FAQ

DecalMyWall.com Decals are the ideal indoor removable wall decals for just about any space. Vinyl decals for walls are the easiest way to express your unique sense of style and personality. To help you learn more about the amazing wall decals DecalMyWall.com has to offer, we've provided answers to our most frequently asked questions. We hope the information you find here will help you as you begin to purchase, install, and enjoy your DecalMyWall.com wall decals.

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Wondering how to apply your wall decal? Watch our How-To videos here

Product Info

What are the wall decals made of?
How is my decal made?
What are 'Die-Cut' decals?
How are 'Die-Cut' decals different than 'Printed' decals?

Payment Info

What methods of payment are accepted?

General Questions
    -Walls & Textures
What types of surfaces can the wall decals be applied to?
Can wall decals be installed on wallpaper?
Will your wall decals adhere to all paints?
Can I apply a wall decal to a newly painted wall?
Will the wall decals damage my wall?
Can decals be used outdoors?

    -Care, Cleaning, & Longevity
Can I wash the wall decal once it has been applied?
Will my wall decal crack, peel, fade, or warp?
What temperatures is the wall decal able to withstand?
How long will the wall decal last after it has been applied to a surface?
How do I remove a wall decal?
When wall decals are removed, does residue remain on the wall? If so, how do I remove it?
What is sun fade and what causes it?
How long can I store my wall decals? Do they ever expire or "go bad"?

    -Alterations and Other Uses
What should I consider before installing a decal on a car?
Can decals on a car go through a car wash?
Will bathroom humidity damage a wall decal?
Can a clear coat be put on a wall decal?

    -Other
Are the colors on the website exact color matches to the product I’ll receive?
Is it possible to know the dimensions of a wall decal? Can you tell me the dimensions of a particular part of a decal?
Is there an allergy risk with your product?

Troubleshooting

Product Info

What are the wall decals made of?

Our wall decals are made of a very thin, flexible, vinyl. They are backed with a special adhesive designed specifically for applying on walls and other smooth surfaces.

How is my decal made?

All the decals are made using a vinyl plotter or cutter. The design or logo is cut into a sheet of colored vinyl using a swivel knife that moves back and forth on plotted lines translated by the machine into the design shape. We then add a layer of transfer tape (the clear or translucent part) that becomes useful in applying your decal to your wall.

What are 'Die-Cut' Decals?

'Die-Cut' simply means, that the decal is 'cut out' into the shape or design shown in the decal thumbnail image on the product pages. If the design comes in more than one color, each color part of the design will cut separately from the other colors. At this time, we do not produce 'printed' decals. See next question.

How are 'Die-Cut' decals different than 'Printed' decals?

'Die-Cut' is different that 'Printed' vinyl in that it is cut into a single color only, and not printed into a full color spectrum, like a computer printer. What this means is that in the images shown on the decal product pages, the part of the design that is black is what is 'cut out' into the vinyl.

Payment Info

What methods of payment are accepted?

We use an encrypted and secure payment gateway. Acceptable forms of payment include Credit/Debit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover) as well as PayPal and Google Checkout.

General Questions
    -Walls & Textures

What types of surfaces can the wall decals be applied to?

Our Wall Decals can be applied to just about any clean, smooth, and weather-resistant surface that is free of dust, grease, or other contaminates. DecalMyWall.com Wall Decals may not adhere to heavily-textured surfaces, but can adhere to lightly textured walls. We strongly discourage installation of wall decals on certain surfaces such as brick, stucco, concrete block, suede paints, and sand paints.

Can wall decals be installed on wallpaper?

Yes. Our Wall Decals can be applied to certain types of wallpaper; however, wallpaper can vary widely in texture and quality. Also, some wall decals may not release from certain wallpapers without causing damage. Please contact us for a sample to test your surface before placing an order.

Will your wall decals adhere to all paints?

Our wall decals install easily on the most common types of home interior paints, such as latex- and oil-based. They will also work on other paints, although some highly textured paints or paints with additives can make application extremely difficult.

