You CAN apply Wall Stickers to Textured, Knockdown Walls

We, at Wall Decor Plus More, did a test with wall stickers and rougher textured wall surfaces - this one is called knockdown texture.  We hear a lot of customer comments that they aren't able to use wall stickers for this reason.  Here are some tips and how-to's so that you CAN use wall stickers on your rough or textured walls:

1.  Purchase wall stickers that have bolder, plain print.  If your walls aren't as rough as the ones in the picture, you can get by with some cursive, script lettering; but generally the bolder, plain fonts are easier to apply.  The thickness of the lettering makes a larger sticker or more material to stick to the wall which allows it to stay on the wall better.

2.  Plan to have a lot of time and patience when applying the sticker.  If you work slowly and carefully, you CAN get the sticker applied.  The biggest challenge is getting the top tape layer off of the lettering.  Since the wall isn't a smooth surface, the stickers don't adhere perfectly.  At times you will need to place a letter by hand, if it gets moved accidentally - this is another reason why plain lettering is better than cursive, connected lettering.

3.  Firmly rub the wall sticker down with your fingers after you remove the tape.  You can see the slight curve in the "N" that came after we rubbed each letter good.  The sticker curved into a groove in the wall and that is good - you can only see it by looking very closely and it means that is stuck to the wall better. 

The size of this quote is a 23"W x 12"H approximately and we applied a Chocolate Brown sticker to a tan colored wall. View more wall stickers at WallDecorPlusMore.com.  If you aren't sure which sticker will be best for your textured wall, feel free to use the contact us form on our website.

These pictures were taken 2 weeks after the sticker was applied.  We wanted to be sure that the stickers STAYED on the wall - and they did!

Four Things to Know About Wall Stickers

We have been in contact with a couple customers in the past weeks and this post will help clear up some confusion about wall stickers.  These customers had actually bought product from competitors and contacted us with some problems.  After visiting with them, we were able to verify the product was not ours.  One customer had received a printed sticker (#4) and was confused on how to apply since she was used to die-cut decals with transfer tape.  The other customer was removing a sticker and found it was taking off her paint.  After she sent us a photo, we were able to see it wasn't our design and it was glossy material (#2 & 3).

1.  Always take a look at the application instructions before purchase.  This will tip you off as how well the item is made.  If the manufacturer is sending you a film that you have to apply to the sticker, you need to be wary.  A reputable wall sticker manufacturer has this transfer film already applied to the wall sticker.  If you have to apply it yourself and don't have experience with this, you may have wrinkles, crooked lettering, etc that hinder how well the sticker is applied.  We see this type of wall sticker on a lot of items coming from China and Hong Kong.

2. Check if the material used is designed for Home Décor use.  Vinyl stickers had been around for quite some time before wall stickers became popular but they were used for signage.  Vinyl Stickers for signage needed to have a super strong adhesive to withstand outdoor elements and also needed to be glossy to attract attention.  Both Glossy and Strong Adhesive are NOT elements of Wall Stickers for Home Décor use.

3.  Matte finish is the best for Home Décor use as it looks like paint on the wall.  The non-shiny look of a Matte finish Wall Sticker makes it blend in with the painted surface.  All high-quality Wall Stickers are made with a Matte finish material.

4.  Verify the item is a Die-cut Decal as opposed to a printed image on plastic.  This one is the most important!  A die-cut decal has no background (ie. no yucky clear plastic stuff).  Some of the cheapest "wall decals" are not actually decals - they are just a design printed on a large plastic material.  It brings to mind a very large scrapbook sticker.  The clear plastic does not adhere well to anything except smooth surfaces and it looks tacky on the wall.

Purchase from WallDecorPlusMore.com for High-Quality Wall Stickers for Home Décor use.

Another Great Tip for Difficult Wall Stickers

Here is a tip for you; if you have a difficult wall sticker or are applying to a rouch or porous surface. 

The difficult part usually lies in taking the top transfer tape off, once you have the sticker on the wall.  You can put off that step for 1-2 hours or more.  So you would leave the transfer tape on the wall with the wall sticker.  This will allow the wall sticker to have a chance to make a good bond with the surface before you take the transfer tape off.  It will look like the picture above, when the transfer tape is still on.

What is the Best Paint or Surface for Wall Stickers?

Do you LOVE wall stickers?  And hope to use them on your next redecorating project?  If so, here is some great information to consider.

A satin or glossy paint is the best surface for applying wall stickers.  Enamel paint is the best since latex paint is more porous.

In my opinion, a shiny paint is better than the roughness of the texture.  If you have to choose between shiny paint and some texture or dull paint and no texture on your walls, it is best to stick with the shiny paint and texture.

Flat paint is too porous and doesn't allow the stickers to adhere well.

The stronger odor your new paint give off, the longer you should let the new paint cure before applying stickers.  The odor likely comes for the gases in the paint.  Those gases can break down the adhesive on the stickers, making them to not stick or fall off sooner than necessary.

Moisture behind your sheetrock can also be problematic for your wall stickers.  Think walls that back up to cooling systems, water pipes, overhead windows or windows that have been boarded up. These areas are prone to condensation that may not be obvious at the time of application.

Tip: If Your Vinyl Lettering Starts To Lift or Peel

Here is a GREAT tip from a favorite company, My Vinyl Designer, which we had to share with you.

If letters are starting to lift, it is mostly likely due to the wall surface or paint sheen. There aren't any glues she could use, but the most helpful thing she could try would be to heat up the letters a little and press them into the wall. A heat gun is best, but a hair dryer will work. If you heat the letters up slightly, it activates the adhesive on the back. Then, immediately press them into the wall with your thumb. Then when the vinyl cools, it will stick better to the wall. This will work well for most surfaces except matte finish walls...which vinyl doesn't stick well to. She does need to be careful that she doesn't heat the letter too much...or it will shrivel up and be useless.

Will Wall Stickers Work In My Bathroom?

Will Wall Stickers work in my Bathroom?  Will the moisture effect how long they stay on? 

YES, you can apply wall stickers or decals to your bathroom wall!  And... you can even apply them around your shower area as shown above.  The Funky Circle Wall Stickers shown in the bathroom above have been up for almost a year without any peeling or loose stickers.

Will the moisture effect the wall stickers?  The key is to make sure the surface is CLEAN and DRY at application.  Once you have a solid "stick", you are good to go.

The bathroom wall shown is also textured.  DIY textured by yours truly =) so some spots got a little rough.  In those rough areas, I had to smooth down a sticker a time or 2 to help the sticker "remember" where it is supposed to be.  Right now, the stickers are all stuck down firmly and we have a nice "fun & funky" bathroom decor!

Detailed Application Instructions for Wall Vinyl Decals

Wall Decor Plus More has updated our application info with more detailed instructions which include pictures and tips.  The new instructions are needed for any Wall Vinyl Sticker that comes sandwiched between transfer tape and the backing sheet (such as Zebra Print Stickers, Wall Quotes, Growth Charts, ect).  Click this link to view the new application instructions: http://walldecorplusmore.com/vinyl%20app%20instruct.pdf

Tips for applying Wall Vinyl Decal Stickers to textured wall

I had the privilege of applying a collection of Wall Stickers for a local customer this past weekend.  We are in the middle of a real South Dakota winter here right now.  Because of this, the wind was blowing like crazy and the temperatures were around 10 degrees!  This makes any wall tend to be on the cold side, even if it is in the inside of a house. 

So we had 2 issues that affected how easy the Wall Stickers were to apply - 1) surface temperatures plus 2) the walls were textured.  Both of these issues made application a little more difficult.  So here is how we made the application a little easier:

We used a hair blow dryer and worked in strips.

First we did the measuring, taped the design to the wall, then peeled the backing off.  The next and final step, taking off the top layer of transfer tape, is the most tricky.  So we used a hair blower dryer to heat the surface with the decal/transfer tape applied to it.  A strip at a time was warmed up, squeegeed real well, then that strip of transfer tape was carefully removed.

The hairblow dryer did 2 things: heated the surface for proper application and made the sticker soft so it adhered to the texture better.  Do NOT consider using a heat gun in place of the hairblow dryer - that high of heat would actually curl and/or melt your stickers.

A Tip for removing the backing of the Wall Sticker Shapes

Do you have trouble peeling the backing off our wall sticker shapes?  This comment was passed on to us and we have known this as we have applied numerous shapes in the past.  Some people don’t have problems and some just feel it is time-consuming.  So, to help you out, try this trick.  Use a piece a tape.  If you used tape to stick them to the wall before the actual application, to get a feel of how to space them, then you have a head start.  If not, just stick a tiny piece of tape, preferably painter’s tape that isn’t so sticky, either to the backing or the actual vinyl sticker.  If you pull back on the piece of tape, the backing should start to come away from the sticker.  If you stuck the tape to the vinyl sticker, carefully peel the tape off, after application is complete, being careful not to tear or stretch the sticker.  We continually are researching new and improved methods and you hear it first if we have a new and improved design to offer.

