Apply Truck and Vehicle Lettering
Vehicle lettering is the most cost effective way to tell others about your business, service, or interests. Vehicle and truck lettering can be installed on your car, truck or SUV using a wet or dry method. A single investment in vehicle lettering allows you to advertise your business every time you drive. For the novice, a wet method for installation is better as it can be forgiving of the typical mistakes a novice might encounter.
Steps
- Recognize that truck lettering and vehicle lettering works best when larger fonts are used. Pick fonts at least three inches tall so that others can see your lettering. Consider using colors or a scheme that is of high contrast to the body color of your vehicle. White vinyl often shows up best on windows because it reflects the sun.
- Pick an advertising slogan and add the other important data to your vehicle or truck lettering project.
- Consider a minimized format. Don't write a book on your vehicle as there will be no interest or time for a passing motorist to read it. Keep it simple... Your business name, a single advertising line of 4-5 words, and your phone number and/or a web address.
- Consider using an outline effect on the main line of your vehicle or truck lettering. Although it costs more, your vehicle lettering will gain from attention getting effects.
- Consider using a retro-reflective truck lettering product (reflective web decals). This type of product has a deep rich color tone in daylight and it reflects brightly at night. A reflective product costs a little more, but it's a small price to pay for 24 hour exposure versus daylight only lettering.
- Enhance your vehicle or truck lettering with stripes and other graphic designs.
Tips
- Select a vendor that makes vehicle lettering with a a wet release feature. Using wet system release, your truck lettering will install perfectly.
- Use custom designed lettering supplied on an application membrane tape. These letters are pre-arranged on a sticky tape that allows an entire line to be installed rather than individual letters - one at a time. Installing a whole line of lettering can be tricky. Be sure to use "wet release lettering". Wet release lettering uses an application membrane that is designed to release the letters slowly as it's being applied to your vehicle.
Warnings
- If you choose to install your lettering dry, you will have only one chance to apply the lettering. On the other hand, wet application systems allow for installation adjustments and can avoid bubbles or folds when installing lettering.
Things You'll Need
- For a wet method, you'll need "wet release vehicle lettering", a rubber spatula, Palmolive dish washing detergent and water. You'll also need to consider the grade of vinyl you will install on your vehicle. Do not use promotional or indoor grade vinyl on your vehicle! Many grades of vinyl will not last for more than a few months. The very best grade of vinyl for vehicle lettering is 7 or 8 year Engineer grade vinyl. Be sure to know what you are buying.
Related Articles
References
- A wet system installation video can be seen here: http://www.streetglo.net/decal-sticker-installation-instructions.htm (view the video entitled Truck Lettering and Boat Name decals)
