Tips and tricks

New to plotting with vinyl film? Discover in this article how to quickly achieve professional results with a few handy tips and tricks.

Cutting vinyl film

Cutting
Once the cutting plotter has cut the desired design, the surrounding vinyl must then be removed, the peeling process.
The more precisely your plotter cuts the design, the easier it will be to peel. Below are some tips to help you with cutting and peeling.
Cutting Settings
The more precisely your plotter cuts, the easier it will be to peel your design after cutting. Because each blade is slightly different from another (more or less dull, for example), there’s no fixed cutting setting that’s perfect for every cutting plotter. But don’t worry, we’ll help you quickly find the perfect setting:
View the cutting settings.
Testing: Perform a test cut and try to peel the vinyl.
Adjusting: Adjust the blade pressure so that the vinyl is cut cleanly, but only slightly indents the carrier, and the plotter doesn’t cut deeper than necessary.
Ensure that the blade doesn’t protrude much further than necessary to achieve this result. If the plotter isn’t cutting deeply enough, increase the blade pressure; don’t extend the blade any further.
By always performing the above test before using the plotter, you’ll ensure optimal cutting and recoup the time spent by peeling more quickly.

Peeling vinyl wrap

Peeling
As you can read above, easy peeling starts with a good cutting setting. We also have a few tips for you that can simplify the peeling process.
Scaffolding Light
With some types of vinyl film, it’s difficult to see where the plotter has cut. A “scaffolding light,” a light that shines low over the film from the left or right, can be very helpful. A very handy tool with this built-in light is the MagiCut peeling tool with built-in light.
Reverse Peeling
With very small, detailed designs, it can be difficult to peel away the surrounding vinyl film without removing the design. A trick that helps is reverse peeling. This works as follows:
Make sure your design has a peel-off border so you can easily and quickly peel away all the vinyl film around the border.
Apply the application tape to the unpeeled border and remove everything from the backing with the application tape.
Then peel the excess vinyl from the application tape instead of from the backing. The advantage of this method is that the vinyl adheres more strongly to the application tape than to its own backing, making it easier to leave the small sections in place and remove the surrounding vinyl.

Sticking the vinyl foil

There are several ways to transfer and apply vinyl film. We explain them below:
Clean sticks better
What seems clean is often dustier or greasier than you think. This will hinder proper adhesion and can cause a vinyl film design to not stick, or not stick for as long. Therefore, always clean and degrease the surface first with a good cleaner.
Concave and convex
If the surface is not completely smooth and flat, make sure the vinyl film you use is suitable for a convex or concave surface. You can find more information about the different types of vinyl in our support article “Getting started with Vinyl Film.”
Wet application
For larger surfaces and/or designs, it can be helpful to spray the surface you want to apply the design to with a plant sprayer that produces a very fine mist. After application, the design can be moved until it is properly in place. Then, rakes the water from under the design to remove the water and adhere the vinyl film. Often, a little dish soap is added to the water, but only a very small amount (a drop is enough) as this can also affect the adhesive properties of the vinyl.
Advantage: The design can still be adjusted to ensure a good fit after application.
Disadvantage: Removing all the water from behind the design can be time-consuming and difficult, making it difficult to ensure the vinyl adheres properly.
Dry Appliqué
This involves first applying the design, application tape included, to the correct location and temporarily securing it with masking tape or another easily removable adhesive tape. Then, the left half of the backing is removed and that side is adhered. Once one side is in place, the rest of the backing can be removed and the other side is adhered.
Advantage: No water needs to be squeegeed away, and for smaller designs, it works faster than wet appliqué.
Disadvantage: For larger surfaces, application is more difficult to manage. Removal
If vinyl lettering needs to be removed, it’s much easier with a hairdryer. Heating softens the adhesive, making the vinyl easier to peel from the surface.
Make sure the surface can withstand the heat. For example, (double) glazing can crack if heated unevenly!