How Long to Wait Before Applying Decals on Newly Painted Walls – Can Wall Decals Be Re-Applied?
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Question: I just painted my walls. How long should I wait before applying my new decals?
First, it will depend on what type of paint you used. Latex paint takes up to 30 days to cure, although we’ve put wall decals on walls that have been painted less than a week. However, in our professional opinion, it would be better to wait 30 days.
If, on the other hand, you are using an oil-based paint (not common in most areas nowadays), you can apply vinyl graphics or decals or stickers within a week or so, as oil paints dry from the outside in.
When making signs using vinyl letters and logos, we always use oil-based paints as they last longer. But if you’re applying wall stickers to a wall in your home or business, it is unlikely in the modern era that you’ll be using oil-based paints.
So, while you may get away with installing vinyl wall stickers on your latex painted wall a week after it has been painted (yeah, we know it’s hard to wait!), it would be more ideal to wait a full 30 days.
Question: Can I reuse Wall Decals after I take them off the wall?
Wall Decals may not be reusable IF the vinyls used are very thin.
Using thin vinyl doesn’t mean that they are low quality, though. Do note that we don’t sell this brand of decal, but we’ll vouch for them that the thinner the vinyl, the better the quality is. Likely they are using “cast” vinyl, which doesn’t shrink like “calendared” vinyl will.
Most of the time if you remove a wall decal, you will stretch the material, thus decreasing the adhesion of the stretched material. If you put it on a textured wall, often it will lift paint flecks and plaster when you remove the sticker, also decreasing the adhesiveness of the vinyl.
On a general note, vinyl decals are rarely re-useable. If you get a removable decal or a static cling decal, these can be removed and re-used to some degree, although adhesion will tend to decline after the first usage.
Static Clings
Static cling decals particularly loose elasticity over time, and the thinner the static cling material, the sooner it will lose the ability to be re-applied. Static cling materials use plasticizers to maintain a soft and supple surface that will adhere to glass, acrylic, or very smooth painted surfaces. Over time, static cling material loses this suppleness and hence its re-usability as well.
Repositionable Decals
On the other hand, repositionable decal adhesives are also available. The degree of removability varies from 6 months to 3 years. Some decal materials are employed only for interior use, and some for both. Obviously, any decal that can be used out-of-doors can also be used indoors.
LAST UPDATED ON: June 17, 2018
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