Answer:
No.
In fact, it provides a sunscreen to your vehicle's paint, which is why
we don't advise you to put decals on your car's painted surfaces unless
they're permanent.
If you put a bumper sticker on the painted
surface of your trunk, for instance, and remove it 3 years later, the
other paint on the vehicle may have faded somewhat, but the paint under
the sticker will be a little newer looking and less faded.
If
you're also wondering if removing a decal or sticker from your car's
painted surfaces, unless you have a really poor quality paint job on
your vehicle, it is highly unlikely that a decal can remove paint, and
certainly, the acrylic adhesives used on decals won't affect the
chemistry of the paint.
The best and easiest way to remove the
sticker from your car will be to apply heat to the surface, using a hair
dryer or a heat gun. This will loosen the glue's grip and make it so
you can peel the vinyl decal from your vehicle.
If it leaves glue
residue, and often they do, especially if it's been there a long time
(over a year), you can purchase glue remover (orange peel) at most
hardware or home improvement stores. You'll simply apply the remover to
the glue, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it off with a paper
towel. Re-do this step as needed.
Question: Can vinyl car decals be applied to t-shirts?
Answer: No. At least not for very long. You can put stickers on your shirt, though, and ruin your shirt if you leave it on too long.
If
you want graphics on a T-shirt, there are shops around your
neighborhood (in most areas of the US) that will put a graphic on a
T-shirt(s) for you. These can be washed and will last a good while.
If
you want lots of T-shirts with graphics on them, you will probably want
to contact a T-shirt screen printer, though, as they're a lot less
expensive than the previously mentioned shirt printers.
Question: What may reduce vinyl to last a shorter time?
Answer:
Most vinyl decals and stickers will last 2-3 years out-of-doors.
However, you've asked how the life of a vinyl sticker might be adversely
affected. Let's see...
Sun is probably the biggest offender that
will reduce the life of a decal. It attacks not only the vinyl, but the
print as well, causing it to fade. Cheaper vinyl decals will often pull away from whatever they are stuck to in direct sunlight.
Salt
water is also not too good for decals, unless they are laminated with a
salt water-resistant laminate, which are available. However, most of
you won't need to worry about this unless you live on the ocean where
the wind sprays saltwater into area where you have decals.
Rain,
Wind and Snow are typically not a threat to vinyl stickers. But
chemicals can be. Certain laminates will protect decals from light
chemicals like gasoline or paint thinner, but few can resist lacquer
thinner or MEK.
Barry Brown has been in the Sign, Banner, Decal and Display
Business for over 20 years. It isn't what he thought he'd do with his
life, but he says he knows too much now to do anything else!
He
has been marketing these products online since 1998, and the company he
was general manager of in 1998 was the first sign company to be listed
on Yahoo!
Barry is a great resource for information regarding
Signs, Banners, Decals, and Displays, and is also an outstanding source
of information on how to shop online without getting ripped off.
He
invites you to visit our website below, and call him if you have any
questions regarding safely purchasing products from any site online, or
regarding our company and product offerings.
