Sideart - Vinyl onto MDF

[stigzler]

Did a quick search - confusing as ever!

So, need to stick vinyl sideart onto my MDF cab sides. Printers saying won't stick very well directly and should varnish the sides first. Sides have been handled and filled (screw holes) - so not 'fresh' MDF!

Any advice?

[jdbailey1206]

Well Stigzler I'm not sure if you have printed your art work out yet but Game On Grafix gives you the option of getting your art work sent with a sticky back.  Varnishing the side of your cab seems odd to me.  I think what your printer was alluding to was the fact that the MDF should be smooth as possible before you apply the artwork.  Filling the screw holes helps so that you don't have any indentations in the art work when you apply it to the side.  And if you are looking for a good adhesive I always recommend 3M's Super 77 for application of the art work to the cab itself. 

[Drnick]

I have done both stuck direct to MDF and to primed/painted MDF  It all really depends on the adhesive as to how good it sticks.  For side art I would go with priming the mdf with a good mdf primer and then making it as smooth as possible.   Any Imperfections in the finish will show through so make sure it is as smooth as possible.  Any imperfections are magnified 100X as soon as the artwork is applied.  So make sure you thoroughly clean down the surface you will be sticking the art to before installation,  I used a lowtack cloths and then an alcohol based wipe. The finish felt so very very smooth but once the artwork was on you could see where I had oversprayed etc.   

[jimmer]

Once MDF has been sanded there's a lot of loose material that's hard to remove from the sanded surface, and the individua fibres themselves can pull away easily. That's what causes problems sticking things to MDF surface.

I would prime the surface with a wash of diluted PVA glue. You can lightly sand it after, but not too much . Repeat the process until you get a glass finish if you want to. It dries real quick.

[stigzler]

Brilliant chaps. Cheers.

I think the vinyls comes with sticky back.

Dammit on the priming!! Masked off the sides when primed + topcoated rest of cab! Could have done it then - now not going anywhere near getting my sprayer out when rest of cab finished!!

Your approach sounds best, Jimmer. I could roller on diluted PVA and sand - if drying quick is great news!

In retrospect - wish I had done the pva priming of the router curved edges and other edges before painting - as have soaked up the paint waaayy too much.

Thanks again.