One main differences between application of solvent inkjet printed vinyl and of unprinted computer cut vinyls is that once the media has been printed it will retain some of the solvents from the ink. These excess solvents will soften the media and also weaken the adhesive. As such, it is important to leave the print between 24 and 48 hours before application. Whilst in some instances this may not be practical, it is particularly important when applying to heavily curved surfaces, for vehicle wraps, or onto cold glass.

When performing a 'print and cut', such as creating labels, if the media is cut soon after printing it is possible that it can curl up, due to the solvents within the adhesive. We recommend MD-P for this. To avoid this, either allow 48 hours before cutting if the cut runs into the ink bleed, or allow a white border around the label.

Before applying any vinyl to a surface always ensure that the surface has been cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. As Metamark vinyls all benefit from a solvent based adhesive, they can be safely and easily applied with a wet application, or using a laminator.

When choosing a self adhesive vinyl, when appying a calendered vinyl to curved surfaces should be applied unstressed. Acast vinyl which will accept gentle warming and stretching to conform to the surface contours. For deep compound curves, cut the film.

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