Examples of paints that fall into this category are faux, magnetic, sand, and suede paints. Before ordering, please request a sample and test in an inconspicuous area to see whether a wall decal will work with your paint.

Can I apply a wall decal to a newly painted wall?

Freshly painted walls should be allowed to cure for at least two weeks before you apply your wall decals.

Will the wall decals damage my wall?

When walls have been prepared as recommended and properly maintained after application of the wall decal, most people have no wall damage when wall decals are removed. Please be aware that, as with any decorative medium, there is potential for wall damage.

Can decals be used outdoors?

Yes, our decals can be used outdoors. Make sure the surface is clean and dry and free of dirt and debris. Some examples of successful applications are automobiles; exterior windows and doors of homes; exterior home decorations, such as treated boards or metal objects like mailboxes; exterior signs; and so on. When applied to exterior surfaces, expect a shortened product life due to exposure to weather and other elements. For longer outdoor product life, try our Premium vinyl.

    -Care, Cleaning, & Longevity

Can I wash the wall decal once it has been applied?

Yes. We recommend that you use a soft cloth or sponge dampened with cool water to clean your wall decal. Avoid using cleaners that contain alcohol, abrasives, citrus additives, or ammonias. When a wall decal is applied on a window or mirror, take special care to avoid glass cleaners that contain alcohol, ammonia, or citrus additives.

Will my wall decal crack, peel, fade, or warp?

When a wall decal has been applied as directed and is protected from direct sunlight and harsh weather, you should not have issues with cracking, peeling, fading, or warping.

What temperatures is the wall decal able to withstand?

Once installed, our wall decal will withstand a temperature range between -20°F and +150°F

How long will the wall decal last after it has been applied to a surface?

DecalMyWall.com wall decals are not intended for permanent application; however, they can last for months or years depending on the surface and environment. Wall Decals applied indoors can last significantly longer than wall decals applied outdoors where they are exposed to weather. For a permanent solution try our "Paint by Decals".

How do I remove a wall decal?

When you are ready to remove a wall decal, warm it slightly with a blow dryer on the low heat setting.

NOTE: Use care to avoid overheating the wall decal (this will warp or disfigure the wall decal) and/or wall to avoid damage.

Hold the blow dryer approximately eight inches away from the wall decal, taking care not to overheat your paint. Gently lift a corner of each letter or design with a fingernail and pull down slowly.

When wall decals are removed, does residue remain on the wall? If so, how do I remove it?

Typically, our wall decals do not leave a sticky residue; however, several factors can affect this, including the length of time the wall decal has been displayed on a surface. If some residue remains upon removal of a wall decal, try using isopropyl alcohol or other residue removers to remove it. As always, follow the manufacturer's recommendations to avoid damage to your surface.

What is sun fade and what causes it?

Sun fade, also known as shading or ghosting, can occur when exposure to sunlight causes a surface to fade or darken. For example, framed art can prevent the wall treatment behind it from fading at the same rate as the rest of the wall because sunlight never reaches it. When the art is moved to a new position on the wall, a darker spot remains. The same thing can happen with a wall decal depending on its placement, the amount of light it receives, and the surface to which it is applied.

Sun fading can happen to almost any surface regardless of the treatment applied (paint, fabric, stain, lacquer, and so on), but it is most common with oil-based paint. Sun fade is not caused by the material used in the manufacture of the vinyl.

How long can I store my wall decals? Do they ever expire or "go bad"?

Although wall decals can be stored for up to six months depending on storage conditions. We strongly recommend that you apply your wall decals quickly (within 24-72 hours of receipt) for the best results. Once wall decals have been applied, they can last for several months or even years, depending on the environment where they are applied.

    -Alterations and Other Uses

What should I consider before installing a decal on a car?

Keep in mind that the chances of damage to a decal applied on the exterior of a vehicle may increase due to exposure to the elements and impact from road debris.

