Deco - E
Adhesive films offer a wide range of applications: Use our self-adhesive natural stone and wood designs to make furniture and furnishings look like new again. Create stylish accents in every living room with trendy patterns and colors.
1. Prepare and clean the surface (all applications)
Surface preparation is very important – no matter what type of adhesive film is used and where it is to be attached. Even the smallest soiling can lead to unattractive dents in the self-adhesive film. The surface must be smooth, free of dust and grease.
Thoroughly wipe off other (furniture) surfaces with a suitable cleaning product, e.g. all-purpose cleaner or wood cleaner.
If decorative foil is to be applied to untreated wood, the wood should first be treated with an acrylic-based primer.
2. Apply deco adhesive foil in 5 steps
Decorative vinyl films offer versatile possibilities for the furniture and furnishings refurbishment. The self-adhesive films are available in numerous designs and different surface structures, like wood, stone, or velour.
1. Thoroughly clean the surface to be covered.
2. Then measure the surface and cut the foil to size.
3. Loosen the back paper at one corner and peel off approx. 4 inch (10 cm).
4. Position the foil with the exposed corner at one edge. Then peel off the protective paper on the reverse side piece by piece and press the adhesive film on simultaneously with the squeegee.
5. Smooth out any air bubbles from the center towards the edges.
Tip: If you find an air bubble, you can try to lift and re-apply, but sometimes the best choice is a small nick in the film (with a needle) to release the trapped air.
Tool list:
Basic equipment is a squeegee, boxcutter, scissors, spray bottle filled with water/dishwasher detergent mixture and a soft cloth.
No, adhesive films are not intended to be walked on. The film will be scratched and destroyed.
In principle, this is possible. However, it is important to take into account whether the lacquer is resistant to plasticisers and which solvents are in the lacquer. (Ethanol/isopropanol/water/benzene are suitable solvents)
There is a risk of them leaving small residues, therefore test at an inconspicuous place beforehand.
This is generally possible. However, the surface should be as smooth as possible (e.g. no chequer plate film) and free of dust and grease.
If the bottom layer is a PP or PE film (polyolefin), for example, the adhesion will no longer be as strong as on other surfaces.
If the film is applied to an existing PVC film, it will no longer be easy to remove at a later date because the films form a strong bond.
The film should adhere in principle. However, it also depends on the condition of the surface. It is important that it is free of dust, grease and dirt. It’s best to vacuum the surface and wipe it with a damp cloth (then leave it to dry). Apply the film to the surface in one go and rub with a roller, squeegee or cloth. Gently smooth down the corners and edges of the surface.
Option 1:
Spray the adhesive residues with clean water and let it soak for a few minutes. The adhesive swells and can be scraped off with a spatula / scraper.
Option 2:
Wet the adhesive residues with a mixture of white spirit and isopropanol (at a ratio of 1:1), let is soak and scrape off with a spatula / scraper. If necessary, finish with a (window) cleaning agent.
Some water can be sprayed onto the surface in the case of non-absorbent surfaces. This makes the film easier to apply. In addition, make sure that you remove the backing paper slowly bit by bit and use the squeegee to immediately push out the air bubbles at all sides.
We recommend Pattex strong transparent adhesive or UHU all-purpose strong adhesive to help with the application in particularly critical situations. These are solvent-based adhesives where you should allow as much as possible
of the solvent to escape before the surface and film are brought together. According to the manufacturers, the adhesives
are suitable for many plastics, however, we recommend testing this beforehand to see how the surface on
which the film is to be applied reacts to the adhesive. Alternatively, you can also use water-based (solvent-free) adhesives – it is important to ensure that the adhesive is resistant to plasticisers. However, a specific type of glue cannot be recommended here.
d-c-fix® products can be purchased at The Home Depot Online Shop and Amazon. Please note that only selected The Home Depot stores sell d-c-fix® window film.