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And she liked them! Follow along as I apply these vinyl graphics, even as hot outside as it is right now.

Check out these cool vinyl decals I just finished applying, with a little how-to helper I put together that will hopefully help you to apply your own set of vinyl graphics. Yes, you can do it! Spruce up your plain-jane Toyota Corolla, or Camry, or Dodge or Ford or custom street truck or hot-rod, or whatever. Make YOUR ride stand out from the boring old rest… be it with subtle vinyl graphics—or look-at-me popping pizazz!

I chose something kind of in the middle: just the “right amount” of popping pizazz. And after I told my wife, “Babe, come outside for a minute, check this out,” and after she saw it… well, she was very happy. And excited! Because, well, check out the following transformation for yourself!

Because it’s easy. It’s affordable. And they last a long time, too. With vinyl graphics you can try new things, and remove your decals later so you can switch things up. The graphics—these are from FULL INTENSITY GRAFX ONLINE DECAL STORE—typically last anywhere from six to ten, or even more years when applied, but most people like to change things up every few…

Enjoyed this post? Stay tuned for more. And don’t forget to check out the old but still helpful application videos on our main website, FULL INTENSITY GRAFX.

Like car-truck-boat graphics like this? Check out the categories on our vehicle graphics page, choose one, we ship same day, apply and then wow your friends!

Final tips to remember… For this decal application I used the half-and-half method combined with the wet method. Remember, air bubbles generally disappear after about 3 days when applying your decals with the wet method, and up to two weeks when applying with the dry method, assuming that is, that you even get any air bubbles between the vinyl and the surface of the car. Pop with a pin and push out if you would like. Also, remember that no soap is needed with the wet method, apply your decals in the shade, preferably when it’s cool and comfortable outside, with ZERO WIND, and take your time and, have a helper nearby! All the best, everyone!

 

It’s a decal that almost ALWAYS sparks a few laughs. And here it is… the infamous ASS FAMILY STICKER!

While family sticker can be made anyway you want to make them—certainly it is not necessary that you have an “ass family”—but hey, whatever floats your boat! This hilarious custom made Ass Family Sticker sports the pretty dang famous and funny—or infamous and just WRONG, is more like it—family car sticker!

Just above we have cool dad sticker with a beer, a hipster, hair-do, 50s wife, and a very large dog. So, we have Mr. Jack Ass, Mrs. Smart Ass, and one super big Kick Ass dog! Design yours, your way! Or… if this funny family sticker doesn’t float your boat, then most surely design nothing at all!

…and before we get to even more ASS FAMILIES, here’s a few of our clients’ custom family sticker creations, made using the interactive design station available on our website!

How to apply one of these decals, you ask? Well, check out this video I made yesterday! It features our son, who is now a US MARINE!

And here’s some more ASS FAMILY STICKERS. Each of the following is an actual, unique decal applied somewhere in the world. And these are only a tiny handful of the design our clients have created using the family sticker part of our website.

So now, as said, they don’t have to be “ass families,” because you can design yours, your way, asses involved, or not. Naughty or nice. Funny or sweet. It’s all up to you, one of countless ways in this big little world, TO EXPRESS YOURSELF!

I hope you have enjoyed today’s post. Now, GO if you would like, and create a gift for a friend, and make sure to bring along a beer to relax, or some of the funny stuff, or just be prepared to laugh without any of that junk, because an ASS FAMILY or not, these family stickers can be as funny as you are creative!

Because sometimes you get an idea, just to let it fade away. Ideas mean little, without ACTION to back them up. ACTION is EVERYTHING—and thoughts are about as useless as a fart in the wind.

Keeping it ON TOPIC (Vinyl Graphics and Cool Decals), today we’ll spotlight some of our clients’ sent-in pictures. Some are insanely cool, al are very creative. Check out the following uses of of our vinyl decals and graphics. If anything, use the following ideas to spark ideas for a project you might have on the back burner. And FYI, the sky’s the limit, this is just a tiny sample of what is possible.