NOTE: Use of an ice scraper will destroy decals applied on window exteriors.

Typically, windshield wipers and rear defrosters do not interfere with decals installed on glass.

Can decals on a car go through a car wash?

An automatic car wash should not ruin a decal. If a car is being washed with a hand-held pressure washer, extra care should be used to avoid directing the washer stream on the decal at close range or for an extended period of time.

Will bathroom humidity damage a wall decal?

No. Once applied, wall decals can withstand the heat and humidity generated in a bathroom environment. However, please be aware that prolonged exposure to heat and humidity will weaken the adhesive over time.

Can a clear coat be put on a wall decal?

Clear coating may provide additional protection for a wall decal, depending on the coating's chemical composition. Check the clear coat label for details and use caution. Solvents in some clear coatings, such as lacquers and varnishes, can break down the wall decal and/or adhesive.

    -Other

Are the colors on the website exact color matches to the product I’ll receive?

We make every effort to accurately represent product colors. However, due to the nature of printed materials and computer monitors, the actual color of products may vary slightly.

Is it possible to know the exact dimensions of a wall decal? Can you tell me the dimensions of a particular part of a decal?

If you are ordering a wall decal, overall dimension information is provided.

Wall Decals are stored in our system as graphic images. Depending on the size you choose for your wall decal, the entire image, including the text, is enlarged or reduced. This makes it impossible for us to measure one part of a wall decal.

Is there an allergy risk with your product?

The adhesives used on our wall decal contain natural rubber latex. If you have an allergy to latex, use caution when applying any wall decal.

Troubleshooting

I can't get my wall decal to transfer to my surface; what do you suggest?

Wondering how to apply your wall decal? Watch our How-To videos here

NOTE: Use care to avoid overheating the wall decal (this will warp or disfigure the wall decal) and/or wall to avoid damage.

For example, to apply a wall decal on your front door when the outside temperature is below freezing, use a blow dryer to warm the exterior surface of the door to room temperature before you apply the wall decal. Then, once the wall decal has been applied, continue to warm the surface for awhile to allow the adhesive time to bond to the surface.

Tip: Depending on the temperature outside, sometimes the finished surface on the inside of an exterior wall can be colder than room temperature.

• Avoid applying wall decals when the climate is very humid, this will make it very difficult to release from the transfer tape.

• Make sure there is no residue on a wall surface such as grease, smoke, dust, or soot. Even cigarette smoke can cause a buildup on surfaces.

If you cleaned your wall, make sure there is no leftover residue and that the wall is completely dry. Often, a wall surface feels dry to the touch but moisture has been absorbed into the wall material beneath. This moisture is released to the surface as the wall continues to dry, breaking the adhesive bond and pushing the wall decal off the surface.

• As you remove the transfer tape, try firmly pressing the wall decal on the wall with your thumb or a dry rag.

• Squeegee the wall decal onto the surface. Then, using a sponge, dampen the top of the transfer tape before you peel it away. This will help the wall decal release from the tape.

• If a surface is heavily textured, some wall decals may not adhere to it as well as other surfaces. If this is the case, you may want to apply the wall decal to another surface that has less texture, such as one of your accessories or furniture. If the surface is lightly to moderately textured and it seems like the wall decal should be able to adhere to it, try using a blow-dryer on the low heat setting.

I installed a wall decal but it is starting to peel off. What do I do?

If part of a wall decal starts to come off a surface, use washable glue, such as a glue stick or wallpaper paste or glue, to reattach it. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and test the adhesive in an inconspicuous place before applying it to your wall decal. If you need one, contact us for a sample.

If my walls are too textured, what other options do I have for displaying my wall decal?

If you have heavily-textured walls, you can choose from many options to display your wall decal. For example, you can install a wall decal on a flat, smooth surface that you can hang on your wall such as a board, glass, or a mirror. You can also display wall decals on tiles, metal, and blocks, among other surfaces.