Transfer lettering is names, codes and door marks carried on a tape. You squeegee them onto the panel, then remove the tape. The letters stay.
Before the tape comes off the roll
Park in a clean, dry bay. Dust and diesel film sit under the letters and they peel. Wash the panel, rinse until the water sheets, and dry it. Wipe the stick area with isopropyl alcohol or a panel wipe on a lint-free cloth, and turn the cloth so you are not wiping oil back on.
Check the spelling and the fleet code against the job sheet, not against memory. Hinged masking tape lets you position a long name, lift it, and set it again. Do not trim on paint unless you have been shown how. A knife slip is a respray.
Fitting
Peel the liner. Offer the lettering to the panel. Squeegee from the centre outwards with overlapping strokes. The tape should look dull where the adhesive has grabbed. Only then peel the tape back on itself, slowly, at a sharp angle. If a letter lifts, lay the tape down and squeegee that letter again.
Do not stretch letters around a sharp return or a recessed handle. That is how they crack. Follow the sheet that came with that film. If the sheet says the film is not for wet application, do not invent a soapy-water method on the day. Large door sets should be hinged with tape, checked for level, and squeegeed twice at the edges. A name that is slightly crooked is what people notice from the gate.
Ordering
Send vector artwork where you have it, and the words in a typed note. We print what you approve. Custom lettering is quoted. It is not a same-day catalogue sticker. Check the proof on a screen at roughly the size it will be on the door, not zoomed in, so thin strokes are obvious before anyone sticks them.
Sources
- Titan Graphics fitting note. This page describes how we print and how a yard can fit stickers. It is not a legal duty.