When it comes to vinyl graphics, it’s cool that they are not permanent. Some people choose to clearcoat over top of the vinyl graphics, but I tell most clients, that it’s cool not to. You can change things up once in a while. And while most decals last for upwards of 5 years or more when applied, feel free and have fun experimenting with different colors, graphics styles, whatever, to fit your ever-changing lifestyle and how you choose to express yourself in any given week, month, year or decade of your life!

Now, here’s TEN awesome clients’ projects that were sent us here at Full Intensity Grafx, and how they chose to BE CREATIVE. Because expressing yourself in your own unique way, is what it’s all about.

Well, I hope you like today’s post showing off a few of our client’s rides. These are some ideas put into action, and show that you can do it your way, whether that be clean and simple, hot and wild, or no vinyl graphics at all. But, don’t be afraid to try new things. And if you decide on some vinyl graphics for your ride, or your custom project, whatever, then hit us up. As always, we’re ready to work for you at Full Intensity Grafx

Vinyl graphics and your paint job. Removing vehicle decals from auto-body paint, and your car or truck’s window glass.

Here at Full Intensity Grafx we’ve been creating and applying vinyl decals for over 20 years. The following are accounts from OUR experience, which may or may not be typical.

First, will vinyl graphics applied to the body of your car or truck affect your vehicle’s paint job? Possibly, but why? The normal painted surface of a vehicle does in fact fade over time. Because time is a juggernaut; it does its thing. Underneath the decal, the paint will fade at a lesser rate, if at all, and after several years—more time being more of a factor (as well as sunlight, temps, and other variables your paint job has been exposed to)—might allow a difference in color intensity between where the decal had been applied, and where it had not.

Please also note, most vinyl decal material has an outdoor durability rating based on the angle of which the decal is applied. For example, a 6-year vinyl material (we use mostly Oracal 6-year proven, commercial-grade vinyl) is rated at up to 6 years outdoor durable, or longer, when applied at a 90-degree angle, plus or minus 10 degrees. Sunlight and heat will affect hood decals more than vinyl graphics that are applied to the sides of a vehicle, car, truck, boat, etc.

Examples based on my experience:

• decals applied to the sides of a car for a month or so… There’s a 99% chance no signs of a decal ever being applied, will remain on your paint job.
• vinyl graphics applied to paint for a couple years… There may be the slightest chance you will see some fading, e.g. where the decal had been, and the paint that had no decals applied to it. Sunlight fades every paint job—time is the juggernaut and does its thing!
• graphics, decals, or stickers have been left on a vehicle for ten years… They will be more difficult—and could be quite difficult—to remove, and depending on how much sunlight (as well at other variables: temp, extreme exposure, etc.) there may likely be signs that some decals have been applied to the paint. Rubbing compound and polish can help with this, or consider replacing your vinyl graphics with a fresh set that are the same size. Perhaps try a different color to add some spice! (I have many clients do this!)
• vinyl graphics have been left on a vehicle sitting in a junkyard for 30 years… Get a new paint job if you intend to restore it!

What can I expect after removing my graphics? What problems might I run into?

Will it remove my paint?

Well, do you have a cheap aftermarket paint job? Perhaps the auto-body shop didn’t prepare or sand the surface as well as they could have. Yeah, there are many places that offer these super fast, super cheap paint jobs—and this is how they are able to do such a thing. They cut time to save the money, in order to pass the savings on to you.

If the above is true, then yes, vinyl decals—which can have a very strong adhesive—could possibly remove the paint when peeled off. And, I have seen just this happen with my own paint job. Yeah, I once got one of those quick “cheap” paint jobs. It was from Earl Shieb. After letting the paint cure, I then put some flame graphics on the sides of my truck. The graphics were no bigger than about the truck’s doors, and when I eventually attempted to remove the decals, I did it too quickly and didn’t peel them off at a sharp enough angle (before I had all lthis experience… hee, hee). And you guessed it. The paint came off with the stickers! Oh, no! And underneath, there was that un-prepped surface.