Tips on Indoor Wall Vinyl Stickers and Decals

This is what I REALLY want you to know... when you read that the decal you are thinking of purchasing is "high quality glossy vinyl and will last for many years", you are quite likely purchasing from a sign company that is using the same vinyl to market to the indoor home decor buyers as they are using to make their outdoor signs. Continue reading for more details:


The word vinyl is used across a wide arena of products.  The vinyl we are talking about is a thin sticker, made of vinyl, that is a similiar thickness to 3 coats of paint.  Vinyl stickers or decals have been used for many years already for outdoor signage and banners along with vehicle lettering.  In the past few years, wall art has become popular as indoor home decor.  Here's the difference:  vinyl used for outdoor retail signs need to have stronger adhesive to withstand the rigors of temperature and precipitation changes.  Most outdoor vinyl is considered almost permanent and can take a large amount of work to remove.

So when we compare that to our indoor home decor...  We DON'T want permanent wall stickers in our homes.  We need to repaint, touch up or add new wall paper every so often.  So the stickers need to be removable without harming the wall, leaving behind pieces or taking a huge effort to remove.

So INDOOR vinyl was designed and made available.  Indoor vinyl has a matte finish so it blends with your walls and looks like paint.  Glossy vinyls are almost always outdoor vinyl as a vinyl used for retail signage needs to be bright and eye-catching. 

Indoor vinyl has an outdoor life of 2-3 years but an indoor life of 6-7 years.  There are dozens of different types of outdoor vinyls but most have a outdoor life of 6+ years.

Indoor wall vinyl has been designed to be removable.  In most cases, you can just pick a corner with your finger nail and peel it off.  A few factors that apply when you are removing the indoor wall stickers -1) the longer it is on the wall, the harder it is to remove.  -2) If the wall sticker was placed on fresh paint, it will take the paint off with removal.  The paint should be allowed to cure for 1-2 weeks at a minimum.  To always be on the safe side, use a hair blow dryer to heat up and release the adhesive when you are removing the wall sticker.

We specialize in INDOOR wall vinyl used in home decor.  You may visit us at Wall Decor Plus More for a wide variety of wall art and stickers for your home!

Working with Wall Vinyl Decals/Stickers - some problems you may encounter and their solutions

 This post will help with troubleshooting as you apply your wall vinyl decal and even after the application.
First off, be sure you know how to apply your decal.  Read the instructions included and if you are confused (which is quite common!), watch the how-to video at our website.  Most of time, seeing is the better option to understanding.

Some common problems you may encounter with your wall sticker or decal: 

1.  Bubbles or wrinkles show up after you have applied your sticker.

           Solution:  Continue to smooth the bubble down each time you notice it.  Wall Vinyl is easily stretched so it may have been slightly stretched during application.  Also it may have gotten a wrinkle from shipping and it "remembers" that.  After a few times of smoothing the wrinkle down it will start to adhere to the proper place.

2.  It looks like my vinyl decal or sticker is starting to fall off the wall.
          
          Solution 1:  It is HIGHLY unlikely that it will actually fall off.  We use top-of-the-line vinyl and continue to test in our own homes.  I have NEVER seen a decal, made with our brand of vinyl, fall off the wall.  I  have seen a few instances where the edges look loose on close observation.  Generally this is from applying your decal to a bumpy surface, like knockdown textured walls or similiar textured walls.  So continue to smooth that wrinkle and it will soon be gone.
          
         Solution 2:  There is a slight chance your wall/surface was not clean enough or was too cold.  If the surface was not clean enough, there isn't much you can do to remedy this.  You can keep smoothing it down to see if you can eventually get it to adhere better.  If it is because your surface was too cold, most likely you had a VERY difficult time getting it off the transfer tape in the first place.  So now you should heat up the surface with a hair blow dryer and thoroughly but carefully smooth the entire design down.  This will make for a much better application.

3.  Can you apply to a textured or bumpy wall?

            Solution:  Yes, you can.  Here are some things to remember:  The smaller the vinyl decal is, the more PATIENCE you need as you apply the sticker.  Again, this is something we have tested in our own home along with friends and family's homes.  We have the usual textured walls here in our new part of the house.  I have applied growth charts to these walls.  Growth charts with their tiny inch marks can be the hardest along with tiny lettering.  That was about a year ago - they are still up with no signs of wrinkling at the edges or bubbles showing up.  Basically, if you can get the vinyl design adhered the first time, it will be adhered just fine and you are good to go =)!  Our wall sticker shapes are the easiest to apply to textured or bumpy walls.

