Vinyl Application Instructions…  

All surfaces must be considered dirty and must be cleaned prior to the application of vinyl. Cleaners such as Windex are acceptable, however, we recommend a 2 to 1 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol. Wipe the surface dry with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth.

Air and surface temperature must be above 55 degrees Fahrenheit for the application of the vinyl.

Apply the vinyl using the following steps: 

Note: It is recommended that a novice installer have a helper present on the following steps. It is not a requirement however it will help insure a quality installation.

NOTE:  We do not recommend in any way that you instal vinyl yourself.  This is a skill set, that has been learned and master by our professional installers.

1. Measure and mark the area you wish to apply your vinyl using a water-soluble pencil. (Using caution in this step will help assure a level application.) Once you have the overall area defined and marked you should have a good idea as to where the upper right and left corners of the decal should be placed. At this time take your decal (paper and all) and tape the right upper corner of it to your predetermined area. Have your assistant hold the upper left corner of the decal in place while you stand back a few feet and look at it. If you like it’s placement move on to step 2

2. Tape the left corner in place and put a piece of tape down the center of the decal. At this time using your water-soluble pencil place a mark on the right and left side of the decal. Make sure you mark both the tape and the surface you are mounting the decal to. You will be aligning these two marks later so make sure you can see them.

3. On the Left side of the decal hold the paper and peel off the tape until you reach the center of the decal. (The decal should stay stuck to the application tape at this time) Cut the paper as close to the center as you can without scratching your surface.

4. Spray the surface on the left side with a light soapy water or application fluid (we recommend the application fluid) Note: do not spray water or application fluid when using reflective vinyl, reflective vinyl should be applied on dry surface. Place the left side of the decal down on the surface, taking care to line up the lines you drew in step 2. With the application tape still intact, squeegee the decal to the surface by applying pressure and smooth even strokes. Start at the middle of the decal and work your way out to the left.

Note: Before you squeegee, make sure there are no wrinkles in the decal or application tape.

5. Lift up the right hand side of the decal and remove the remainder of the backing paper. (It is ok to lift up the piece of center tape at this time). Apply your application fluid to the right hand surface. Place the right hand decal taking care to align your marks on the right hand side. Again, start at the middle and squeegee toward the right hand side of the decal. 

Note: Before you squeegee make sure there are no wrinkles in the decal or application tape.

6. It is a good Idea to wait just a couple of minutes before you remove the application tape. This allows the application fluid to dry some and will prevent the decal from trying to come up. Once it is adhering to the surface squeegee the entire decal a second time. Then, carefully peel the tape off the entire decal. 

7. It is common for they’re to be some small bubbles throughout the decal. These bubbles will leave by themselves within a few weeks. If you have any major bubbles you can eliminate them by carefully heating the area with a hair dryer or heat gun, and then puncturing them with a needle and applying pressure with your thumb.

Note: You can do more damage than good by chasing the smaller bubbles. They will leave by themselves as the vinyl breathes and the application fluid evaporates.

That’s It! You’re Finished! 

Vinyl Removal Instructions…  

It is possible to remove vinyl lettering, in most cases, with no damage to the surface to which they are applied, although different substrate material can react in different ways. Even in the case of a vehicle, vinyl lettering can be removed without damaging the surface.

(Note: With decals that have been in place for a length of time, usually only in cases where there has been extreme exposure to the sun, there is the possibility, but not in all cases, that the paint around the decal can discolor or fade. This will result in an effect a lot like a tan line. The area under the decals will be nice & shiny next to a faded surface.)

But, in the case of an old wooden sign, with peeling paint, when you remove the letters the paint will most likely come with them.

The following is a good basic plan for removing old vinyl decals, stripes & letters.

1. Heat the surface of the decal with a heat gun. Then take a Plastic removal squeegee & scrape vinyl from the surface. 

(Note: if the vinyl is old & brittle, it will most likely come off in small pieces. If the vinyl is not that old you may be able to pull it off in bigger chunks.)

2. Once you have peeled all of the vinyl off, you will have to clean the adhesive off the surface with a product designed to remove adhesive without damaging the paint.

