This is exactly what it sounds like – you aren’t using any fluid and are applying the decal “dry”. The key to this method is to make sure when you “touch” the decal to the surface, you’ve got it stretched out as much as possible to avoid wrinkles and bubbles…once it touches the surface with enough pressure, there’s no going back. If you’re in the process of touching the vinyl to the surface for the first time, and just a tiny spot hits the surface very lightly, you should still be able to lift the decal and reposition it.

• Follow the steps above to prep your surface.
• Lay the decal on a flat surface face-down and gently peel off the paper backer (the decal should stick to the translucent application tape).
• Line the decal up where you want it to go and gently apply it to the surface.
• Working from the center in an outwards direction, smooth the decal down gently with your hands.
• Use your squeegee and work from the center out to smooth out your decal using slight pressure – but not enough to tear the decal.
• Once you’ve sufficiently squeegeed your decal, slowly peel the application tape off. If your decal starts to lift off during this process, lay it back down and squeegee some more.
• Use a needle to pop any bubbles, and use your fingers to work any air out through the holes (keep the holes as tiny as possible).

This is where you’ll use a 25% windshield washer fluid to 75% water mix in a spray bottle. DON’T FORGET – MAKE SURE THERE’S NO AMMONIA! The key to wet application is not to use too much fluid. A good approach is to hold the spray bottle far away from the decal, and using a fine mist, give it a couple of sprays, then use your hands to gently swish the fluid all over the decal and the entirety of the transfer tape.

Once you’ve lightly wet the decal, it’s ready to apply to the surface. Since it’s wet, you’ll have a few minutes to make sure the positioning is correct. You can add a smidge more fluid if it’s evaporating too quickly. Smooth the decal onto the surface using your palms, then working from the center of the decal in an outward direction with your squeegee. You need to squeegee using firm pressure (but not enough to tear the decal!) to ensure that it adheres to the surface properly. You are free to try to remove the transfer tape right away, but you’re better off waiting a little while for the fluid to evaporate. You can check progress by trying to gently pull up a corner of the transfer tape – if the decal sticks, you are safe to proceed. If the decal still pulls up, either wait longer, or you can use a hair dryer to speed up the evaporation process. Spraying the transfer tape and swooshing around the fluid on it will help the transfer tape release more easily (it will wrinkle when it’s wet enough).

• Follow the steps above to prep your surface.
• Lay the decal on a flat surface face-down and gently peel off the paper backer (the decal should stick to the translucent application tape).
• Lightly spray the sticky side of your decal with your windshield washer fluid/water mix and swoosh the fluid around with your hands so it covers all of your decal and the transfer tape.
• Line the decal up where you want it to go and gently apply it to the surface. Reposition if necessary.
• Working from the center in an outwards direction, smooth the decal down gently with your hands – be careful you don’t accidentally reposition your decal.
• Use your squeegee and work from the center out to smooth out your decal using slight pressure – but not enough to tear the decal. The wet method will require more squeegeeing to ensure there’s no fluid left under your decal. Best practice is to give your decal some time for the fluid to evaporate before proceeding to the next step.
• Once you’ve sufficiently squeegeed your decal, slowly peel the application tape off. If your decal starts to lift off during this process, lay it back down and squeegee some more. Using a hairdryer will help any fluid evaporate more quickly.
• Use a needle to pop any bubbles, and use your fingers to work any air out through the holes (keep the holes as tiny as possible).

• Measure for your decal’s placement using the base and center lines provided (or the outer edges of the decal). Tape your decal in place in place using a couple of pieces of blue painter’s tape on each side. Now place a strip of tape along the top edge of the decal, with half the width of the tape on the decal and the other half only on the surface – this is your “hinge”.
• Fold your decal up along the hinge and peel the backer-paper off. The tape hinge should be the only thing with a fold in it.
• Wet your decal using the method described above, or lay it down dry – VERY CAREFULLY lay down your decal and smooth it from top to bottom. Begin to squeegee from the hinge down until the entire decal is flat.
• Once your decal is squeegeed flat, squeegee it again from the center outwards to get rid of any bubbles. The adhesive is pressure sensitive, so the harder you can squeegee without ripping the application tape, the better.
• Carefully peel off the painter’s tape hinge and transfer tape.
• Pop any bubbles remaining with a needle. Using your fingers, work any air out through the pinholes – keep the holes as small as possible.

• Once your surface is clean and dry, lay your decal face-down on a flat surface and peel the backer-paper off.
• Wet your fingertips with a smidge of windshield washer fluid and spread it around the sticky area of the decal and application tape (be careful not to use too much).
• Turn over your decal and “eyeball” where you’d like it to be. Place the decal on the surface. You should be able to maneuver it a little bit since the back has fluid on it, but you have to be quick.
• Once your decal is in place, use a credit card or similar object to squeegee the surface from the center out to the edges to eliminate any excess fluid and bubbles.
• Use windshield washer fluid to wet the front of the application tape – it will gradually loosen the tape’s hold and make removing it much easier. If your decal starts to peel instead of sticking, squeegee again and apply more fluid to the application tape. The longer you wait, the less the tape will stick and the better adhesion your decal will have as any remaining fluid evaporates.
• After removing the tape, check for any bubbles. These can be popped with a needle and you can work the air out through the tiny hole.