Does anyone have a sure-fire method for removing old vinyl lettering from a boat? I got new lettering for my transom, but the old stuff only comes off in tiny pieces, leaving lots of pigment and adhesive behind. I tried methyl alcohol, acetone, lighter fluid and several types of citrus-based cleaners (Goo-Gone etc) with no success. I heard that Easy-Off oven cleaner will do the trick. Anyone have any experience with this? Peter S/V Raven
Removing old vinyl lettering
- Thread starter Wanderer138
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You can try it but...
I don't think that oven cleaner will take off the adhesive. Oven cleaner will remove the paint if your name was painted on. If you have tried all of these things without success, a last resort may be MEK. I believe that this is what they use for the mold release. I am suprised that acetone did not do the job. You may also try to get ahold of 3M, they make a lot of this tape. They may have some type of adhesive removal.
I don't think that oven cleaner will take off the adhesive. Oven cleaner will remove the paint if your name was painted on. If you have tried all of these things without success, a last resort may be MEK. I believe that this is what they use for the mold release. I am suprised that acetone did not do the job. You may also try to get ahold of 3M, they make a lot of this tape. They may have some type of adhesive removal.
G
Gerard
Heat
Try heating it up with a hair dryer and then peeling back the plastic. Don't get it to hot or the gum will stay on the boat. What does stay heat and rub with clean hands. Good luck.
Try heating it up with a hair dryer and then peeling back the plastic. Don't get it to hot or the gum will stay on the boat. What does stay heat and rub with clean hands. Good luck.
M
Michael Stuart
Be Gone
If you can get the vinyl off, like (carefully) with a razor blade, use GOO-BE-GONE to get the gum off. It works on pretty much all sticker glue. It's just hard to find in stores. It's a yellow liquid in a flat clear bottle.
If you can get the vinyl off, like (carefully) with a razor blade, use GOO-BE-GONE to get the gum off. It works on pretty much all sticker glue. It's just hard to find in stores. It's a yellow liquid in a flat clear bottle.
mis-read your post
Peter: I read your post indicating that the vinyl was off. If that is not the case, look in the photo forum, I did an article on stripe removal. The device is called a *Smart Eraser*. It worked very well for me. I have been told that it does not work on all vinyl though? Not too expensive and was very easy. Caution: Heat guns can blister the gelcoat and razors can scratch it. If you want to try some heat, I'd try the hair drier first.
Peter: I read your post indicating that the vinyl was off. If that is not the case, look in the photo forum, I did an article on stripe removal. The device is called a *Smart Eraser*. It worked very well for me. I have been told that it does not work on all vinyl though? Not too expensive and was very easy. Caution: Heat guns can blister the gelcoat and razors can scratch it. If you want to try some heat, I'd try the hair drier first.
P
Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
Removing adhesive-backed stripes and lettering...
Easy Off only works on paint. To remove anything that's glued on, warm it with a blow dryer...be careful, you only want to soften the adhesive, not melt the plastic! Do just a foot or two at a time. After you've gotten all the striping or lettering off, spray the area generously with good ol' WD-40 (which works better than most products specifically marketed as "adhesive removers"...and you already have at least 3 cans of it, so why spend money on something else that you're only gonna use 10% of at most?) and let it stand for several minutes. Use a plastic scrubber pad to remove all the (now softened and loose) adhesive residue...wash the entire area thoroughly with detergent and water to remove the oily residue of the WD-40. As with anything painted on, anything that's been glued on the hull for any length of time will prob'ly leave a "ghost" of itself because the gelcoat around it has oxidized and the gelcoat under it hasn't. You can put a lot of effort into wet sanding, compounding and polishing...or you can do it the easy way--although it does take a while to work: spray the area liberally with undiluted bleach...every day if possible...if not, as often as you can. Don't rinse it off...let it dry on the hull. The combination of bleach and sun will fade the "ghost" to the same color as the hull in a few weeks.
Easy Off only works on paint. To remove anything that's glued on, warm it with a blow dryer...be careful, you only want to soften the adhesive, not melt the plastic! Do just a foot or two at a time. After you've gotten all the striping or lettering off, spray the area generously with good ol' WD-40 (which works better than most products specifically marketed as "adhesive removers"...and you already have at least 3 cans of it, so why spend money on something else that you're only gonna use 10% of at most?) and let it stand for several minutes. Use a plastic scrubber pad to remove all the (now softened and loose) adhesive residue...wash the entire area thoroughly with detergent and water to remove the oily residue of the WD-40. As with anything painted on, anything that's been glued on the hull for any length of time will prob'ly leave a "ghost" of itself because the gelcoat around it has oxidized and the gelcoat under it hasn't. You can put a lot of effort into wet sanding, compounding and polishing...or you can do it the easy way--although it does take a while to work: spray the area liberally with undiluted bleach...every day if possible...if not, as often as you can. Don't rinse it off...let it dry on the hull. The combination of bleach and sun will fade the "ghost" to the same color as the hull in a few weeks.
C
chuck
wd40
Definitely WD40. I used it to remove the glue from the vinyl roof I removed on my old 73 Charger. It works faster than anything else I've seen.
Definitely WD40. I used it to remove the glue from the vinyl roof I removed on my old 73 Charger. It works faster than anything else I've seen.
R
Ron Mehringer
WD40 & old credit card
If possible, warm the lettering with a hair dryer to facilitate removal in larger pieces. To get the gum that's left behind off, spray on some WD40 and then scrape with the edge of an old credit card. Worked great for me. s/v Hydro-Therapy
If possible, warm the lettering with a hair dryer to facilitate removal in larger pieces. To get the gum that's left behind off, spray on some WD40 and then scrape with the edge of an old credit card. Worked great for me. s/v Hydro-Therapy
Thanks to all
I was away for a few days, but I will tackle the lettering this weekend. Thanks again for all the help. Peter S/V Raven
I was away for a few days, but I will tackle the lettering this weekend. Thanks again for all the help. Peter S/V Raven
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