All you need to have to work with transfer tape is vinyl, the transfer tape and something to cut with. Often, squeegees are helpful when applying the vinyl graphic to a surface to prevent air bubbles and wrinkling.

Vinyl comes with an adhesive on the back of it and a release liner covering the adhesive. When the adhesive vinyl is cut into the shape you need, you'll peel away the excess vinyl so only your graphic is remaining on the paper backing. Then you can apply the transfer tape on top of your graphic.

When creating vinyl graphics, you'll want to be aware of how well the vinyl you’re choosing will stick to your surface. For instance, cut vinyl is often meant to be applied to a flat surface. Rough surfaces reduce how much the adhesive sticks to the substrate, making it difficult for the vinyl to stay attached.

As you select a transfer tape, you'll want to make sure the vinyl and transfer tape pair well together. Often, companies will mistakenly pair high tack transfer tape with a low tack vinyl as they apply a graphic onto a rough surface. This combination will typically fail due to the vinyl film having a stronger bond with the transfer tape than the surface.

Most likely. While it's possible to remove vinyl from its backing to its new location, it's challenging to place it accurately or prevent damage from occurring to it. Transfer tape makes the process much easier and saves you the time and money required to fix or replace an improperly applied graphic.

Medium-high tack is an ideal fit for most projects, unless the scale is particularly large.

Use medium-high tack transfer tape for:

• Most vinyl lettering, graphics, and decals
• Cricut crafting projects
• Small to large-sized lettering
• Wall graphics and wall decals
• Vinyl decals for car windows
• Frosted window graphic film

Use low-tack transfer tape for:

• Large one-piece decals
• Large graphics such as billboards, tractor-trailer graphics, etc.
• Multi-colored overlay projects

The transfer tape material you should use largely depends on the degree of precision needed. The key benefit of using clear transfer tape is the fact that it is clear. The clear quality allows you to see through the tape and place the item you are transferring with greater precision and accuracy. If you require a very specific placement of your graphic, we recommend using clear transfer tape. Otherwise, either the clear or the paper option will work well.

Application tape is simply another name for transfer tape. It can also be referred to as pre-mask. All three names describe the same product and carry out the same task. They transfer vinyl graphics. Transfer tapes can be paper or film, but both allow you to see through to where you are placing the graphics.

Yes. TapeManBlue transfer tape can be used for laser cutting projects. Our clear tape is made of polypropylene and is PVC-free, making it a good choice for this application.