Posted By Ahijoy On January 10, 2022
How To Seal Vinyl On Glass?
Vinyl has gained immense popularity amongst the crafters due to its beauty, longevity and versatility. It is seen almost everywhere serving multiple purposes - from our bedroom to the shop next door, in our schools, malls, offices, and even on the roads!
The amazing vinyl film has high utility ranging from home and office decorations to creating eye-catching advertisements for maximum outreach. Another factor that contributes to its acclamation is that it readily embraces different surfaces instantly embellishing them in a captivating manner. Smooth and clean glass is one of them. Cutouts of texts, patterns or images are pasted onto the glass to make it more appealing, or to create signage and advertisements for display.
Using Vinyl On Glass
There are so many different varieties and colors of craft vinyl available that can transform any plain glass into a captivating masterpiece. It all depends on the crafter’s personal preference. Here are a few ways in which glass is embellished.
- One can turn that plain basic mason jar into something worthy of display with vinyl. Vinyl is also prominently seen being used on wine glasses and flower vases.
- A smart choice can be using vinyl for labeling the spice jars. It will help you easily pick the required spices. In fact, some sellers already have the labeled jars available, most commonly seen are the tea, sugar, coffee and salt ones.
- Glass windows at home, school or store can also be adorned with vinyl. Store owners can announce their deals or items available using the vinyl, restaurants can display their menus out there or simply decorate with it.
- Decoration pieces with glass can be made to display around the house.
- You can personalize drinkware with vinyl such as your coffee mug, or bedeck your favorite set of glasses with it.
Which Vinyl Is Best For The Glass?
You might already be aware that there are two types of vinyl: heat transfer and adhesive. You can work with both on glass though adhesive vinyl is preferred as it is easier to apply on curved surfaces and does not require a heat source to adhere.
In adhesive vinyl, there are two categories: permanent and removable. For glass, it is always recommended to use permanent vinyl for it lasts longer and has better durability that can sustain environmental challenges. It has a strong adhesive and is waterproof hence can sustain multiple washes as well.
Applying Vinyl Design To The Glass
As mentioned earlier, you can use both HTV and permanent adhesive vinyl to apply a decal to your glass. Here is a brief description of the process to ensure perfect application:
Using HTV On Glass
After the decal is cut and the negative vinyl weeded out, you will need a heat source to apply it to the glass. You can use a heat gun if the glass has a curved surface or a heat press or small iron if it is a plain, flat piece of glass. It is imperative to check the temperature recommendation for the glass you are using so that it does not break.
Once the design has completely adhered to the glass, remove the clear film on top of the vinyl and your beautiful piece of workmanship is ready to behold!
Using Permanent Adhesive Vinyl On Glass
Using permanent vinyl on glass is very easy since its adhesive is pressure sensitive and does not need any heat source to adhere. Cut and weed your design and apply transfer tape on it. Peel off the backing and paste the design on your glass applying pressure to stick it perfectly. Once you are sure that the decal has transferred, remove the transfer tape and your craft is ready.
Sealing Vinyl On Glass
Once the decal has transferred, you would want it to last as long as possible. In order to ensure that the vinyl does not come off, especially at the corners ruining the whole look, it is recommended to use a sealing agent on it.
Vinyl can detach due to excessive exposure to water, constant contact with the dishwashing liquid or soap, dirty surface, or scraping subconsciously. You can prevent this damage and assure the maintenance and longevity of your vinyl on the glass by sealing it after it is transferred. Let’s dig deeper into the idea of sealing vinyl on glass.
Different Sealants For Securing Vinyl Decals On Glass
There are different sealants available in the market that can be used on vinyl decals. Mod Podge is the most commonly used sealant on the glass. It ensures that your decal remains safe and does not come off. But that is not the only vinyl sealant that one can benefit from; Polyacrylic, Epoxy, and polyurethane also do wonders when applied on the vinyl design. Let us shed some light on their features and qualities, plus the pros and cons of each.
Mod Podge
Mod Podge is the most common sealant of vinyl on glass. It is mostly used or recommended by crafters. It has a thick consistency and is applied with the help of a brush, or you can use your fingers too but that is going to make the whole process a whole lot messier. Hence, a brush is always a better option.
The best part of choosing this agent is that it is available in dishwasher safe variety making it ideal for drinkware. However, it takes 28 days to cure, which is a lot. One might even forget that they have kept something to dry up. But if your design on that glass deserves to be protected then waiting for a month for it to cure is worth it.
A slight drawback of Mod Podge is that it leaves a blurry finish. It makes the glass somewhat translucent. You can either cover all areas of your glass with it to balance out the look or leave it over the vinyl only. The choice is totally yours.
Polyurethane
Polyurethane is another widely used sealant. The one feature that might interest you as a vinyl user is that this agent gives you two options: one is water-based and the other oil-based. Oil-based polyurethane is more reliable than water-based. It resists harsh surroundings, tears and scratches well, surviving proficiently especially outdoors.
If you need to seal the vinyl that is applied on any outdoor glass, you may want to choose the oil-based polyurethane. For indoor applications, water-based can be your choice, since it can handle the enclosed environment better.
Both kinds of polyurethane come in a glossy finish that merges well with the transparency and sheen of glass. It is also considered to be dishwasher safe but has a strong odor that can be toxic so applying it at a place with good ventilation should be prioritized.
In order to apply this sealant, just spray on the polyurethane over the vinyl design on the glass. In case you plan on applying more than one coat for sealing vinyl, which is often the case, it is suggested to wait at least 2 hours before you carry on with the second layer. Two hours of waiting time in between all the layers is enough. After the final stroke, it takes around 24 hours to cure which is not too long as compared to Mod Podge.
Epoxy
Epoxy creates a great bond with glass if the surface is smooth and dirt free. It gives an incredibly clear coating as a sealant. You can choose epoxy to secure the vinyl without any second thoughts about the final results. The only issue that you might face is during the mixing process. It is quite a job!
Epoxy has two different liquid components that have to be thoroughly mixed together in equal parts. You must keep blending the mixture nonstop for at least 30 minutes for best results. However, on the brighter side, epoxy does not require balance from the applicator. It levels itself according to the surface consequently turning out equal in all areas.
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It requires at least 72 hours to cure completely so you will have to leave your glass for 3 days to be sure that the sealant has cured and will perform well. You will also need a well ventilated space when working with it. Epoxy can definitely be your go-to sealant for glass.
Polycrylic
Next on our list of sealants is Polycrylic. It gives you the liberty to choose from its two application variants, one is the spray-on while the other is the roll-on. Spray-on is comparatively more user-friendly than roll-on. It comes in water-based form hence suggested being used indoors only.
Polycrylic is odorless resulting in effort free application. You will have to apply thin coats of this sealant. If you need a thicker coating you will have to apply in layers one thin coat at a time, after the previous one has dried. Polycrylic is available in a gleaming finish that looks alluring on glass.