Wondering why your vinyl just won't stick? There are a few factors in getting vinyl to stick on rough surfaces like canvas, burlap, and wood. Below are examples for each surface and our tips and tricks to get the job done! We recommend putting some type of coating on your project to smooth out the surface. You can use acrylic paint or a clear coating. But watch the type of paint you use: some of the paints out there, especially the newer paints, are great for walls because they resist stains, but they also resist vinyl. Just read the bottle for "stain resistant" first! Let's get started.
What You Need:
Example 1: Vinyl on Canvas
So we've got our canvas here, oneside has not been coated with anything, the otherside has been.
IusedOracal 651 vinyl in Dark Grey. It has a permanent adhesive that's a little more aggressive. Check out all of our permenant adhesive vinyls to see which one will work best for your project. As you can see, the side that had the clear coat applied (right side) had the vinyl adhere much easier than the uncoated side (left).
Example 2: Vinyl on Burlap
First, I feel I should note, getting adhesive vinyl to stick to burlap is tricky any way you do it. It's best for short term projects. If you are looking for a long term application, check out ourheat transfer vinyl. That will work best for you. If you're just intending the burlap project as an indoor decoration that won't be handled much, ouradhesive vinyl will work fine.
Just like on the canvas, you will want to coat your burlap with acrylic paint to have the best results. The image below shows adhesive vinyl applied on both the painted side and directly to the burlap. The burlap fibers get stuck in the vinyl's adhesive and makes it difficult to stick on the non-painted side.
Pushingthe vinyl down as you are pulling up on the transfer tape will also help with getting the vinyl to remain on the burlap. After the transfer tape is removed, you can smooth it down with your finger as well.
Example 3: Vinyl onWood
Here I have a piece of wood that I have painted half of. Vinyl should stick decently to unfinished wood, but if you sand and coat it with either paint or a clear coat, it will adhere much easier.
You definitely want to wait and make sure your paint is nice and cured before you stick your vinyl to it. I would give it at least 24 hours.
As you can see, it's going to have a little bit harder time sticking to the undercoated, unpainted wood, but you can get it to stick down.After you get your vinyl on, you can also take your clear coat and spray it over the top of your vinyl. Havinga coat over the top will help it stick down also.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me know in the comments below. And make sure to watch the full video ofthese tipshere!
This entry was originally posted on August 23, 2016 by Expressions Vinyl.
Aug 22nd 2016 Expressions Vinyl - Jessica
FAQs
You may use acrylic paint with your color of choice for this project. Acrylic paint can be purchased at your favorite dollar or craft store. You simply apply a thin and even layer of paint onto your canvas, and allow to dry completely. This will also get vinyl to stick to the canvas easily.
How do I get vinyl to stick to wood? ›
For Best Results ... Applying Smart Vinyl to Wood
- It starts with lots of sanding. The good news is that vinyl sticks best to the same ultra-smooth surface you're typically going for anyway. ...
- Coat, sand. ...
- Let your project dry for a full 48-72 hours after your final coat of finish. ...
- Apply your smart vinyl. ...
- Seal it. ...
- Cure it.
Sanding a wooden surface makes the uneven surface into a smoother surface which will make the vinyl stick better. The next step is to treat the wood you are working on. In treating the raw wood surface, you can apply a coat of polycrylic, wood stain, or acrylic paint that the vinyl can grip onto.
What kind of vinyl will stick to wood? ›
The first is to use permanent adhesive vinyl, which can come in many textures and colors. The second option is to use heat transfer vinyl on wood, also known as iron-on vinyl. Both types of vinyl can work, and each has advantages and disadvantages.
Why won't my vinyl stick to a canvas? ›
Just make sure you're using a scraper or roller and pushing down the vinyl hard enough on each letter to make sure it's actually sticking to the surface. Or you can prime it first and see if that helps the vinyl stick to the canvas a little bit better. Hope this helps!
Does vinyl stick to wood? ›
Vinyl will stick to most woods depending on the surface of the wood. It's important for it to be smooth. Rough wood with lots of sawdust and chips on it will be very problematic in terms of the vinyl sticking down long term. The rough surface does not allow for an even stick.
Will Mod Podge help vinyl stick to wood? ›
You can seal vinyl on wood by using Mod Podge, the most commonly used sealant that works wonders for preserving vinyl designs on wood.
Does heat help vinyl stick to wood? ›
Heat transfer vinyl isn't sticky itself, but bonds to the material using a heat press or iron. This makes it permanent either on fabric or (you guessed it!) wood. I've used it on both stained/sealed wood (the large one) and untreated wood (as in the title image) with no issues.
How to keep vinyl from peeling off wood? ›
How do you keep vinyl from peeling off wood? Vinyl should stick decently to unfinished wood, but if you sand and coat it with either sealant, paint or a clear coat, it will adhere much easier. You definitely want to wait and make sure your base coat has dried properly before you stick your vinyl to it.
Will heat make vinyl stick better? ›
If your vinyl isn't sticking, you can use heat to affix it better. Use a hairdryer or heat gun on the surface of the self-adhesive vinyl while applying it to your desired surface. Using heat will help it conform to any uneven surfaces a little quicker.
Your permanent vinyl should well adhere to wood that's treated with a base coat so long as your project is kept inside. If you want to try a topcoat, I would let the vinyl adhesive cure for 24-48 hours before adding a topcoat so the adhesives don't mix and cause the vinyl to peel.
Will polyurethane help vinyl stick to wood? ›
If you are making a wood sign for outdoors, the method will be similar. It's best to have a coat of polyurethane on the wood sign before you add your decal sticker – this will make your decal sticker adhere much easier.
What temperature should vinyl be on canvas? ›
Standardly, we may start heat printing our project at a temperature of about 360°F with a time of 30 seconds to 35 seconds, light, medium, to firm pressure. Again it depends on your chosen HTV's setting and the canvas fabric you decided to use as a base material.
Can you heat press vinyl on canvas? ›
Using heat to transfer your HTV helps the image bond to the canvas fabric. Don't confuse HTV with regular permanent vinyl. Permanent vinyl is attached through adhesive and will not stick as well to your canvas. Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) is applied with an iron or heat press to help it bond to your surface.
Why won't my iron on vinyl stick to canvas? ›
It can be hard to get vinyl to stick to canvas. It is a little easier if the canvas is painted first, or coat it with a layer of Mod Podge if you don't want to paint it. The paint gives it a better surface to stick too, but it is still not the easiest.
What temperature do you press vinyl on canvas? ›
Heat up your heat press to 305 degrees Fahrenheit or your iron to a cotton setting. Once heated up, cover your canvas with parchment paper or a Teflon sheet, and go ahead a press for about 20 seconds with the heat press. If you're using an iron, press about 30 seconds.
