Are you tired of looking at the same old boring walls every day? Or you're simply seeking a fresh outlook to inspire your artistic soul. Then, your creative hunger has brought you to the right place. We're here to give you an instant 101 on this not-so-usual target for vinyl concept projects.

You've done almost everything by now- from shirts to mugs to caps and perhaps even more. All these small materials are a joy to customize, but vinyl on walls? Now that's an even more exciting and challenging prospect.

But only some have the desire and courage to conquer such an enormous substrate. Some simply don't know how, while others are uninformed that elevating walls through vinyl designs is a possible creation.

So before anything else, let's put an end to this myth and explain how applying vinyl on walls becomes doable:

Will vinyl decals stick to a wall?

Vinyl is one versatile product, so it's no surprise that it can be used even on walls. However, its compatibility only applies to some wall types. The surface is recommended to be finished and non-porous for the adhesive to adhere correctly. Generally, non-porous surfaces are characterized by their smoothness and are sealed, meaning no liquid or air can pass through.

Specifically, you'll find no trouble in using graphic vinyl decals on the following types of walls:

• glass wall
• plastic wall
• finished wood surfaces
• painted walls
• fiberglass
• plexiglass

And if you're planning to beautify any of the following walls using vinyl decals, don't proceed because they need vinyl-friendly surfaces.

• unfinished concrete walls
• drywall
• brick walls

But a finished and non-porous wall only sometimes guarantees a seamless vinyl application. Sometimes, numerous factors could stop vinyl from sticking to walls. So let's check these possible roadblocks to prevent each from causing hassle on your future wall bedazzling project.

6 Possible Reasons Your Wall Decals Don't Stick

1. Dirty Walls

Vinyl won't entirely stick to walls covered with dirt or dust. The wall decal's adhesive will collect all the grime, which could weaken its sticking power. Most of the time, a simple wiping of the wall with a clean and dry rag can take care of the problem.

2. Newly Painted Walls

If not done well, some newly painted walls are prone to cracking, sweating, and bubbling. So, it's better to wait at least two weeks if you're applying on walls with new paint because vinyl doesn't stick well on wet and bumpy surfaces.

3. Textured and Unfinished Walls

Again, vinyl sticks poorly on roughed-textured surfaces. If you're trying to cover an unfinished wall with a vinyl decal and find success, wait to celebrate, as it will only hold shortly. It will peel off after a few hours or maybe even a day. If you want a lasting decal, you must smoothen that wall first.

4. Cold Temperature

You'll find yourself forcing a vinyl decal stick on the wall during winter or if the wall is cold. Why? Because walls tend to be moist and wet during such seasons. If the wall is too cold, use a hair dryer to warm it up.

5. Dried-out Adhesive

Sometimes, the problem isn't on the wall but on the adhesive itself. Sometimes, crafters change their minds, switch ideas up to the last minute, and leave the exposed adhesive on standby while rethinking their design. Though they are free to do so, unfortunately, the adhesive isn't since it dries out quickly when laid bare for a long time. That's why you need to be sure and stick it fast.

6. Low-quality Products

One final reason your adhesive is weakly sticking or peeling right away is that it's made with low-grade materials. Usually, such vinyl doesn't have a strong bond because of its cheap price tag.

Knowing these common vinyl sticking issues is the best defense to avoid them. Make sure to check on these things before you start any wall projects. Now let's talk about the kind of vinyl best to use when decorating a wall.

What kind of vinyl do you use for wall decals?

Adhesive vinyl is the top choice when making large-scale decorative graphics. You may liken it to its famous sister, HTV or heat transfer vinyl, but they are two different vinyl products. For a brief comparison: HTV needs a heat source, while adhesive vinyl doesn't.

Let's briefly introduce what exactly is adhesive vinyl and how does it work?

Adhesive vinyl is a thin-layered vinyl with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and a paper backing. Working on this crafty tool is almost similar to regular sticker paper, only with adhesive vinyl. It will help if you use transfer tape.

When it comes to your options, you can either enjoy using removable adhesive vinyl or permanent adhesive vinyl.

Removable adhesive vinyl is the top choice for temporary wall graphics. And because it's non-permanent, you'll be fine switching designs even after every few months. This vinyl also gives you a worry-free application since you can remove any faulty adhered vinyl without damaging the wall paint or leaving adhesive residue. Regarding durability, removable adhesive vinyl will last longer if used indoors than when purposed for outdoor applications.

Meanwhile, if your goal is to create long-lasting vibrant stickers, then permanent adhesive vinyl is your go-to material. This type of vinyl is intended for outdoor environments since it's created to withstand extreme weather conditions such as summer heat and the shivering cold of winter. It can also deliver top-notch quality decals for indoor use but be mindful that this one's a permanent vinyl, and removing it will require the help of adhesive remover products.

Whether you choose a removable or permanent variant, one thing is sure — adhesive vinyl is an excellent choice to breathe a new eye-catching view into your plain walls.

How do I make large vinyl wall decals?