3. Clean the surface with soap and water and check the surface to see that there are no remaining pieces of vinyl or adhesive.

At this point, you are done. If you intend to apply new vinyl to the surface, be sure to clean it thoroughly, then wipe it down with alcohol to insure that none of the adhesive remover is left on the surface

Surface Requirements…  

When installing vinyl, it is important that you are applying it to an adequate surface. The following is a brief summary of acceptable surfaces along with some that are not.

Vinyl will stick to many surfaces. The best rule of thumb is that vinyl will stick to most any clean, smooth, or nonpourous, surface. A quick example is glass vs. brick. Vinyl will stick very well to glass. On the other hand it will not stick well to brick.

Acceptable surfaces are as follows:

* Glass

* Metals (Must be painted with a smooth, glossy enamel.)

* Vehicles (Must be painted with a smooth, glossy enamel.)

* Vinyl (Such as Banners, Canopies, flags, etc.)

* Plastic

* Fiberglass (Must be painted with a smooth, glossy enamel.)

* Wood (Must be painted with a smooth, glossy enamel.)

Not recommended surfaces are as follows:

* Cement

* Raw Lumber

* Oxidized or faded paint

* Peeling paint

* Latex paint

* Flat paint

* Satin paint

* Rubber

* Raw Metals

* Oily Surfaces

There are substrates that are acceptable other than those listed. There are also substrates you should stay away from. Again use the rule that smooth, glossy, and clean will work. Rough, dull, peeling, porous, or dirty will not.

Banner Information …  

Unless otherwise specified all of our banners are constructed on a 10 oz. or a 14 mil. Banner material. The following is a brief description of our 10 oz. & 14 mil. Banners. Both materials will be hemmed, and grommeted every 2 ft. unless otherwise specified

Our 10 oz. banners are double lock stitched to increase the durability and improve the appearance of your banner. The competition’s chain stitching is not as durable and if the stitching breaks, the entire seam can come unraveled. 10 oz. banners can be used for most normal banner applications.

Our 14 mil. Banners are constructed from a glossy PVC scrim banner vinyl. This banner material was specially designed for print in exterior applications. Note: Heavier banner material, or additional grommets may be available. Additional charges will apply. Please contact our customer service department for more information. 

Installing A Banner…  

LV Signs banners come with grommets every 2’ for you to attach your banner to many surfaces. You can either mount it right to a wall using screws & washers. Or you can run a rope thru the grommets & attach it to two poles. If you are in an extremely windy area be sure to secure the banner thru all of the grommets.

Frequently Asked Questions…  

Q: What is the difference in vector & raster artwork?

Raster Files: R aster files are made up of squares called pixels. Filling in the appropriate pixels represents lines and arcs.

The quality of a raster file is measured in DPI (dots per inch). In order for us to use a raster file, the file must be at least 300dpi. We cannot enlarge a raster file without loosing quality.

Vector Files: A vector file is a file where lines and arcs are stored as vector coordinates – that is, as precisely defined entities with beginnings and ends rather than as lumpy groups 

of pixels. Vector files can be enlarged without loosing any quality.

Q: Can you create a decal for me using my raster file?

Yes. However there are many variables & circumstances that we will have to discuss on an individual basis. You will need to send the file to us at info@lvsigns.com & we will explain your options.

Q: Is there a program that converts raster to vector?

Yes, there are several. However they are very rough & usually require re-building. There is not a simple way to convert raster to vector that does not involve labor in cleaning the image.

Q: Can you convert my raster image to a vector file?

Yes. We will be happy to give you a quote for converting your image.

Q: Will your letters withstand winter elements?

Yes. The sun is their worst enemy. Over many years the sun will work away at the decals causing them to eventually fade & curl. This usually takes at least 5 years & sometimes as much as 10 or more.

Q: Can you create a decal using our Logo

Yes, we will need to see your logo to determine if it will need work to convert to a decal. You can send your best res. File to info@lvsigns.com.

Q: How big can you make vinyl letters?

