Tips For Cutting Vinyl Rolls
Whether you’re working with standard vinyl or adhesive, these tips and tricks will help your projects come out perfect!
Rolls of vinyl are a great value and easy to store. However, you’ll need a few extra items like a weeding tool and a new LightGrip or StandardGrip mat. Make sure your mat has no creases as these can cause the CAMEO to not cut properly.
Rolls of Vinyl
Vinyl rolls can be purchased in many different sizes, but the most common are 12×3 feet or 20×20 feet. They typically come rolled together in bundle packs. This is done to keep the shipping costs as low as possible and also makes it easier to store.
When you get your vinyl roll bundle, make sure you untape it carefully. The way you untape it can make the difference between tearing or bubbling your vinyl. The best technique is to first frosted window film find a flat surface that you can work on and use a piece of tape to hold the master vinyl bundle roll (the vinyl or HTV roll with all the designs pinned to it). This will prevent your other pieces from getting stuck to it.
You can then use a scraper tool to remove any wrinkles or bubbles. Once you have everything smoothed out, you can then place your vinyl design onto your project.
It’s a good idea to swap out your blade frequently. This will ensure the cleanest cuts every time. If you notice you’re having trouble cutting the vinyl, try swapping it out for a new blade. It could be that your previous blade was just starting to wear out, or it may not have been set up properly in your CAMEO machine. Make sure your page settings are correct as well.
Designing for Vinyl
Vinyl is a plastic, film-like product that is similar to contact paper, peel-and-stick wallpaper, or shelf liner. It comes in countless colors, sheens, textures and patterns. It can be cut into a design and applied to a variety of slick, non-porous surfaces such as cups, cars, windows, and signs. It is typically sold in rolls of 12×3 feet, 5×5 feet, and 10×12 feet. It is also available by some brands in stacks of flat sheets.
When working with vinyl, it is important to have a clean surface and a good scraper tool. A lint roller, a t-shirt, or rubbing alcohol wipe are perfect for cleaning the surface you’re applying it to. It is also important to set your machine to the correct material. If you’re using a Cricut, the process is pretty simple: simply select “Vinyl” from the list of materials on the Make screen of your CAMEO or Maker 3 machine.
When you’re ready to apply your design, lay down the transfer tape and then firmly place your vinyl on top of it. If it doesn’t stick right away, rub it vigorously with your scraper tool. Once the vinyl is attached, carefully and slowly peel back the paper backing (starting from a corner). If there are any wrinkles or bubbles, simply rub it again. Be sure to wait a few hours before handling the finished project.
Pre-Cutting
When installing vinyl rolls, it’s important to pre-cut them before putting the flooring in place. This allows you to get the correct size for your room. It also helps to avoid mistakes that could cause the vinyl to not fit properly. For example, if the vinyl is too short it may be unable to cover the full area of the room. This can lead to a seam that looks unsightly and is not as durable.
To prevent this, make a template out of a sheet of paper felt or other material that will cover the area you want to install your vinyl flooring in. You can then use the template as a guide to cut your new vinyl sheets to size. This is a better option than cutting your vinyl by hand, which can result in an uneven surface that is difficult to work with.
Once you have your vinyl sheets ready to go, lay them out in the room and let them acclimate. It’s important to do this before you start installation so the vinyl can adjust to the temperature in the room. It’s also a good idea to turn off floor heat until after the installation process is complete.
The vinyl flooring options available at Greatmats are ideal for a wide range of applications. You can find everything from basic vinyl floors to specialty products that are designed for very specific tasks, such as scaffolding tarps and interior dividers.
Post-Cutting
Depending on the type of vinyl you’re working with, there are two ways to cut it. Pre-cutting involves cutting the steel coil before it goes through the roll former while post-cutting uses a profiled shear to cut the formed blanks after they leave the roll former. Both methods are common in the industry, and it’s important to understand what each does before you start cutting your own parts.
Weeding is the process of removing the “negative space” around and inside your design. This includes the vinyl outside your outer borders as well as any inside letters (see the image below). Once you’ve weeded all of this excess, it’s time to transfer the design.
To do this, remove the paper liner from your vinyl and then load it onto a standard Cutting Vinyl Rolls grip mat. Next, open your project in Design Space and choose the proper materials settings for your vinyl. When you’re done, hit the Make button and let the CAMEO work its magic!
It’s always a good idea to do a test cut before attempting a larger project. This will give you a chance to see if your cut settings are working well and that the machine is able to get a clean, kiss-cut. If your test cut didn’t completely cut through the vinyl or only partially cut it, increase your pressure or try using a different blade setting.