Clear Coating over Decals?

[Brian1045 28]

I'm really torn between if I should clear coat over the decals I got from vinylguy. Or apply them after I've cleared the WH.

Anyone have any suggestions or experience with this?

Brian1045

[kpinnc 11,883]

I've seen it done on other applications Brian, with good results. But, to be safe, I'd PM TD (Vinylguy) and ask his opinion...

Kevin

[joebob 45]

for sure find out if they can take the solvents you going to throw at them, and find out if there could be any shrinkage that might happen to the decal that could open the edge of the clearcoat to the decal, which would wreck the affect your trying to get

[kj4kicks 151]

If it were mine, I would not clear over the decals. Vinyl expands and contracts at a different rate than the sheetmetal. You're just asking for trouble in my opinion.

E.

[Vinylguy 4,674]

Brian

Over the years I have had many painters clear over decals.

One color of traditional vinyl is almost to thin tio feel when you run your fingers over the edge. 2 to 3 layers and you can easily feel the edges of the decal under as many as four or five coats of clear but visually they take on a painted on look which is desirable

on many jobs. custom bikes, car etc. The downside is any changes require much more work. If you clear coat and then apply the decals you can at any time easily remove and replace the decals. Most of these tractor rebuilds are well taken care of and once restored usually do not sit out in the sun days on end. The printed vinyls and laminates I use have an outdoor life expectancy of three years. This means you could expect your decals to remain as they are when you install them for up to 3 years depending on the environment. For instance if you lived in Arizona and your tractor sits in the sun all year your decals might need replaced in as little as 1 to 2 years. If you live in a mild climate and store your tractor out of the elements when not in use you might never need to replace them. I hope I am making some sense here. I have found that the inks we use today are very uv resistant and are preforming better than we expected.

So to answer your original question Clear coating a decal is really a personal choice of the appearance one wants more than anything. Also it is always good to polish your applied decals every time you clean and polish your tractor. Just that alone will enhance the life of vinyls and printed decals.

Good luck and post close ups if you clear them.

Hope Ive been of some help.

[Brian1045 28]

Awesome responses

I will most likely not clear over them. It seems like in the long run that applying them after the clear coat would be most practical. Heck down the raod I may want to change a couple of them anyway.

Below is what I may go with in the future if the Vinyl decal Master can work his magic ...

Sorry...Rough picture.

[Vinylguy 4,674]

There are 2 main types of vinyl material.

1. Cast vinyl

2. Calendared vinyl

Cast vinyl is designed to stretch around and over rivets and compound curves without trying to return to its former state. This vinyl has a longer life and is more expensive

than calendared vinyl.

Calendared vinyl works great on flat surfaces and gentle curves.

It does expand and shrink at a higher rate than cast.

calendared vinyl has improved tremendously in life expectancy over the past 5 years.

In the old days we only used it for cheap short term applications such as yard signs and banners. It would fade crack and peel in as little as six months.

that no longer is true. Many manufacturers as well as the one I used offer 6 yr calendared vinyl. When printing on vinyl I always laminate with a calendared laminate

from the same manufacturer so that both layers shrink and expand at the same rate which keeps your decals from failing for a longer period of time.

When applying decals always make sure your surface is cured dry and free of any wax or dust to ensure good adhesion. Of course you can use a wet application after you have made sure you properly prep the surface. When doing so make sure you get both the adhesive back of your decal and the surface to apply it to completely wet to prevent premature adhesion and trap air. The dreaded bubbles.

Also the material I use will remove very cleanly when needed.

again i hope I have been of some help.

I myself like Eldon would not clear over the decals

but it is a personal choice and if you plan to use your tractor and have it out in extreme conditions on a regular basis you will be better off not clearing them.

If it is for show and not go Clearing is a little bit more pleasing to the eye for some people.

[Sarge 3,463]

That is some great information , nearly every question I planned to ask after the upcoming paint on the hood of the 1277 . She does work, not a show queen at all , just want to refreshen her public appearance and stop some of the dumb questions from the general public . Most folks just don't appreciate old iron, in it's "unmolested" state .

I wondered about wet application, worked on race cars for years and that was the only way we ever applied new vinyl after excursions with the wall .

Thanks !

Sarge

[jerrell 1]

:banghead: Brian , just my 2 cents, i wouldn't use clear coat over anything. but that is my opinion. i have had 2 pickups, (both red) that had clear coat on them a chevy and a ford and they both had to be repainted after 2 years because the clear coat started cracking and peeling. i hate that stuff, of course i live where the sun is really hot in the summer and i don't have a garage, i guess it may be different if you keep them covered, i have a 05 chevy 3500 ( red) now and the clear coat is beginning to fade and look milky. my friend a body man told me , if i repaint it to just use a good paint and a good polish and change from red to a light color, dark colors hold the heat and deteriate faster. and i would be a lot better off..jerry

[Brian1045 28]

Yea...I'm biased on the clear coating. I cleared everything on this Tractor. But it will be my last time.

Any other Wh's I do in the future will be for the yard and play. So I will straight enamel them.

This one won't be leaving the garage except for dry Sundays :banghead:

[muka 9]

Just my two cents Working in the autobody shop i have cleared over decals with excellent results. I have cleared over pinstripe,door handles,emblems with no troubles.You get what you pay for with clearcoat some have uv protection so it wont fade as fast and there wont be an adhesion problem. :banghead: