Handle wrinkles and bubbles on calendared vinyl properly

Wrinkles and bubbles are “old acquaintances” to vinyl wrap installers. But it does not mean it is easy to get rid of them. To fix wrinkles and bubbles on a vinyl wrap film requires proper technique, particularly for calendared film. Here are some tips for you:

Some calendared vinyl wrap films do not come with air-egress and repositionable technology. For those types of materials, you have to read the wrinkles and bubbles when they occur. Then, you can react accordingly to get the best result.

Wrinkles in a long shape that are not stiff

For a wrinkle that appears in a long shape, popping like a bubble, and is not very stiff, you can poke a tiny hole at the end of it. Then, press the air out from the opposite side of this wrinkle with your finger.

It is best to use a 30-degree blade if you cannot find anything better. The smaller the hole you make, the better. If you use a wider blade like a 45-degree one, the hole you make would be too big for that. And it might affect the quality of the finish.

When you press the air out from the wrinkle, make sure you are doing it right. Do not end up pushing and driving the bubble-like wrinkle smaller because you would create a stiff crease instead.

There are certain kinds of vinyl wrap films that are more friendly, where you could use heat around the wrinkle after you poke a hole, and the material would become flat again.

Stiff wrinkles with a sharp angle on the side

You must not poke and heat for this type of wrinkle, as it would only get worse. The correct solution is to pick the vinyl wrap film up and add a bit of heat to trigger its memory.

In this way, the vinyl wrap film can relax. And the wrinkle will eventually disappear. You can then squeegee the material down again.