What makes this creative outing unique is the way the decal is created. Though the procedure is generally the same in making graphics for small items, this process adds a few more steps to scale the design to fit the large area we intend to cover.

For this project, you won't need an industry-size vinyl cutter since we'll teach you a simple hack on creating large-size wall decals using just the standard-size home vinyl cutter.

So, here's a walkthrough on how to cut larger-than-mat vinyl wall decals.

Step 1: Prepare your design.

To start, you need to get a high-quality image that we can scale up. Since you'll enlarge it for wall application, it needs to be a high-resolution graphic so that when the image is scaled up, it will still give a well-detailed image quality.

Next, you need to know how big you want your vinyl decal to be. It will be better if you first measure the area you're decorating for you to resize the image accurately.

Once the image has been resized, you can start slicing the image by adding a vinyl-sized rectangle with the size that fits the sheet of vinyl you're using. If you have an 11x12 vinyl, your rectangle must be the same size to chop each part precisely.

Step 2: Slicing the Design, then cutting.

Pro tip: For easier slicing, move the image to the top left corner. But instead of dragging it, adjust its place using the position setting on the toolbar. Change the X and Y axes to zero for the image to automatically relocate its position.

Before you start covering the entire design with rectangles, you also need to reposition your rectangle in the exact position your image is in so that the edges of both images perfectly align when you start slicing the design. Again, do not drag it but relocate it by adjusting its position in the X and Y axes.

Now that they're both aligned, you can start duplicating your vinyl-sized rectangle. Place them on top of the design side by side. Carefully align each rectangle till you cover the entire image. Avoid overlapping even with just a little because it will cause misalignment.

Next, send all the rectangles to the back of the image. To do this, click the rectangle and select Arrange, then choose Move to Back. Soon after, you'll see your design superimposed on the rectangle, meaning you can see pass through the image on top of the other.

Once the rectangle has been sent back, select the first rectangle together with the design, then click Slice. After this, you'll have many new layers depending on how many vinyl-sized rectangles you've created. Regardless of the number of new layers, it is critical to delete all the black layers, as they are just guides.

After cleaning out those unnecessary layers:

1. Check if all the design slices fit inside a mat.
2. Click "Make It" to see if they do fit.
3. Once they are, start cutting each part into a single vinyl sheet.

Step 3: Weeding time!

Unlike when working on small vinyl projects, weeding wall vinyl decals take a bit of time since you need to remove excess vinyl not just on one but on multiple vinyl sheets. You better have the proper tools to weed out vinyl fast.

Step 4: Assembling and layering

Before applying the vinyl decals on the wall, make sure you've put together every piece first to check if you got all the design elements. It's best to assemble it on a flat area so you'll have a smooth and continuous procedure.

Step 5: Applying transfer tape

At the beginning of this blog, I told you that transfer tape is essential in sticking adhesive vinyl. It's a transparent film that you apply on top of your vinyl. After adding a layer of transfer tape, remove the vinyl's original release liner (only if you're about to adhere it to the wall). You'll discover that even after removing its paper backing, the design is still intact and ready to be applied on the wall.

Step 6: Sticking your vinyl decals to the wall

When applying the vinyl decals, use a ruler to check the spaces, length, and other necessary measurements. Also, have a point of reference when locating the center. If you can, use a level to get a perfectly even and aligned placement. Use your scraper to secure the hold of the adhesive. Work from the center outward to flatten any creases or bubbles.

That's it! That is how you create and apply large vinyl decals on walls. Remember that there's no specific way of doing this task since different designs require different techniques. Just make sure you have everything planned carefully to minimize and avoid mistakes.

Other Vinyl Crafting Articles

Please click the links below for more blogs that you may find helpful in vinyl crafting:

AN INTRODUCTION TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF VINYL

BEST VINYL CRAFTS YOU NEED TO TRY

Do wall decals ruin the wall?

No! Adhesive vinyl won't cause any damage to your wall as long as you use the removable vinyl type. This specific vinyl is equipped with the right mix of adhesive that's just enough to stick durably and not strong enough to tear or peel wall paints when removed. On the other hand, when you use permanent adhesive vinyl, you'll need an adhesive vinyl remover, a scraper, and a lot of patience to remove it. Such chemicals and scrapping can potentially cause damage to the wall's paint.

How long do vinyl wall decals last?

Regarding durability, removable vinyl is expected to last up to 3 years of indoor application while giving you a decent 12 months of outdoor use. Meanwhile, permanent adhesive vinyl can survive for three up to eight years of being exposed outside.

Our walls deserve a makeover too! Be it a seasonal fancy or a permanent desire. Whether it's the wall in your daughter's bedroom or a dull space in your business office, you can always find a way to jazz it up. And with the help of adhesive vinyl, you will surely paint a smile on anybody's lips who'll see the wonders you've created on your walls. So go ahead! Celebrate your creativity by reimagining one wall at a time.

Remember to share these ideas with your family and friends. Also, share your crafting adventure with us on our pages.

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For your vinyl crafting needs, please check our website at xvinyl.com. We offer different Adhesive and Heat Transfer Vinyl, perfect for your next project.