At Giant Robo Printing, we offer a variety of custom vinyl services, from car decals to yard signs. When it comes to decals specifically, we are able to produce these products using two types of vinyl application methods; printed and cut vinyl. How do these two methods differ? How do they compare? Let’s take a look.
The printed vinyl process is simple, first starting with a design (embedded via ink) onto clear or white vinyl, which is then laminated. From there, the paper backing is peeled off and applied to the desired surface. The printed vinyl is then rubbed over the surface to enhance its adhesion and remove any possible air bubbles. In this scenario, printed vinyl can be referred to as the “peel and stick” method. Another method for printed vinyl is called the “contour cut” method, which involves placing cut lines around one or more objects and then printing onto white or clear vinyl. The lines are then cut away leaving you a custom size and shape decal or sticker. A contour cut will not leave excess background material around the design.
To create our vinyl items, we use a Roland ECO Solvent Printer. This printer allows us to produce high-quality images and colors for banners, heat transfer paper, and posters. Another perk is that this printer is speedy, so if you have multiple custom items to order, we can get it to you with a quick turnaround. Contact us to get your next order started!
Vinyl stickers are one the most common promotional items for businesses, artists, and events! They’re perfect to hand out for employee achievements, fundraisers, elections, and customer recognition. Giant Robo printing is able to print a high-quality vinyl sticker using your design. If you’re not sure where to start, our in-house graphic design team can help you design the perfect sticker. The best part? They’re a low cost option for great promotional marketing.
We are able to create customized and durable printed vinyl stickers for nearly any item you’re looking for, which is an additional perk of this material. You can use these decals on your laptop, store windows, and on vehicles. These are perfect additional marketing materials since they can be placed nearly anywhere. We are able to finish it with a variety of options such as satin, matte, and waterproof. Not all vinyl stickers are made to be waterproof, but if it is something you are looking for, we can do it!
The cut vinyl process requires a little more preparation than printed vinyl. Cut vinyl is referred to as “cut to shape”, which is when the design is cut out to the shape of the design with no excess background material left. This also means that the vinyl will blend in with whatever surface it is placed upon. When placing cut vinyl, one must first rub the paper backing with a squeegee. Next, the paper backing must be peeled off. Once the vinyl is applied to the surface, you must firmly rub it with a squeegee. From here, the transfer tape is peeled off the surface, where it is rubbed one final time to ward off air bubbles. Cut vinyl designs are die-cut from pre-colored rolls. The vinyl pre-colored rolls can be layered with additional colors of vinyl after the initial layer has been placed.
Giant Robo Printing is able to create custom vinyl decals for your car. We offer both vinyl options for car decals, cut vinyl or printed vinyl. Vinyl decals are a great way to promote your business on your personal car or a business vehicle. We are able to locally adhere your decal to your car in the warmer months, or you have the option to install them yourself as well.
This is a perfect way to promote your business since you can add your business’ name, phone number, logo, and many other options. We can also make bumper stickers to add on or for you to give to employees and loyal customers.
Printed vinyl is cut out around the shape of the design (contour cut) unlike cut vinyl, which does not retain any background material at all (cut to shape). Printed vinyl can be a less clean looking design since it will have a visible background, which may clash with the color scheme of whatever it is placed upon. Aside from the cutting technique used for the vinyl design, the methods’ coating thickness can vary as well. Printed vinyl is thick, making it stick out compared to the more subtle, thin layer of cut vinyl. When it comes to colors, cut vinyl is slightly limited due to the pre-colored rolls, which means that each layer is one color. As inks are embedded into a piece of print vinyl, many colors can be present on one piece. In terms of application, printed vinyl has a slightly faster set up process compared to cut vinyl due to cut vinyl having a transfer layer on its surface. When it comes to exposure to direct sunlight, printed vinyl will fade over time while cut vinyl will not. Overall, both methods of vinyl application produce stunning designs and serve their individual purposes.
Printed Vinyl | Cut Vinyl | |
|---|---|---|
Excess Background Material | Yes | No |
Coating Thickness | Thicker | Thinner |
Sunlight Fading | Will Fade Over Time | Will Not Fade |
Color Capabilities | Lots of colors | Limited |
Set Up Time | Quicker | More Steps Involved |
Certain projects require heat application while others don’t. Confused what your project requires? We can explain. If vinyl is applied via heat, the process used is heat transfer vinyl. Common products that use heat transfer vinyl are t shirts and sport jerseys. Vinyl not applied with heat is commonly referred to as sign vinyl. Sign Vinyl is typically used for vehicles. If you aren’t quite sure what your project requires, feel free to contact us so we can work out which process would work best for you.
Does printed or cut vinyl fit your project description? If so, we ask you to please fill out our quote request form, where you can let us know exactly what you want and we can put together a proposal with a quote and mock-up. This will save you time and headaches in the long run, as we can streamline the design and set up process.
