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  • Installation Tips!

    Follow the help menu links located to the right for dealing with specific installation challenges that may arise.

    The Getting It Up guide comes with every Tacky Smack design and can also be found in the right side menu on this page. Refer to that while walking through instructions for large or small installs.

    Smaller Designs Install Video

    For smaller designs you'll need to completely remove the clear transfer tape from the white backing paper, then place the entire design onto your surface all at once. So... watch the video.

    Larger Designs Install Walk Through

    For larger designs release just a few inches at a time of the clear transfer tape from the white backing paper. There are lots of great pictures on this walk through to assist you. Check out the right side menu on this page for the link.


    Our How-To Guide on Instructables.com

    Welcome To All The Help You Need

    Congratulations! You're not afraid to ask for help. You're here because...
    1. You have questions. Ask Away!
    2. You got your package and are visiting the help section before installing. Wise decision! Just review the installation methods.
    3. You've run into some install challenges. Glad we can be of service. Find your specific issue under Installation Tips.

    post-production by John A. from subminimal

    The Business of Vinyl

    So what's this Tacky Smack all about?

    We'd love to wax on about about Tacky Smack, but instead we'll just assume that you can grasp the awesome concept of sticking wicked cut out shapes to your wall. So there's that.

    Reasons not to fear the committing to a smack...

    Don't be afraid of the vinyl wall art. It will not bite, it will not leave grossness on your walls, it will not be stuck there forever. You can change your mind, update your look, or leave it for years. You can smack it on the wall in no time, but we recommend you take a moment to do it right.

    Get this shiz off my wall so I can put up a new one!

    It's not hard to get the old Tacky off of your wall so you can Smack some new images on. It's like a sticker but easier to remove: just pick at the edge a bit and slowly peel it back. If you are worried about your surface or smacked your Tacky Smack onto a mirror or window try using a blow-drier set on low heat, then just blow on it and it will come right off. Yep. That's what I said.

  • Getting It Up (your vinyl design of course)

    *Please note: Size matters! Please review both the Larger Design AND Smaller Design installation walk-through. Step 3 and 4 vary slightly between the two (this list is better for smaller designs).

    1

    Look where you're going!

    Clean, dry and smooth should describe your surface. If you've painted within the last 3 weeks make sure your paint is completely set. We know you're real excited to get these suckers on the wall - but put on the brakes if you can stand it.

    Also, cut the individual images out and tape them up on the wall so you know exactly where you want them to go. Smacking prematurely is not recommended!

    2

    Prep your design for installation

    This step helps the vinyl stick to the clear transfer tape so you can peel off the white backing paper.

    Put the design on a table, graphic side up. Use the squeegee we gave you. (If you lost our precious gift you still aren't totally out of luck. You can use a credit card, one of those hotel room keys that you're not sure you are obligated to give back, or a rubber spatula. Don't use a metal spatula.) Press and firmly drag the squeegee back and forth across the design. Now flip it over and do the same thing on the other side.

    3

    Peel off the white backing paper

    With the design face down, start at a corner and peel the white backing paper off the clear transfer tape, rolling it back as you go.

    Some of the more complicated graphics may be stubborn, and the vinyl doesn't release as easily from the white backing paper to the clear transfer tape. When this happens, don't freak out! Just stop peeling and roll back a little, and try again. You may need to crease the white backing paper where the vinyl isn't releasing in order to coax the vinyl off. See our online help pages for images. The key to success is to go slow.

    4

    Time to Smack up your Tack!

    Carefully stick down your design with the sticky side of the clear transfer tape (and the vinyl) facing the destination surface. Use your squeegee to gently rub the design onto the surface, smoothing out any imperfections and pushing out air bubbles. The more you get the design to stick, the easier it will be to remove the clear transfer tape.

    5

    Remove the clear transfer tape

    This part can be a little tricky. Go real slow and roll back the clear transfer tape just like you did with the white backing paper. As you go, the vinyl design should remain on the destination surface. If you rush and tear it off like a band-aid you'll risk %&#$ing it up or stretching it out. Go slow. Breathe. Go slow. There are lots of tips on our help page for this part, go there now if you haven't already. Seriously, go there and find answers to your specific installation challenge. And now for the final step...

    6

    Sit back and enjoy your new Tacky Smack!

    Freals. Enjoy it. And take a picture to send to us so we can put it up on our product pages! Help us spread the love. Tacky Smack knows you have a choice, we thank you for flying our vinyl skies...

  • Larger Design Installation

    The following installation method will yield the best results for larger or more detailed designs (you can also use this method on smaller designs). Benefits of this method are: keeps the original shape of the design intact right up until it releases from the white backing paper helping to avoid challenging installation surprises; allows you to concentrate on just the portion of the clear transfer tape that is exposed since the rest of the design will still be protected by the white backing paper; you can squeegee out air bubbles before they get trapped.

    Peel away the top few inches of the white backing paper from the clear transfer tape (ensuring the vinyl design remains adhered to the clear transfer tape).

    Stick the portion of the design you just exposed to your surface. Start rolling the white backing paper off/down while holding the released clear transfer tape against the surface.

    Follow the leading edge with your squeegee, adhering the clear transfer tape to the surface while you roll away the white backing paper. Push out air bubbles along the leading edge before they become trapped.

