Table of Contents
1. Laminating Your Stickers
The easiest and most reliable method for waterproofing your own DIY stickers is to cover your stickers with a laminating sheet.
These are typically made of PVC material and provide a thick and durable crystal clear coating that you can peel off, cut out, and place over top of your sticker.
This will not only completely waterproof your sticker, but will also make it dishwasher safe and allow for protection against UV sun rays, allowing it to be placed outdoors for 3-5 years with little to no damage to the original brightness or color of the printed ink.
Royal Elements provide laminating sheets specifically designed for printable vinyl and printable sticker paper that comes in 20 and 100 sheet packs sized in 9” x 12” for optimal coverage.
With our own laminating sheets we have tested, some of our stickers are still vibrant and have retained their original print quality since they have been outdoors for nearly 6 years.
Once the laminating sheet has been placed it will not be able to removed from the sticker without damaging it. However their is no residue left over if the glue is water-based.
2. Spraying An Acrylic Sealer
Another less popular but almost as effective method is to use an aerosol fixative spray from popular brands such as Krylon or Mod Podge.
This is commonly used on waterslide decal paper stickers to allow the printed ink to be sealed behind a protective coating which waterproofs and toughens the surface of the sticker.
After spraying your stickers allow for a couple hours for the spray to completely dry before exposing liquids. 2-3 coats of spray is ideal to fully protect and seal your DIY stickers.
These acrylic spray cans are relatively cheap and provide a strong shield from the elements however it takes up to 72 hours to fully dry.
Additionally if the spray is not applied evenly it can pool, run, or drip and ruin your stickers so use with caution.
Glossy or semi-glossy sealer sprays are recommended to retain the shiny coat and leave little to no residue, meaning dust and fingerprints should not accumulate.
3. Using Printable Vinyl Instead of Regular Sticker Paper
The third and final way to waterproof your own DIY printed stickers is to use printable vinyl sticker paper that is already waterproof.
Royal Elements printable vinyl is 100% waterproof allowing all printed stickers to be dried and ready for battle within minutes.
It is important to note that matte printable vinyl tends the be the most waterproof, whereas clear printable vinyl is mid-grade, and glossy printable vinyl tends to be less resistant to water and scratches.
Matte printable vinyl is highly durable, completely waterproof, and 100% dishwasher safe.
It is the most durable choice with only a slight reduction in print quality.
This would be best used for creating bumper stickers, water bottle stickers, and other heavy-duty applications.
Glossy printable vinyl provides a crisp, high quality image with a lovely shiny texture.
This provides the highest quality prints and would be best suitable for indoor stickers.
While placing a laminating sheet overtop would completely seal the sticker from harsh elements, glossy printable vinyl can fade or be worn down by long exposure to sun or rain/water.
Clear printable vinyl is an amazing choice for stickers with a low-profile background, similar to clear waterslide decal paper.
Clear printable vinyl is best for use on white surfaces.
If a clear sticker is placed on a dark background it will not be visible due to the contrast.
Be aware that some brands say “clear” but the decals are sometimes frosty or opaque due to the thickness of the vinyl material used.
However, Royal Elements clear printable vinyl is almost entirely clear due to the thickness and material used.
Regardless, printable vinyl is a much more suitable material choice as opposed to normal sticker paper or waterslide paper due to its resilient material.
To browse our selection of printable vinyl sticker paper, laminating sheets, and more you can visit our shop page.
Check back with us on our blog for more helpful content – you may discover something useful or inspiring.
Happy crafting!
Michael
