Custom car stickers and vehicle decals, printed in London

The material

Every car sticker and vehicle decal we print uses 80-micron outdoor PVC vinyl with UV-stable inks and a laminate over the top. The laminate is what stops the print fading or scratching; the adhesive is strong enough for motorway speeds and car washes but is classed as removable, so it comes off with a little heat and leaves no residue on factory paintwork. Expect several years outdoors before the colours shift. This is the same film used for bumper stickers and shop-window graphics, which is why the price does not change between a club sticker and a trade van logo.

Bodywork, glass or inside the window

On paintwork and bumpers the sticker goes on the outside and reads normally. On glass you have a choice: outside the window, printed normally, or inside the window, printed mirrored on clear vinyl so it reads correctly from outside and never sees rain. Inside-glass is the better option for a club crest or a business name in the rear window because it cannot be picked off and lasts longer. Tell us which when you order and we set the file up the right way round.

Sizes and shapes

Car stickers are die-cut to the outline of your artwork at any size up to A3. For reference, a rear-window name or phone number reads from the car behind at about 300 mm wide; a door logo for a trade van is usually 400 to 500 mm; a small crest on a wing or bonnet looks right at 100 to 150 mm. For one-piece graphics larger than A3, side-of-van lettering or a full livery, send the dimensions and a photo of the vehicle and we quote it as a decal.

Fitting a car sticker properly

• Wash and dry the area, then wipe it with a little isopropyl alcohol or glass cleaner. Wax and polish stop the adhesive bonding.
• Fit in the shade at a mild temperature; very cold panels make vinyl brittle and very hot ones make it stretch.
• For anything bigger than a hand, use the hinge method: tape the top edge in place, peel the backing from the top down and squeegee from the centre outwards.
• Leave it 24 hours before a car wash so the adhesive cures. After that, jet washing is fine; keep the lance a hand's width away from the edges.

Trade vans, fleets and taxis

Contact details on a van are the cheapest advertising a trade has, and die-cut vinyl is how sign-writers do it. We print door logos, phone numbers, website addresses and rear-door panels as separate pieces so you can place them yourself. For fleets, send the vehicle list and we price a set per vehicle. Taxi and private-hire plates, "no smoking" signs and fare cards are printed on the same removable vinyl.

Removal

Warm the sticker with a hairdryer, lift a corner with a fingernail and peel slowly back on itself. Any adhesive left behind on factory paint comes off with a citrus-based remover. Repainted or poorly lacquered panels can lift with a sticker, which is true of any vinyl, so test a corner on a resprayed car.

Ordering

Upload the artwork, enter the size, and the price updates on the product. You get a free proof showing the cut line, production is one to two working days after approval, and UK delivery is free. Packs start at ten stickers and the unit price falls on larger quantities. Collect from 18 Spelman Street in E1 if you are in London.