Why your Stickers Aren't Sticking? - and how to fix it?

Sticker not Sticking?

This is rarely a challenge when applied to a correctly cleaned and dried surface however in our experience most causes of decals not sticking are because of

• Dirty walls (dust and or oily substance and not visual to the eye)
• Not installed correctly
• What type of paint was used as some paints contain certain additives that prevent dirt and smudges to stick, but they also prevent VINYL decals to stick:
• was your wall was painted within the last 21-30 days, or
• were cleaning chemicals  used prior.

Just in case it was and for freshly painted walls , while we have many solutions to help there isn’t a standard vinyl-friendly paint in use on interior walls, so there are variables that can affect success of the decals adhering properly.

The two most common interior paints used are enamel and latex. Enamel is best because, like glass and aluminum, it provides a smooth, non-porous surface. Latex is more porous and is not as suitable for vinyl graphic application.

The bigger issue with fresh paint is out-gassing.

Freshly painted walls emit gaseous solvents until the paint cures. If these gases are trapped under an applied vinyl graphic, they may cause bubbles or react chemically with the adhesive and weaken it leading to failure.

As a result most of our substrate suppliers advise that you allow paint to cure for an absolute minimum of 14 days before applying any vinyl graphics but preferably longer if possible.

Other possible factors that may cause your stickers to fall out are:

Unclean surfaces – Make sure your surface is always clean, dry, smooth, and flat. If there is any dirt, moisture, oil, or dust on your surface it may weaken your sticker’s adhesive and may fall out.

Textured surfaces – It’s tricky to successfully slap a sticker on to a rough surface for obvious reasons. If the whole label or sticker is not completely flat on the surface, there will be air bubbles and spaces in between the adhesive and will less likely stick properly. 

Incorrect adhesive – There are many different stocks and adhesives that are suitable for different uses and environments. It’s important to get familiar with the adhesive options like, permanent, re-positional (static cling), removable, cold temp (food grade) and hot temp stocks.

Having the wrong adhesive for a specific purpose may cause challenges and shortened adhesive span.