we’ve fixed the peeling vinyl graphics, then do you know why decals peel or lift and how to avoid it?

Why Car Vinyl Decals Peel Or Lift?

– Careless cleaning during pre-install or overstretching the vinyl wrap film during wrapping.
– The paint and the adhesive on the decals are not a good match
– Impacts or stone chips while driving. Though a vinyl wrap is durable, it can be damaged by a significant impact or stone chip. This is especially true for vehicles that are often driven on the highway.
– Environmental factors such as high humidity.
– Damage or scratching from a gas pump or electric charger. Ensure that you are carefully inserting and removing these objects every time they are used.

How to Avoid

To maximize the usable life of your vehicle graphics, there are many things that need to be noticed when washing a vinyl car wrap or maintaining it. These include:
– Hand wash suggested.
– Avoid waxing, buffing, and polishing.

If you have any questions regarding vehicle wraps and graphics, contact us (info@acmegraphic.com) today and our graphic professionals will be at your service.