Printed Decal Material Options

Optional Lamination

Lamination is a second clear layer applied after printing and before the decal is cut. It protects the printed ink from weather, abrasion, frequent handling, and harsh chemicals such as gasoline.

Our unlaminated outdoor inks typically last about 3 years. Depending on the material and conditions, lamination can add approximately 2–4 additional years of durability and adds approximately 2.5 mil of thickness.

Available finishes: Glossy, Matte, and Metallic. Glossy adds shine similar to a clear coat, Matte reduces surface gloss, and Metallic adds a metallic appearance.

Standard Glossy Vinyl

4-year material · Approximately 4 mil unlaminated

Our most popular choice for general-purpose printed decals. It has a photo-gloss finish and conforms well to most simple curves.

Unlaminated ink lasts approximately 3 years outdoors. Lamination can add additional durability. Rated for temperatures up to approximately 176°F / 80°C.

Glossy Removable Vinyl

4-year material · Approximately 3 mil unlaminated

Similar in appearance to our Standard Glossy Vinyl, but designed to be easier to remove. The decal cannot normally be reapplied after removal because it will usually be damaged during removal.

Not recommended for high-traffic areas where easy removal could be a disadvantage. Unlaminated ink lasts approximately 3 years outdoors. Rated for temperatures up to approximately 176°F / 74°C.

Standard Matte Vinyl

4-year material · Approximately 4 mil unlamated

A non-glossy material with a matte or chalkboard-like appearance. It conforms to most simple curves and has air-release channels in the adhesive that make larger decals easier to install without trapped air.

Because of the matte finish, printed black will not appear quite as deep as glossy black and may look like a very dark gray.

Unlaminated ink lasts approximately 3 years outdoors. Rated for temperatures up to approximately 176°F / 80°C.

Premium Wrap Vinyl

7-year material · Approximately 2.75 mil unlaminated

A premium white wrap vinyl with air-release adhesive channels. It can be stretched with heat around complex shapes and is ideal for automotive panels, motorcycle fuel tanks, helmets, and other surfaces with compound curves.

Lamination is required with this material and a 90% material premium applies. Glossy, Matte, and Metallic laminate finishes are available.

Not recommended for small, highly detailed cut designs. The material is usually unnecessary for these designs and its air channels make extremely fine cutting more difficult.

Rated for temperatures up to approximately 194°F / 90°C.

Extreme Adhesive Vinyl

7-year material · Approximately 3.5 mil unlaminated

This satin-finish vinyl uses an aggressive adhesive designed for surfaces where normal vinyl may not stick well. Typical applications include rough wood, brick, concrete, lightly textured coolers, ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles, and motocross bikes.

A 50% material premium applies. Glossy or Matte lamination can be used to change the finished appearance.

Rated for temperatures up to approximately 225°F / 107°C.

Premium Reflective Vinyl

7-year material · Approximately 5 mil unlaminated

Reflective vinyl lights up when indirect light strikes it at night, similar to reflective signs and emergency vehicle graphics. The base material has a slight pearl-silver tint, so white areas will not appear pure white and printed colors can take on a metallic appearance.

This material is considerably thicker than standard vinyl and does not conform well to complex curves. It works best on flat surfaces or surfaces with only slight curvature.

A 50% material premium applies. The adhesive is also very aggressive and has adhesion characteristics similar to our Extreme Adhesive material.

Rated for temperatures up to approximately 203°F / 95°C.

Order Custom Reflective Decals

The flame photos show the same reflective decals under normal low light and when illuminated by a camera flash. See more examples on our Reflective Decals page.

Metallic Silver

8-year material · Approximately 2 mil unlaminated / 3 mil laminated

Metallic Silver gives lighter printed colors a metallic appearance. Darker inks such as black and dark blue block most of the metallic effect.

Important: White ink is not printed, so any white areas in your artwork will appear metallic silver.

Rated for temperatures up to approximately 230°F / 110°C.

Watch our Metallic Silver color chart video

Glow In The Dark

Approximately 3-year material · Approximately 5 mil

Best suited for indoor use because regular UV exposure can cause the material to fade more quickly. Under normal light, the material has a light mint-green appearance and can glow for up to approximately 4 hours after being fully charged by light.

White areas of your artwork become the natural glow-in-the-dark color. Light printed colors allow more glow to show through, while dark inks can block the glow completely.

Lamination is not offered because it slows the material's ability to recharge. This material is not rated for high-temperature applications.

Order Custom Glow In The Dark Decals

Simulated Metal Materials

These materials create the appearance of real metal and include Chrome, Diamond Plate, Gold Mirror, Brushed Aluminum, and Holographic.

White ink is not printed, so white areas of the artwork become the color or pattern of the material underneath. Because our inks are semi-transparent, printed colors are influenced by the metallic material and generally appear darker or more tinted than they would on white vinyl.

All simulated-metal printed materials are laminated for additional durability and are approximately 5.5 mil total thickness.

Most are rated for temperatures up to approximately 165°F / 74°C. Printed Silver Chrome is rated up to approximately 212°F. See our printed color chart for examples.

Order custom decals in these specialty materials below.

Static Cling

Approximately 1-year limited durability

Static cling resembles regular glossy vinyl but contains no adhesive. It relies on static to hold the graphic to smooth surfaces such as glass, painted surfaces, and fiberglass.

Artwork is normally converted to a basic solid decal shape with approximately a 1/4-inch white border. White areas remain white rather than being cut out as they often are with traditional die-cut graphics.

Wet installation is recommended for maximum adhesion. Squeegee excess water from beneath the material after installation.

View a die-cut example  and  the same artwork converted to Static Cling.

Wall Vinyl

A thick, approximately 6 mil material intended for large wall graphics. It uses a very low-tack adhesive so it can be removed and reapplied on many smooth, clean surfaces.

Suitable for painted walls, glass, and finished wood such as doors. It is not recommended for textured surfaces, unpainted drywall, outdoor walls, vehicles, or brick.

Wait at least 30 days after painting before applying wall vinyl so the paint can fully cure. Printed wall graphics include an approximately 1/4-inch white border to help prevent edge curling.

View a die-cut example  and  the same artwork converted to Wall Vinyl.

Glossy 3D Domed Decals

Available only in quantities of 125 or more.

Domed decals have a raised, emblem-like 3D appearance. The clear dome also provides substantial additional protection similar to an extremely thick laminate.

Allow approximately 20–40 additional days for production. See our Domed Decal page for more information and examples.

Printing on Colored Vinyl

We can also print on many of the vinyl colors normally used for transfer decals. Lighter-colored materials generally work best unless the artwork is being printed primarily in black. Not every vinyl shown on the color chart accepts ink, so please contact us if you are interested in a particular color.

Perforated Window Film SPECIAL ORDER

Approximately 1–2 year material

Designed for large solid graphics installed on the outside of glass when you still need visibility through the window. The adhesive side is black to improve visibility from inside.

The design must be a solid overall shape without internal cut-outs. Many designs therefore need to be modified before they can be produced on this material. Because the material contains holes, cut edges can appear slightly jagged when viewed closely.

Lamination can add approximately 2 years of durability and helps keep rainwater out of the perforations, improving visibility in wet conditions.