    As you go, some vinyl may not release from the white backing paper. In this case, stick the paper back to the clear transfer tape before proceeding any further with the installation. Then crease or tightly roll the backing paper where the vinyl is sticking, and release the design to the clear transfer tape. Alternatively, you could pick the vinyl edge that's sticking until it releases, or simply try to press the clear transfer tape against the vinyl to get it to stick and/or release from the white backing paper.

    Continue until you've completely removed the white backing paper so the entire design is on your surface. With the clear transfer tape still in place, squeegee the design against the surface. Then slowly peel off the clear transfer tape, leaving the vinyl design on the surface.

    With the clear transfer tape completely removed, gently rub the vinyl design with a cloth to ensure maximum tack to your surface, and to smooth out any installation imperfections. That's it... good job!

  • Lifting Vinyl

    Our designs are perfect when packaged. Some of the more complex designs have lots of curves, thin lines, angles and corners. Sometimes during installation these elements can come out of shape or stretch, changing the original proportions. This could mean extra vinyl if a segment has been reduced, or not enough if it has been increased! If that sounds complicated, ignore the description and just run with the solution. Pictures with suggested fix following...

    This is a detail shot of lifting vinyl due to the distance of an arc being reduced, leaving extra vinyl. This is an extreme example we created for clarity with this help page!

    Locate the area where the vinyl is lifting, then using a blade splice through the design. In a thin arc like shown, cut the whole width. When only a portion is lifting, just splice where the lift starts to the edge of the vinyl.

    Lift one edge of the newly spliced arc up, smooth down the other edge, then place the lifted edge up and over the other side. Smooth down the splice, making sure to keep with the natural flow of the design.

    Look! Where did it go? You can further improve your fix by smoothing down the splice more with your squeegee, or by removing any overlap so that the two ends meet perfectly. Continue on with any other imperfections.

    Your attention to detail will be well worth the effort! Just look how awesome these Mermaid Spice beauties look...

  • Vinyl Not Releasing From Transfer Tape

    At this point, you've peeled some of the clear transfer tape and vinyl away from the white paper backing, and have begun sticking and squeegeeing that part to your surface. But alas, the vinyl is not fully releasing from the clear transfer tape. Sometimes the vinyl needs a little coaxing to release from the clear transfer tape. Easy shmeasy, follow the below directions. Once you get the vinyl to start releasing from the clear transfer tape, it will come off easily the rest of the way. Repeat where necessary if the vinyl continues to not release from the clear transfer tape.

    This image shows that the corner of the vinyl design is staying on the the clear transfer tape and not releasing to the wall.

    Fold and crease the clear transfer tape back away from the vinyl where the design is sticking. This should release the vinyl from the clear transfer tape. Sometimes you may need to carefully pick the edge of the vinyl to coax it away from the clear transfer tape.

    Now that you have a portion of the vinyl released from the clear transfer tape, use the squeegee to press the released vinyl onto the surface. Then continue to roll away the remaining clear transfer tape.

    Using your squeegee, follow the leading edge of the releasing vinyl as you roll off more clear transfer tape. Every few inches squeegee all of the released vinyl to ensure ultimate tack. Repeat, step back, enjoy your awesome design!

  • Vinyl Not Adhering To Surface

    Varying conditions with your surface may sometimes cause the vinyl to not adhere when removing the transfer tape. Examples of varying surface conditions that may cause a challenge would be: painted concrete, high gloss paint, fresh paint, dusty walls, etc.

    Oh no! The vinyl is not adhering to the surface. So... with some of the vinyl released from the transfer tape, press the design onto the surface and start rolling off more of the transfer tape.

    With enough of the vinyl released, hold down the vinyl onto the surface with your squeegee and roll more of the transfer tape away. Keep holding down the vinyl with your squeegee, moving the squeegee along the released edge as you roll away the transfer tape. The goal being that you get enough of the vinyl onto the surface to create surface tension to keep the design put.

    Roll the transfer tape off a couple inches at a time, squeegeeing the released vinyl down as you go. Then roll the transfer tape off a couple more inches, squeegee the design down. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Follow up with a soft cloth and rub it over the design to increase the surface tension. Good on ya mate!

  • Trapped Air Bubbles

    Eek! You've trapped some air bubbles between your vinyl and the surface where you smacked your design. No worries! First try forcing them to the edge of the vinyl with your squeegee, and hear them crack away as they push out into the world and give birth to babies. If that doesn't work, take a pin and poke a hole in the center of the bubble. Then apply pressure to the edge of the bubble working your way to where you poked the hole. Do this all the way around until the air has been completely evacuated and the vinyl will be nice and flat. If the the hole closes up before all the air is released, simply poke another and repeat.

  • Vinyl Not Releasing From White Backing Paper

    Sometimes the vinyl doesn't release to the clear transfer tape from the white backing paper. Assuming you started your installation by laying the design on a flat surface and rubbing both sides of it with a squeegee, nice and hard, and you're still having this challenge, then the following will remedy the situation.

    Crease or tightly roll the white backing paper where the vinyl edge is not releasing, and begin rolling the white backing paper away from the clear transfer tape. The vinyl should release.

    If the vinyl doesn't release from the white backing paper, gently pick at the edge of the vinyl to release it. Once the vinyl releases make sure it sticks onto the clear transfer tape. Then continue to tightly roll the white backing paper away from the clear transfer tape.

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