How to glue a self-adhesive film

Self-adhesive film is one of the easiest ways to change the environment around you. It is often used in interior decoration. This is facilitated by the ease of its use, cheapness, a wide range of colors and a wide selection of different designs. But we must not forget that this material has its own characteristics and requires a certain approach to work. How to properly glue the self-adhesive film will be described further.

self-adhesive film Material characteristics

Today, many kinds of self-adhesive films for various surfaces can be found on sale. So, it can be designed for gluing furniture, cars, walls of premises. All of them have something in common, namely the fact that the technology uses Scotch tape. Thanks to this material combines the qualities of adhesive tape and wallpaper.

From the advantages of "self-adhesive" it is worth noting the following:

1. Moisture resistance.
2. Easy to use.
3. Resistance to high temperatures.
4. A variety of textures and drawings.
5. Low cost.
6. Ease of care.

In addition, this material can be applied to almost any surface. Whether it's plasterboard, metal, plastic, wood, glass, cork, ceramic tiles or plywood. Self-adhesive film on furniture looks especially good.

Just need to immediately prepare for one complexity, which is the main drawback of this material. This is the need to level the surface when pasting. If you do not eliminate all the irregularities, then the film will begin to flake out in time or unwanted defects( bubbles) will appear on the wall.

All you need for the work is patience. If you want to cover a large surface, then do not interfere with the assistant.

Features of work with material

Consider where this material is used:

1. Due to its qualities, this film can be used in almost any room. So, for example, it is allowed to glue in a kitchen with high humidity. Here it will help to renovate the interior without much expense, and also will keep clean and cozy.
2. Self-adhesive film will be useful in a house where there are small children. After all, they like to draw, and on any surface. With such material, you can easily erase the traces of paint or markers. If you completely do not remove everything, then the film can always be replaced with a new one. It will cost much less than wallpapering.
3. Also suitable for self-adhesive film for bathroom and toilet. Here it helps to protect the walls from excess moisture and splashes of soapy water. After all, they can be easily wiped off the film.
4. This material is also suitable for a children's room. And no matter how old your child is. Perhaps, the kid himself will help you to choose a more suitable coloring of the "self-adhesive".
5. Modern range of self-adhesive film allows you to update the appearance of the room and even completely change the style, by gluing some interior items.

If you decide to choose a film, then first of all, consider what surface it will be glued on. So, for example, for a glass material with mosaic patterns is suitable, and for antique furniture - a transparent self-adhesive film.

As already mentioned, one of the advantages of this material is the ease of care. For this purpose, it is enough to use warm water and detergent. Only do not use cleaning powders and solvents. The fact that these tools can damage the structure of the film and its color. To remove stubborn dirt, it is best to use ethyl alcohol.

Obviously, self-adhesive film can be called a universal material, allowing at a small cost to change your house the way you want. To update the appearance of your home, it is not necessary to change the situation. Self-adhesive film will help make your life brighter.

How to glue the self-adhesive film

Tools

From the tools you will need:

1. Ruler.
2. Pencil.
3. Scissors.
4. Mounting knife.
5. Felt spatula.
6. Building dryer. It is important to warm it with a glued film around the perimeter.

Preparatory work for

Before you can glue the self-adhesive film, you first need to prepare the surface. Let's offer some tips on how to do this:

1. The surface to be pasted should be well cleaned, degreased with gasoline or alcohol, and then thoroughly dried. The film is most easily applied to a smooth wall with a varnish coating. If the surface has a roughness or opacity, then it is better to cover it first with a primer or polyester varnish. In addition, instead of it, you can use the wallpaper methyl adhesive.
2. Surface of plywood, wood, particleboard, fabric, plaster should first be well cleaned of dust and particles of material. If necessary, use a filler or acrylic primer. Thanks to this the film will last much longer.
3. Before gluing the film to a metal or glass surface, the substrate should first be slightly moistened.

Cutting the material

To properly cut the film into pieces, a grid is applied on the back of the material in 1 cm increments. If there is no such marking, then it can be applied independently, without forgetting to leave a stock a couple of centimeters. For cutting, scissors or a special knife are most suitable.

In general, the process of cutting a self-adhesive film has its own characteristics. So, for example, if the pattern on the material is made in the form of a tile, then it is best to cut at the seams. If the film has a pattern with rapport, then it is cut from the front side.

The sticker of this material does not take much time. Most importantly, do not rush and be very careful. This will help avoid many mistakes when working with self-adhesive film. Wood is one of the best materials on which the film is excellent to lie down.

Sticking steps for

1. When the pattern is ready, the film can be separated approximately 50 mm from the paper substrate, then the adhesive side is applied to the surface to be glued. It is important that the size and shape match.
2. Now without haste, you need to gradually separate the rest of the substrate from the film. At the same time, the material should be carefully spread over the surface, smoothing with a cloth made of soft dry cloth.
3. To avoid the formation of bubbles, it is desirable to smooth out from the center to the edges of the web, i. E.as well as when wallpapering. This is the main job when using a self-adhesive film. The photo below shows an approximate final result.
4. The mistakes made during the pasting should be corrected immediately. The film must be leveled on the surface until it is completely clamped. Otherwise, all work will have to be done anew.
5. If you need to cover a large enough area, the surface to be treated must absorb moisture well. The wall should be cleaned and dried, covered with a layer of wallpaper paste and until it is dry, spread the film over the surface, not forgetting to fit the material to fit. Then you need to iron the film with a soft dry cloth.
6. Some types of these films very quickly grasp the surface, which can be very uncomfortable when working. It is especially difficult to adjust such a material in size. To slow the sticking of such a "self-adhesive", you can use powder and talc. If there are air bubbles, they should first be pierced, and then gently smoothed.
7. If you need to film a metal or glass surface, first it should be moistened with water, adding a small amount of detergent or soap solution. This tool helps to properly adjust the film to the required dimensions. After that, the material is completely separated from the paper substrate. Then it is gently applied to the wet surface. And, finally, dry it with a sponge or a soft cloth.

How to remove a self-adhesive

film Over time, a film pasted in its time can get bored. Then you want to change it for something new. In this case, the old material will have to be removed. And it must be removed correctly, without damaging the surface. So, how to do it right:

1. First, it's best to try using hot water for this purpose. So, the surface is thoroughly wetted, after a few minutes it is recommended to separate the film, using some sharp object. Only you need to be careful not to damage the surface on which it is applied.
2. If hot water does not help, then you can try using a hairdryer. To do this, the film must be properly heated. Thanks to this, the glue can disconnect from the surface. It is best to use an industrial hair dryer, but you can also use a common household hair dryer.
3. A heater with a fan has a similar operating principle. Therefore, it is also suitable for film removal. To do this, it is set at maximum power and directed to the surface with which you want to extract the material. Gradually the film will become softer. When this happens, poke one corner and gently pull the layer in your direction until it completely separates.

After removing the film on the surface, most likely, there will be some glue particles. They can be removed with a solvent, gasoline or alcohol. The choice of liquid depends on the material of the surface.

You can learn more about how to glue a self-adhesive film on a video: