Twenty minutes, a credit card and some patience. Do it above 50°F and out of direct sun.
Before you start
- Wash the panel, then wipe it with rubbing alcohol. Wax and polish stop vinyl sticking.
- Do not apply to fresh paint. Give it 30 days.
- Mark your position with masking tape before you peel anything.
Dry method — best for small lettering
- Tape the piece in position along its top edge, like a hinge.
- Lift it, peel the backing paper away, and let it hang.
- Lower it slowly, squeegeeing from the hinge outwards.
- Squeegee firmly all over, then peel the application tape back on itself at a sharp angle.
Wet method — best for anything large
- Mix a few drops of dish soap into a spray bottle of water.
- Peel the backing, then spray both the panel and the adhesive side.
- Position it — while wet you can slide it, which is the whole point.
- Squeegee the water out from the centre outwards, then leave it an hour before removing the tape.
If a letter lifts with the tape
Lay the tape back down, squeegee that spot again, and peel more slowly at a sharper angle. Peeling back on itself, almost flat against the panel, is the trick.
Afterwards
Leave it 72 hours before washing, and avoid a pressure washer close to the edges for the first week.