*Important -Tools needed before starting:

1 - Large flat smooth surface - Large enough to lay the decal out flat.

1 - Small squeegee or a credit card will do with a smooth edge.

1 - Small amount of narrow masking paper tape.

1- Level - A small two foot level should work fine.

1 - Calm cool collected friend that will be glad to help you out.

1 - Water soluble pencil

1) When you receive your graphic, carefully remove it from the package or tube, and lay/unroll it out flat gently onto a clean smooth flat surface such as a tabletop with plenty of extra work room.

*Note the graphic right now has three layers -

Layer 1: The thick white paper backing.

Layer 2: The decal itself sticky side down onto the backing.

Layer 3: The top layer which is a piece of masking tape that is completely covering the white paper backing and the shiny side of the decal itself.

The graphic should be laid out on the clean smooth surface with the paper backing side down onto the tabletop.

2) Using a smooth edged squeegee or credit card GENTLY begin wiping back over the tape that covers the decal, with firm even strokes form the center of the graphic outwards. Do not wipe back and forth. Try to push out any trapped air bubbles you can. The masking tape may try to curl up around the edges. This should not be a problem, wipe it gently with the squeegee and apply medium pressure wiping motions with the palm of your hand and it should hold. The masking tape is a medium tack tape that is used to pull the decal away from the paper backing layer, and then used to apply the decal. It is not meant to be the stickiest stuff in the world but works really well for transfer purposes.

*OK I'm going to say this one time. Every surface must be considered dirty and/or oily. If you apply your decal to a dirty and/or oily surface it WILL fall off in a few weeks. It's called application failure.

MUST BE APPLIED TO A CLEAN SURFACE WITH

NO SLUDGE - NO OIL - NO DIRT - NO GREASE - NO WAX

3) With a clean dirt free cloth, you must clean the surface the decal is going to be applied to. You can purchase professional cleaning products from eBay or your local auto supply store. You must make sure that whatever you use will not leave behind any kind of residue. Around the house you can use Windex and some rags to clean most of the dirt off. You must then use a mixture of 2/3 Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol and Water to remove oils, grime, and residue left behind from the Windex. You should then dampen a rag with some alcohol only, and do a final rinse. Ignore these steps and you will have application failure for sure.

*Hint if you rub your clean dry finger across the surface and it catches and squeaks, then it is most likely properly cleaned. Also be sure to clean an area that is at least 1 ½ times the size of your decal to be applied.

4) Using a clean, dry, dust, and lint free cloth, wipe dry and buff the application area completely.

*Key point the application surface must be between 60F - 90F.

A cold surface must be warmed. You can try using a heat gun, moving inside a warm garage, etc.

A hot surface must be cooled down. Cool with water before cleaning, move into the shade, or move it into a cool garage.

*Tip applying a small graphic (oh say 12" x 12" or smaller) is a snap, larger graphics on the other hand, well to tell you the truth can sometimes make you want to scream. Oh but they are so worth it when you do get it. Friendly advice here for large graphics (larger than 12" x 12") recruit some help. You need someone with a little patience that will work with you. Two hands will not be enough for large graphics.

5) Using a water-soluble pencil, mark the corners of where the vinyl will be applied. Use the level to draw you some reference lines for where you want your decal to be applied. You should use the level to be sure the lines you use to go by are truly straight. Never use lines or angles on the vehicle for level reference points..

6) Ok give the graphic one more light wipe down with the squeegee.

7) Take the graphic and line it up onto the vehicle using the marks you made, when you think you have it right have your friend tack the graphic to the vehicle with a few pieces of the masking tape.

*IMPORTANT STOP EVERYTHING. I know your excited and want to fly through this, but please trust me here. You and your friend should now take several minutes to CRITCALLY look at your placement and positioning. Once we move a little further there will be no turning back. You will be so glad you took your time and done this right it will be sick!

*Things to look for:

Make sure you are clear all the way around the decal. Are you overlapping door handles, does the graphic go across the crack in your door?

Now and right now is when you want to make adjustments. You should remove and trim your graphic if necessary to accommodate handles and keyholes. You should not apply your vinyl around the edges of doors and cracks, but instead should take scissors and trim the graphic to stop about 1/8" short of the cracks.

8) Once trimmed repositioned, and re-tacked properly, You will now apply a long strip of tape to the top of the graphic. You want half of the strip of tape to catch the top edge of the graphic, and the other half of the same piece of tape to catch the surface your applying the graphic too. Press the tape down firmly and add some extra pieces for security. You DO NOT want your graphic to pop loose when we go to remove the backing paper.

*Decision Time - You have two choices here and they are Dry or Wet?

Dry Application - Quickest and Easiest - But less forgiving - One good mistake and its ruined.

Wet Application - Slower and Cost a little more - But is very forgiving - You can fix almost any mistake as long as its wet with application fluid.

*Note - Reflective vinyl is for Dry Applications Only!

We suggest wet for those with limited experience in applying graphics.

9) Lift up the graphic from the free side and wet the application surface liberally with application fluid (vinyl application fluid is available on eBay)

10) Have your friend lift and hold up the graphic from the free side, while you begin removing the paper backing starting from right under the top where you taped it down with the long strip of tape. Your friend should hold the graphic out straight from the bottom so you can remove the entire paper backing. Your friend must be sure not to let go off the graphic or it will most likely be game over.

11) While your friend holds the masking tape that now has the decal stuck to it with the backing paper removed, you should take a breath and begin to slowly, smoothly, and evenly begin to wipe the masking layer down onto the application surface. You should wipe from right under where you taped the graphic down and outwards evenly to the bottom until the entire piece of masking tape and decal are stuck to the surface.

12) Now take your squeegee and gently wipe the graphic from the center out. Soft even strokes right now just enough to get it to conform. If you used the wet method you must be careful at first because there will be a lot of water under your graphic, and if you wipe it to hard it will move or wrinkle. Just keep wiping gently and remove as much water as possible. Then begin to wipe firmly from the center of the graphic outwards. You must wipe it down firmly and evenly to activate the vinyl's adhesive. Try to push out any air bubbles you see.

13) Squeegee it down firmly and evenly one last time.

*Important fact - The next steps will eliminate or make a lot of air bubbles.

14) Carefully peel the application tape away from the vinyl. Starting with the long strip at the top. Next we want to remove the top masking tape layer. You must peel the tape back onto itself sharply. If you pull straight up it will pull the decal right off as it has not had time to set yet. Pull the tape sharply and slowly back towards the bottom of the decal until it completely comes off. If the decal starts to peel off with the tape, carefully lay it back to the surface and squeegee it down firmly and peel again, repeat until it sticks.

Now I know when you start to see that shiny new awesome decal appearing from under that tape you are going get get excited and want to snatch that tape off and say "Lookie Here", but you just can't do that. Do it just as I said to reduce the amount of bubbles you have.

15) It is common for some air bubbles to be trapped under the vinyl. Most of these will disappear on their own after a day in the sun. If there are any large bubbles, carefully poke a small hole in it with a needle and mash the air out with your thumb. Do not screw up a good decal over a few bubbles. They most likely will disappear.

16) Lets hope you don't get a wrinkle in your decal, but if you do, before you squeegee it down take a razor knife and slit the wrinkle open down its middle, lay one piece down flat and then lay the other down on top and press down firmly. If done right you will never know it.

17) You should wait about two - three hours before you wash your car or get the decal wet again. This will give the decal time to set properly. Once the decal is set you can wash and wax your car as normal. Don't scrub over the decal with a brush, use a soft rag with mild soap to wash it instead.

Now stand back smile and enjoy!

Nirvinyls