A complete guide to perfect self-adhesive vinyl installation

Materials required for decorative vinyl installation

To apply and hold your decorative film to a wall or piece of furniture, you'll need the following materials.

• A tape measure to measure the surface to be covered and the adhesive paper to be cut.

• A cutter to trim the vinyl and any excess once the film has been applied

• A soft, clean cloth

• A squeegee to avoid air bubbles

• And, of course, the decorative film of your choice.

Preparing for installation: clean the surface for better adhesion

Before you know how to install wall vinyl, you need to prepare the surface on which it will be laid.

To do this, it's essential to clean and degrease it so that it's perfectly smooth and clean, with no irregularities, stains or greasy marks.

Then dry the surface with a clean cloth and leave for a while to dry completely. For best adhesion, we recommend laying adhesive vinyl in a dry environment at room temperature, so that humidity doesn't interfere with film laying.

The laying stage: the best way to know how to lay adhesive vinyl

After measuring the surface to be covered and transferring it to your adhesive vinyl, position it at the top of the area to be covered.

Gradually remove the protective paper from the self-adhesive surface on the back of your vinyl and level off with your squeegee. Proceed gently so as not to distort the decorative film or form air bubbles.

If persistent bubbles form and you can't get rid of them, gently pierce them with a needle, taking care not to leave any marks, then smooth again. If you need to cover curved or angled surfaces, lightly heat the vinyl with a hairdryer to make it more malleable and pull without creating unsightly creases.

Be careful to keep the hairdryer at a reasonable distance to avoid melting the vinyl material, deforming it or even tearing it.

Maintenance: a few simple steps for long-lasting decorative vinyl installation

Once you've finished the job, trim any protruding edges with your cutter to perfect the finish. Smooth one last time with a dry cloth and you're done! If you don't know how to apply textured adhesive vinyl, you should know that this technique can be applied to absolutely all types of adhesive film. Textures include wood, concrete, metal, stone, brick and even textiles.

Finally, for daily maintenance of your wall or furniture film, simply dust it like a normal wall or piece of furniture with a dry or slightly damp cloth. If stains form over time (splashes, grease stains, dirt...) wipe with a soapy sponge on the soft side and your vinyl will be as good as new again.