Decals can be a fun way to express yourself in less-delicate environments, such as on vehicles, your laptop or phone, or your favorite drinkware. Generally, decals differ from stickers in that they are made from more durable, higher-quality material with advanced properties such as protection from UV rays, water resistance, or don't easily tear, bubble, or fray. To be clear, a lot of stickers are also made with the same or similar materials.
Most people would consider a full-color, gradient color, or complicated design to be a sticker, while a decal is often one color or just a few simple layered colors. Just know that the two terms are often interchangeable.
Due to the nature of their materials and where they are usually applied, decals have more complicated application instructions than most stickers. For stickers, you usually simply peel off the backing paper and affix the sticker on a hard, flat surface. Decals often have a multi-step application process involving removing a backing paper, then using a transfer paper affixed to the front of the decal to properly place the decal, then removing the transfer paper. This process can be tricky.
We provide application instructions with our decal orders. Here is a recap of those instructions:
- Clean the Surface: It's important to apply decals to clean, dry, hard, flat surfaces for best adhesion. We provide rubbing alcohol wipes with each order, but you can use any rubbing alcohol you have to clean the intended surface thoroughly. Apply the alcohol using a lint-free material, such as a microfiber cloth or cotton applicator. Tissues and paper towels don't work really well. Allow the area to dry completely.
- Peel Backing: The decal comes with a backing paper attached on the back side and transfer paper attached on the front side. Remove the backing paper to reveal the sticky part of the decal surface. Only the decal material and the clear transfer sticky paper should remain. Try to keep these sticky parts clean and free from dust for the next step.
- Apply Decal: Position the decal as desired over the surface of the intended location and, for smaller decals, start on one side and use your fingers to smooth the decal into place. For larger decals, it's helpful to curve the decal in half like a taco and position the center line where you want to decal center to be on the surface and then smooth the sides outwards on both sides. Use a credit card or other rigid flat edge to rub out any air bubbles from the center of the decal to the edges. The adhesive will start to bond immediately, so do this step as quickly as you can.
- Remove Clear Tape: Starting at a corner, carefully pull the clear transfer paper away from the front of the decal. If you pull sideways along the surface of the decal instead of away from it, you won't pull the decal up or shift its position. It takes about 24 hours for the adhesive to bond fully to the surface you've applied the decal to, and you really don't want it to get wet during that curing process, as water may compromise the glues. This includes rain, snow, and car washes.
- Enjoy your new decal!!! Note that the decal will last longer if kept out of UV rays and weather conditions as much as possible. No material stands up to lots of cold or heat or beating sun for very long, but you can prolong the degradation with a little care. Expect about 1-4 years of life from your decal, depending on conditions such as weather, location, storage, and material. (The cute ones never seem to last as long as the ugly ones, unfortunately.)