What Equipment Do I Need If I Want to Make Vinyl Lettering for Painted Walls?
Vinyl lettering can make otherwise plain walls pop. It can also provide an inspirational, humorous or heartwarming message. "Dare to Dream" might work well for the wall space above a child's bed, while "Love Conquers All" may go well in a couple's bedroom and "Kiss the Cook" might be just right for an empty spot in a kitchen. Making vinyl lettering for your painted walls is not difficult and requires only some basic equipment. Does this Spark an idea?
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Self-Adhesive Vinyl
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Vinyl alone won't stick to a wall, so you'll need to find a self-adhesive vinyl. This is often sold in sheets of varying sizes at local arts and craft stores. Consider the size of the lettering you want to make when choosing vinyl. Once you cut your letters out, you simply peel away the backing and stick them to your walls.
Nonadhesive Vinyl
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While you can purchase vinyl without a self-adhering back and purchase an adhesive separately, this creates a separate step and holds the potential for mess. Once you cut out your letters, you'll have to apply a clear adhesive to the back of each one before pressing them onto your wall. If you use too much adhesive, it could create bubbles in the lettering and ooze out the sides. Use too little, and your lettering could peel off easily.
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Lettering Stencils
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You can purchase letter stencils in a variety of sizes and fonts at your local arts and crafts store. However, you can also make the stencils yourself using your computer and regular printer. Use your word processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word) to create the letters you want to use. Change the font type until you find one that appeals to you, and increase the size until you're happy with the size of the lettering. Print the lettering out on regular paper.
Cutting Tools
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You'll need to cut out the lettering you printed out before you can use it as a stencil for your vinyl. A sharp pair of scissors for precision jobs may allow you to cut around the letters, but you'll still need to cut out loops and circles in certain letters without cutting through the letters (think of the space inside an "O"). For this, a box cutter works well. You can then lightly trace the letter onto your vinyl and cut out each vinyl letter in the same manner. If you plan to do a lot of vinyl letter cutting or do so frequently, you might want to invest in a machine called a plotter, which will do this for you. However, the machines are pricey, so purchasing one for personal use often doesn't make sense.
Layout
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Once you have cut your letters, peel the backing to remove the adhesive. If using vinyl with no adhesive backing, simply flip the letters backward on a flat surface and apply your own adhesive. Using a leveler or ruler to mark, with a pencil, the spot on your wall where you want each letter to go can ensure even spacing between letters and help you get them level on the wall.
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References
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