One of the best things to transform your items like mugs, water bottles, among others, is customizing them with your favorite design. A customized water bottle or mug can still be a fantastic gift for someone you love. For this, you need to seal the printable vinyl.
With that in mind, you’d fancy your design to be durable on that mug or water bottle and not peel off easily. You would avoid wasting the cash and hard work you spend while supplying items. Fortunately, it’s easy to create a strong vinyl bond with your water bottle or mug by sealing it in place.
Why Consider Sealing Your Items?
Basically, the perception behind sealing vinyl on your items is to make them last longer and keep the item in place. If you are customizing an item to gift to someone you love, then sealing printable vinyl help boost the quality of the item. Ever heard that you shouldn’t seal vinyl since it requires breathing? Well, that is a misconception, and you shouldn’t buy the idea.
That said, sealing printable vinyl on your items can be daunting at first. Luckily, once you learn the ropes, the whole process becomes straightforward. So how do you get started? Below is a step-by-step guide on how to seal printable vinyl.
Requirement:
- Transfer tape
- Sealing item
- The vinyl with your design
- Scrapping tool
- Sealant
How to Seal Printable Vinyl – Steps
Let’s assume that the vinyl image is cut already using a vinyl cutter machine. Here are the steps to follow;
1. Clean the Item
The first step is ensuring that the substrate you want to seal is thoroughly clean. Cleaning it will help get rid of all the oils, dirt, etc., on the surface. Sealing your design on a dirty surface makes it challenging to stick the design.
Once your item is clean, the next thing is placing it in a drying rack to allow it to dry. If you seal on a moist surface, sticking will also be impossible. You can still dry your item much faster by employing a clean paper towel.
2. Transferring Your Design to the Item
The next step is taking the transfer tape and sticking it to the design. When doing this, the tape must line up well and should not go beyond the design. If you are a novice, the tape will assist you in transferring your design easily.
3. Sticking the Design
Needless to say, you will stick your design on one or two sides of the item. Remember that when sticking it, you should ensure the design is as low as possible. The reason for this is to avoid interference when using the water bottle or the mug.
Utilize a scraping tool to assist you in keeping your design as smooth as possible. You should also brush available bubbles and ensure the vinyl stick onto your item.
4. Sealing the Vinyl
The final and most vital step encompasses sealing your vinyl design. Before you do that, you should select the best sealant from the several available options. The right choice to employ will rely on your preference, budget, and the kind of durability you desire.
If you are a novice, you can consider utilizing the Mod Podge sealant. If you are a professional crafter, you can ponder epoxy. There are other great options you can consider, which we will discuss below.
Usually, when you are done applying the sealant, the next thing will be giving it some time to settle and cure. If you need a faster curing process, you can consider placing your item in the oven.
The Right Sealant to Consider
A popular sealant type of adhesive is used on bottles, mugs, and other kitchen items. Therefore, you need to consider the sealant option that is compatible with adhesive vinyl for your item.
Other kinds of sealant ideal for your project can be;
1. Mod Podge
Mod Podge is a versatile and popular vinyl sealant available on the market. It is available in glossy, matte, and glitter finishes. This means you have every option to choose your preferred sealant.
What’s more? This type is awesomely cost-effective and is available in all craft stores. The reason why crafters love this option is due to ease of usage.
2. Polycrylic
If you haven’t tried this option, then it is an all-in-one and multitasking sealant. The good thing about it is that it is available in spray form. If you want to try this sealant option, you must consider applying it carefully and thin layers. If you don’t stick to a thin layer, then you will create a curl on it.
Remember that you have to ensure it’s not polyurethane and 100% acrylic when using this option. The product appears to change color into yellow over time; hence, it can destroy the appearance of your water bottle or mug.
3. Epoxy
Epoxy is another great and popular vinyl sealant option you can employ on your project. The good thing about it is that it is a heavy-duty and powerful sealant that will offer your item an attractive and glossy finish.
Another great thing about Epoxy is that it provides a durable result and is 100% dishwasher. However, the most challenging thing about this option is that it requires a lot of time to blend it before applying it. Once you blend, you will not be able to reuse it.
4. Triple Thick
Last but not least is the triple thick sealant. It is an awesome choice if you are looking forward to having a glittery feel on your item. It is easy to use as you only require applying it, and your Triple Think sealant will provide your water bottle, mug, or any other item a glossy coat and a thick surface.
Like other sealant types, this option is safe to use around your pets and children and is 100% non-toxic.
Conclusion
How to seal printable vinyl is that easy. You only need to follow this guide to get started. Once you learn the steps and understand the best sealant to choose for your project, it will be easy to customize anything faster and professionally.
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