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Custom Decals, Stickers + Parking Permits, part 1

Decalcomania
noun: the process of transferring designs from prepared paper onto glass or porcelain. a technique used by some surrealist artists that involves pressing paint between sheets of paper.

Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to find out more about the different kinds of stickers, decals, permits (hanging, reflective, numbered and many other kinds) that are available for your projects.


  • Let's focus the overview on a few general categories of decals, stickers and permits, which we'll describe in detail once we've narrowed the number of possibilities, otherwise there is a lot of information to cover!

Basic types of custom printed small signs: See below for KIND OF ART needed for printing, OPTIONS like numbering and special die cutting, COLORS that are specified (PMS color reference), SPECIAL PACKAGING for drop shipping requests and other costs not covered in this basic column.

Decals (with self-adhesive backs)

 Standard decals, printed on front
Two-sided decals, for application to windows or glass, has same or different message on each side
Reflective die-cut decals
Reflective decals for emergency information or emergency vehicles where the retro-reflectivity is key to use
Luminous decals that still radiate some light after an electrical failure
Super-Tac decals for adhering to rougher surfaces
Tuf decals with lamination for rough use or abrasions
Prismatic, Mirror and Clear decals for special uses
Hard-Hat decals
Destructible decals for tamper proofing
Specialty street/asphalt decals for rough surfaces
Other specialty decals

Numbered parking permits
Vehicle service reminders
Numbered and special shape inspection or vehicle registration
Truck door decals

 Bumper stickers with removable adhesive
Domed decals for automotive dealership
Specialty Wall-Tack self-adhesive decal

 As you can see, there are a lot of small-size identification decals types. 
Here are just a few of the common categories of use:

 Transit decals for metro, light rail, buses
Vehicle operator notices
Trucking load limits, height, weight, gvw, dot
Highway sign installation dates
Service dates for fleet or staff vehicles
Door markings
Equipment inventory tracking

In part 1 we cover the most common decals by material and use.

What do you need to know to order decals? 

Decals require a special kind of printing, and so ordering just one or two can be prohibitively costly, as all decals require set up, artwork, a printing method (lithographic, screen printing, digital or other) and a die cutting from a master sheet.

For example, there is the same "overhead cost" for setting up, printing and basic finishing time and materials to create one decal as there is to create thousands alike. That's why when ordering decals, look at the larger quantities to see if you can benefit from the cost savings of the project.

 Here's a quick example of a project for 2x3" decals. Take a look at the cost per decal following the project cost. 

 3 x 2 inch example in full digital color*

 125 decals $230 ($1.84 each)
250 decals $255 ($1.02 each)
500 decals $272 ($0.55 each)
1,ooo decals $340 ($0.34 each)
10k decals $1220 ($0.122 each) So you can see that the cost of each decal goes way down per unit the more you order at one time.

 *For additional cost on removable vinyl, clear poly, mirror chrome or static cling.
Extras like numbering, rounded corners, special color matching and so on will add to the costs. All costs exclude setup if file not provided exactly as needed, 5% standard industry over/under runs charged at the price rate you order, and shipping.

Kind of Art required

Sending art for a free review 

 Decal printing requires a special kind of art for correct reproduction. Factors include clear wording and spot colors if any (vector art), clear photos or graphics (CMYK art file at a minimum 300 dpi [dots per inch] at the actual print size) and clear crop marks or guides on a separate layer.
Acceptable file formats are AI, PS, ID, a correctly formatted pdf or png file. Send your file for a free review to see if it is suitable for printing through this link.








So here we have the basic part one of decals. In part 2 we will cover the short-run (small quantity) decals and magnetic signs commonly used on Truck Doors.

 Information is free to distribute with a written credit to LetterBank Signs, MyDIYsigns, ©2015 the GiralMedia Group. All rights reserved.
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