This will be something we will continue address here - I don't want to bore you with a LONG post =)!

Tutorial ~ Applying your wall vinyl design to a tile

Here is a tutorial for applying your vinyl design to a floor tile.  You can order your tile kit from Wall Decor Plus More.  Please specify in the notes that you are using the vinyl design for a tile and we will include the markings to making the application more simple for you.  Look for a design that is square - a square design can be resized to fit your 12" x 12", 6" x 6", or 13" x 13" tile.  Tiles make GREAT gifts as they can be personalized for weddings, birthdays and Christmas gifts.

Tutorial - How to adhere your Wall Vinyl Sticker Shapes

Here is a video tutorial I did on adhering Wall Decor Plus More's wall sticker shapes.  Be aware - this is my first attempt at videos!  But, I wanted to have this available for everyone - it will be WAY simplier for you to apply your wall sticker shapes, especially the larger ones, after you have watched this short video.

Tips for choosing your wall vinyl stickers - actual sizes

Happy 4th of July to everyone!  I am so thankful for the INDEPENDENCE and FREEDOM we have!

I want to share some quick tips when you are searching and choosing your wall vinyl stickers.  As I browse through all the listings on Ebay of various stickers in dots, circles, etc, I am amazed at the photo editing that people use!  Here is a photo of something similiar to what Wall Decor Plus More sells:

Looks pretty neat, huh?  Well, if you read the description of their products - their biggest circle/dot is 6"!!!  Now, look at the photo on the wall and the size of the crib - do you really think that picture on the wall is smaller than 6"???  If you REALLY look at this photo and compare sizes of the crib and the photo frame, then you can see that the dots/rings on the wall is NOT 6" in size!!

Now, here is a REAL photo (no photo-editing used!) -

This is an actual photos of someone's baby room who put up Wall Decor Plus More's wall sticker circles.  This was actually one of the 1st customer's - the beginning of the business!  Wall Decor Plus More's wall circle shapes are from 11" down to 1".

I would like you all to take the time to read descriptions and sizes.  Most of you will be surprised once you actually look at sizes and see if the photo is an actual photo or not.  Wall Decor Plus More believes in honesty and intregrity.  Although, we use photo editing to crop and add borders/backgrounds, we do not use it to extort the photo out of proportion!

Here are some comments of our products left in our feedback:

Superior product! (I've tried several!) Super fast delivery!These are the ones!

Just what we wanted and my daughters room turned out great!!

Makes the room unique - too cool, thanks for an easy transaction!

Rest assured... Wall Decor Plus More offers high quality products AND service!

5 Things you need before you apply your vinyl decal

#1.  You need a clean wall or surface!  You may use a cleanser to wash with first.  Then, be sure to thoroughly wash it with just water.  You do NOT want any soap residue left over which may take away from the quality of your adhesived backed vinyl decal.

#2.  Your surface needs to be between 60 and 80 degrees F.  For indoor walls, this is not generally a problem.  When you are applying vinyl wording to a ceramic/porcelain tile or vinyl lettering to a vehicle, you need to pay close attention to this.  I always place my tiles in front of a heater for a few minutes before I apply my vinyl wording.  If you are outdoors (such as applying vinyl lettering to your vehicle), then make use of a hair blow dryer for a few minutes to bring the surface to the correct temperature.  The correct temperature is VERY important as I have had it proven many times.

#3.  Your paint should be allowed to cure for 4 weeks to be on the safe side but in some cases one week is good enough.  If you are applying a vinyl decal over painted walls, etc, please wait 4 weeks before applying for best results.  If you apply your vinyl decal too soon, when you decide to take your vinyl decal down, the paint underneath could be ruined when you remove the decal. 

#4  Along the lines of paint... applying vinyl decals over top of LATEX paint is not recommended - but I have always done it =)! It is best to use oil based paints.  But since I am not a fan of paint thinner and the clean-up needed with oil-based paints, all of my inside walls are painted with latex.  I have had decals up for over a year now with EXCELLENT results.  I am only passing this information on to keep you totally informed and I will let you judge what you prefer to do.

#5  Have the correct tools handy.  The tools you will need:
                    a squeegee or popsicle stick to rub over your decal
                    a tape measure to make sure your vinyl decal is applied straight and centered where needed (I like to use the soft tape measure like this - for some reason it works best with my 2 left thumbs).

Stay posted for more how-to's with wall vinyl decals.