There are a couple of reasons why some wall sticker kits require you to overlap two pieces of the design. Many wall sticker instructions simply say: “Overlap the two pieces”. So we have taken some time to write and film an example of how to overlap pieces to create a join.
Wall sticker designs are cut from rolls of vinyl. The design is set up in the computer and then sent to the cutting machine which has vinyl made at pre set widths. Because of this there is a limit to the size each single piece of decal vinyl can be cut- that limit is the width of the vinyl roll.
Even if this wasn’t the case, a good supplier of wall stickers will not make extra large pieces for installation because there is too much risk of falling into trouble when applying. The best practice is to break the design down into manageable pieces for self installation.
Pieces may have a gap between them in the final design, but some of them may require an overlap.
Instructions for overlapping: (These instructions are only referring to the join, there are other instructions that precede and follow after this step)
Apply the first piece which will be the layer under the join.
Make sure you fully apply the first piece removing the clear transfer tape from the front. If you do not remove the clear transfer tape, then you will be overlapping the upper layer or second piece ontop of this and it won’t work correctly.
On the second piece, peel back 10cm of backing paper away from the edge that is to be overlapped. Keep the backing paper tucked under. Because the transfer tape should be clear, this means you have good visibility to align the vinyl to create a join. It is better to create a small overlap than an accidental gap.
Once you have connected the join, apply the piece as per normal rolling down onto the wall while scraping the design down firmly with a squeegee.
Once the clear transfer tape is removed from the second piece, you can optionally trim the overlap however we don’t recommend it. The vinyl we use is ultra thin and the join will be minor. It can only be trimmed with a very sharp small size utility knife and you need to be very careful not to cut all the way through vinyl and accidentally scratch the wall behind.
Other notes about overlapping:
- If the overlapping is due to multi colour designs where the top and bottom layer are different colours, eg this image [insert image] , then make sure you remove the transfer tape from the bottom layer before applying the top layer.
- In the image above, be aware that lighter colours above may be slightly see through on the overlapped part – this is especially noticeable if placed on glass.
We have two videos that can be watched which helps detail overlapping...
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