So, to prevent this from happening to you… you may want to heat the graphic a little. Peel off extremely, even anally, slowly, and at a very sharp angle, away and flat against the paint of the vehicle. If you have a cheap paint job, and you remove your graphics slowly enough, and carefully enough, then you should—cross your fingers—be okay.

As for most factory paint jobs, or paint jobs where the surface has been prepped correctly, you shouldn’t have to worry about vinyl decals removing the paint of your vehicle, but I would still use caution when removing your vinyl graphics.

NOTE: Have you seen those factory paint jobs where the paint seems to be cracking off, as if, even the automobile manufacturer didn’t prep the surface correctly? I have seen this happen on older Dodge Neons, some Ford vans and Ford Mustangs (white). What vehicles have you seen this on?

Removing vinyl decals from glass.
Actually, removing vinyl decals from a car window is pretty easy. I like to use a flat razor and some water. Lightly heating the decal may help, too. NOTE: If using a heat gun, never apply too much heat. Heat guns get VERY HOT and can damage just about anything they fire at, be it glass or paint—anything!

Slowly use your flat razor-blade at a sharp angle to the glass, to get under decal. Spray some water on your window at the same time. The decal should come right off, as well as the glue!

TIP: Here’s a page on our main website with application videos for removing and applying vinyl decals.

NOTE: I have noticed—again, this depends on time, amount of sunlight the decal has received—that the glass can keep a slight variation in appearance to where a decal had been applied to it. This seems to vary depending on many factors, and I’m not sure at the moment if it is permanent. Something to consider…

Removing decals from the painted surface of a vehicle, car, truck, etc…
Removing decals from paint takes more time. It takes more time even, than applying the graphics, which can be rather simple depending on the application. To remove vinyl graphics, you’ll want to attempt to peel them off slowly, as not to remove any paint (very rare—read the above, if you haven’t) and if it leaves some glue you can remove the remaining adhesive with adhesive and glue remover. There is a really good 3M brand of this sold at most auto parts stores, and of course, Walmart. I have tried the GOO GONE, which can be found at the Dollar Tree, and it did not work well at all.

NOTE: You may want to test a small inconspicuous area on your paint job, using whatever glue and adhesive remover you purchase.

To remove your graphics, you also might try heating your vinyl graphics a little bit with a heat gun. Blow dryers don’t work well, they just don’t make enough heat. Putting your vehicle, car, truck, boat, in the sun on a warm day helps too.

WARNING: Be careful with heat guns! They’re HOTTER THAN FIRE and can damage your paint job if too much heat is applied.

Decals left on for many years will be much harder to remove. Time and patience is key. One final tip for removing vinyl graphics, and I see many people do this… DON”T use metal razor blades on your paint. It will scratch it. You can order plastic razor blades, which will not scratch your paint job. These can probably be found easiest online.

How hard is it to remove vinyl graphics from my the paint of my car, truck, boat…

• My decals have been applied for a few months… It should be quite easy, and might not even leave any glue. Still, using patience is recommended.
• My vinyl graphics have been on the sides of my truck for ten years… It could be a task, but can be done. Use all the advice above.
• Graphics have been applied to the hood of a car that has been sitting in a junk yard for thirty years… Ah, forget it!

That’s it for today’s post. I hope the above information was helpful. If you have a question, or would like to suggest other pertinent information that could be added to today’s blog post, please feel free to contact Full Intensity Grafx.

 

The simplest of posts, with the coolest of FIVE. Decals, that is!

Check out these FIVE cool decals we made, and following is an image with 1000s of really cool vinyl graphic creations we made here at Full Intensity Grafx, where we might NOT be the cheapest vinyl graphics shops, but who actually wants the cheapest? Like a handmade pair of boots, we take the upmost care and pride in creating the simplest of vinyl decals, to the most complex and difficult.

Without further ado, here’s FIVE cool vinyl decal creations, layer after layer of the highest quality precision-cut vinyl, and a little bit about them…

That’s it for today’s post. Five cool decals! Thanks for reading.