# Clear coat a vinyl decal on oak



## alangorski (Dec 23, 2014)

I'm making a bench for tying fishing flies and have a really nice cast vinyl decal that I would like to put on the flat surface and then have it "in the finish"... 

I've been reading about different ways online and most seem to apply to auto applications. Does anyone have any experience with this, advice, etc.. on how I can do this without ruining the decal.

I'm assuming that the decal does not go directly on the wood, but some basecoat would need to be applies first, then the decal, then after.. ????
I've used General Finishes before and am not sure if i want to use a poly finsih or lacquer? 

Any advice, tips, etc.. would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Alan
Colorado Springs, CO


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If it were me I would put a good level finish on the wood and put the decal on last and not spray anything over the top. The decal would bond better to finished wood rather than raw wood anyway. Then a lot of finishes yellow and a lot of finishes have solvents so strong it would be an unknown what it would do to the vinyl. Before putting any coating over the decal I would get input from the decal manufacturer as to what they can handle.


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## Woodenhorse (May 24, 2011)

The decal would surely bond well to a smooth coated surface better than raw wood. Depending on the process used to print it the ink may actually resist some coatings or completely dissolve in others. In any case, the image will not be permanent and will fade over time. If it's on top it can be removed and replaced easily. If top coated, well you know the drill. You should be able to request it to be laminated with a gloss level similar to your wood coating. The choices are usually the following: Gloss, Luster, Matte and a variety of textures, most commonly a sand paper like finish which is either a semi-matte or matte. Some decals have a permanent adhesive and some have a removable adhesive. It's important to know which you have. The latter will not hold up much more than a few months. Also important when applying a decal to the surface is to round any sharp corners. This diminishes the problem of having it start to peel at the corners or "dog ear". 
The best and longest lasting ink type is solvent. The vinyl substrate is heated to soften it and the ink, carried by a solvent, will penetrate the surface and melt into it. Other ink types generally sit on the surface. Two other popular ink types are aqueous and UV curable. The former typically has moderate to poor longevity and the latter is worst of all. Any daylight and many artificial light sources have some UV spectrum and that is what causes the images to fade. The reason the UV curable is the worst (seems counterintuitive doesn't it?) is because it requires UV light to cure (dry) the inks. If they were uv resistant they could not cure. UV inks also have some of the highest surface tension there is. So adhering anything to a UV can be difficult. A good amount of testing is the only way to be sure.


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## Woodenhorse (May 24, 2011)

One more thing; There are two types of vinyl in use: cast and calendared. The latter will shrink over time and leave a tiny ring of adhesive around it which will collect dust and develop a fuzz. Cast vinyl on the other hand does not shrink, is very pliable and will conform to surface irregularities as if it were printed directly on the surface. That's the one used to wrap a vehicle with graphics for long term outdoor use. It looks like it was painted over the entire car but can be removed with application of heat.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

I would put a couple coats of high build sealer on the wood, apply the decal, then apply 2 coats of minwax polycrylic, and you can buy it at lowes in a rattle can as well. It is water based and will not yellow at all. I have done this to several corn hole boards that I have finished for people and always had great results over vinyl decals. Works like a charm.

My personal set of corn hole boards are 4 years old and still going strong with this finish over vinyl decals. Still white as can be, and Im sure these boards will take more abuse than what you are planning on using your piece for, LOL.


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## alangorski (Dec 23, 2014)

Thank you for the input. It's a cast vinyl graphic with no sharp edges.. I appreciate all the input and I'll get the project going and then see what i come up with.. 

Thanks!
Alan


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