[Vinyl Penguin]

Hello all, so im looking to start making some wall art.

For my decals etc atm im using Ritrama polymeric 5+ year vinyl.

But when trying to use this on a wall its not sticking.

Any ideas on different types of vinyl for this?

Craig / Vinyl Penguin

 

[Fenrir]

I'm surprised that regular vinyl wouldn't stick to a wall. Usually the issue with wall vinyl is getting it back off without destroying the paint!

Oracal makes a product, 631 Exhibition Grade vinyl that is removable, specifically designed for things like wall art. You will need to get the transfer tape recommended for it, however. Because the surface is matte, medium transfer tape doesn't like to stick to it. I've gotten it to work, but it was annoying. I haven't actually bought the right tape for it yet (it's a back burner project until June) but you definitely need it.

 

[Vinyl Penguin]

Hmm, at first i thought it was because the paint finish.

But it doesnt stick well even on matte paint.

Very strange as i dont really fancy selling this to customers yet :/

Scratch that, just tested on matte paint in my room and worked fine.

Surely it should work fine on silk / satin finish paint?

 

[Fenrir]

Matte surfaces would be harder to stick than gloss. Regular sign vinyl likes smooth, flat, non-porous surfaces. But it really should stick to anything, it'll just ruin the wallpaper or possibly rip the paint off the wall when removed. I'm worried about the quality of your vinyl overall. Does it stick to glass and metal? However, if your wall is dusty, the adhesive will collect all the dust and then simply fall back off. Make sure the walls are nice and clean, use distilled water on a rag. Normally I recommend isopropyl alcohol to de-grease the surface but that might take the paint off too. Certain types of outdoor wall paints are constantly shedding "powder" and will never be able to stick.

When you say it falls off fast, do you mean instantly, or in a few days? How fresh is the paint? It is not recommended at all to apply vinyl to a freshly painted surface, because even it it "feels" dry, it may be outgassing vapors long afterward. This will literally "push" the vinyl off the wall (or ruin the adhesive chemistry). You would have to ask the manufacturer when full cure is (if it's not listed on the can). Usually it's about a week for oil paints and a month for acrylic/latex/water based paints.