Vinyl for truck curtains

[sarahjayne]

Someone has asked me if I can do this - have been looking into it and wonder if it's a bit out of my depth.
Main concerns are - can I put vinyl onto old curtains, will I get them clean enough.
Can they be power washed when they are done or will the vinyl fall off?
Do I nned heat sources for applying?
Any info would be great - or a point in the right direction.
cheers

[mrs maggot]

its vehicle vinyl - not garment vinyl, and you will need them very very clean to get it on well, esp if the curtains are old, and have previous adhesive, fitting it is certainly not for the faint hearted, as you will be on a ladder i would think.

it certainly involves a heck of a lot more skill than placing vinyl on a tshirt - and takes a while to master

personally i would make sure i had the hang of vehicle vinyl before i attempted anything bigger, ask johnG for his thoughts as i know he does more vehicles than me.

[letsgo]

Signing up curtainside vehicles is not for the faint hearted as there are a lot of factors to take on board,applying to old curtains are the worst as they will be contaminated with ground in dirt etc.
Once applied if done correctly they can be power washed or put through a truck wash but would not do this for a few weeks after to give glue time to set.
Also as mrs m says you will need to ensure the curtains are very taught and also the help of a blow heater inside the trailer to help with the application(this keeps the curtain at a nice temp for applying warm through a lot before starting and keep heater going till finished ). I would ask the haulier if they have access to a large warehouse for the trailer to be put as the curtain will still move slightly if a slight gust of wind comes over.
Best also is a loading dock where the trailer is reversed into which will give you ease of access to both sides and you would get away with a low scaffold tower to apply the vinyl.

Gary

[John G]

I think there may be a special vinyl for this, I've never done curtain sides - but due to the flex in the material I personally wouldn't use standard vehicle grade vinyl.

If you do this job then make sure the curtains are really clean, I mean spotless. If brand new they come with a silicon type coating which after washing looks clean but once vinyl is applied it starts to peel - it needs to be washed off completely with meths or a strong panel wipe. If older they have traffic grease or film which can make applying the vinyl a problem too.

Just a though - would banner vinyl not be suitable for these?.

I would ask at your vinyl supplier for info as they'll know best.