We can create vinyl letters as tall as 20’ or better. However they would have several seams throughout the letter. We would have to bid this per the job.

Q: Can you drill holes in the signs?

Yes we can do this for you for $1 per sign.

Q: Can you Guarantee color matches?

No we can not. We can provide you with a color sample via Mail. It is not possible to provide proofs to all of our customers that will look exactly like the actual product. This is for two reasons.

Everyone uses different monitors & settings. 

A computer screen is illuminated. The colors will look different on 

the screen than they do in real life. 

Q: Will my sign look exactly like the proof on the screen?

Lay out wise yes. However the colors may change a bit.

Q: The preview is all fuzzy. Will the decal I order look this way?

No it will not. This is a result of many things. Primarily we are trying to keep it from taking a long time to open. In doing this we do suffer some quality downsides. However rest assured your actual sign will be very clean & sharp

Q: I would like to order some vinyl letters. I do not see the font I want on your site. Can you create letters using my font?

Yes we can create the letters to your specs if you can email us the True Type Font file.

Installing A Sign…  

There are several methods to install signs. The following are instructions to the most common.

Drill holes & mount the sign to the side of a building or fence. 

Mount the sign to a wall or door using double-sided tape. 

Mount the sign using a sign stand. 

Mount the sign using a pole & brackets. 

Mount the sign to a window using suction cups. 

Sign Information …  

Aluminum

Our aluminum substrates are .040 thick. All of our aluminum is coated with a high quality, baked on high gloss enamel. This is a good choice for small to medium size indoor & outdoor signage.

Aluma-Lite

Aluma-lite is a special order product. We do not have it as an option for you to select on our site. However for those of you looking for larger signs, it is truly the best choice for a large, rigid sign. It is lightweight yet strong. It will not warp, rot, or rust. Aluma-lite is a strong aluminum to plastic CPA core trade panel. Its unique corrugated core does not swell, wick water or corrode from the inside, making it perfect for outdoors even without edge sealing. This is an excellent choice for outdoor large sign applications. 

Plastic

We have two types of plastic sign substrates:

Polyethylene: A durable extruded polyolefin that works well in a variety of temperatures. This material is available in a variety of colors.

Corrugated plastic: Also know as D-Board. This is a lightweight plastic 

good for indoor & outdoor applications. This would be our least 

recommended choice. 

Vinyl

We offer either standard or premium vinyl for our non-reflective vinyl products. We have a wide selection of colors which can be viewed online. We can also special order unique colors upon your request (additional charges will apply).

Some considerations to remember when viewing colors online. Due to the differences in display technology at each end, it is not possible to get a consistent menu of colors broadcast throughout the World Wide Web,. There will be some variation in the colors displayed on your monitor from they way they look on ours. If you are in a situation that an exact match is required, the only way to guarantee that you (the customer) will know the exact color your decals will be is for us to send you a color sample for your selection. We will be happy to do this for you at no charge.

Note: If you are having us print on the decal…. Shadows, graphics, etc. the print color can darken depending on the background color. For example if you are printing red on blue you need to expect the red to darken a little.

Both of these products are considered to be excellent choices for indoor or outdoor applications.

The premium vinyl is 2 mil. thick and has a life expectancy of 5 to 7 years. 

The Standard vinyl is 1.5 mil. thick and has a life expectancy of 3 to 5 years. 

Note: This is only a rating and should not be mistaken for a warranty.

These are the specifications from the manufacturer that the vinyls have been tested and under normal conditions, the material should not peel, crack, delaminate, or fade for the period of time listed. We have found in most cases, the vinyl will considerably outlast these time periods.

Our Vinyl decals carry a 1-year guarantee. This covers peeling, cracking, delamination, and fading. Since our product is made to order, all sales are final, with the exception of warranty problems, which we will happily replace with a duplicate product within the 1 year warranty period. We do not issue cash refunds.

We will only warranty items that have been determined to be defective. All other installation related problems are assumed to be the fault of improper conditions or installation error.

Returns will not be accepted without a written Authorization from LV Signs. Custom work is not returnable. A 30% re-stocking fee will apply to all returns.