Vinyl decals are great – they last absolutely ages and seem to always keep their colour! However, sometimes you’re going to want to print vinyl decals onto objects that need to be cleaned regularly – something like a cup or a cutting board. The issue you’re probably going to run into is that the vinyl is going to peel off super quickly and so you need to learn about sealing vinyl decals.
The best way to seal vinyl onto glass is to use a sealant spray – something like Polyurethane. Ideally, you want the spray to provide a glossy finish. The reason for doing this is that the key defining feature of glass products is their shine and clean finish. By using something like dishwasher safe mod podge – you risk tainting the colour of your glass and leaving brush strokes once the sealant dries which will ruin the look of your product.
Now that you’re a little familiar with what goes into sealing glass – let’s dive into the specifics, starting with why it’s so important to seal vinyl decals on glass on how to do it.
Contents
Why is it Important To Seal Vinyl Decals On Glass?
As we touched upon at the start, sealing your vinyl decals onto glass is going to keep them in great condition, regardless of what they are put through. This includes:
- Being put into the dishwasher – sealing the glass will help keep the vinyl heat resistant to the boiling water as well add an extra layer of protection to the glass;
- Having an everyday use – this is something like a cutting board or a plate. Not only do they need to contend with a dishwasher but they’re also used to cut, prepare and eat food – some of which may be acidic and more prone to weaken the adhesive vinyl.
The benefits of sealing vinyl decals are evident, but just how do you go about doing it?
A Brief Overview of Sealing Vinyl onto Glass
Well – there are a few things that you want to consider when it comes to sealing vinyl onto glass:
- Will it need to go into the dishwasher?;
- How much wear and tear will the product incur?;
- Do I want to keep the glass glossy?; and
- Am I happy to see brush marks?
Don’t Seal It
For the products that you are planning to eat and drink from – you’ll want to think about whether you need to seal them in the first place as you don’t want to be tasting chemicals.
By not sealing it, you also aren’t compromising the aesthetics of your products so the glass will look much nicer and cleaner than anything that has had sealant applied.
However, you’re at the risk of your vinyl peeling and not lasting as long as it would have if it were sealed.
Polyurethane Spray
For the products for which you want to maintain the clean and glossy finish, be sure to use a Polyurethane spray that leaves a glossy finish. Be sure to spray in an open space to avoid breathing in the fumes and try to ensure nothing blows into the glass whilst the spray is setting!
You may opt for a few coatings to really seal the vinyl – however, be sure not to seal anything that will come into contact with your mouth. You don’t want to be sipping wine from your snazzy new wine glasses and have a nasty taste in your mouth.
Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge
For products that absolutely must be dishwashed and you still want to seal – I would suggest the dishwasher safe mod podge as this is exactly what it should be used for. It will help preserve the vinyl decal if it’s constantly being washed.
To seal vinyl decals using the mod podge, you just want to apply the sealant with a small brush. You can pick these brushes up very cheap on the likes of Amazon or a crafts store. Just brush your design with the sealant and let it dry.
Just remember – once it dries, you’ll be left with brush stroke marks and a slightly altered glass colouring so make sure you’re happy with this before you go ahead and use this!
Now we’ve got all that out of the way – here’s how you go about sealing certain types of glass products:
How To Seal Vinyl On A Wine Glass
You’ve managed to navigate the minefield that is trying to stick a fun, fiddly design onto your curved wine glass and don’t want the dishwasher to undo all of your hard work. You want to seal the vinyl but have no idea how!
The recommendation here is to use a Polyurethane spray that has a glossy finish.
Contrary to popular belief, using dishwasher safe mod podge is not the play here. This is because it dries to the wine glass very thick.
If you want to keep your clean, crisp, beautifully transparent look to your wine glasses, you’ll need something extremely fine to seal the glass.
To do this, you would place the wine glass upside down in a well-ventilated area and give the wine glass a good few sprays. The ideal location would likely be outside on a matt of some description.
The risk with doing this, however, is that you’re very much at the mercy of the weather. If the wind blows and some grass gets stuck to the glass whilst the spray is setting – you’re going to be in a spot of bother.
To be completely honest, you may be best not sealing wine glasses at all! The reason I say this is because:
- You don’t need to worry about damaging the aesthetics of the glass;
- You can hand wash these glasses with soapy water without putting too much stress on the vinyl stuck to the outside; and
- You don’t need to worry about leaving a ring unsealed around the top of the glass to allow you to drink from it without the seal tainting the taste.
With this being said, if you’re looking for more of a lasting wine glass over a wine glass that is super shiny and natural-looking then sealing is a good way to go.
How To Seal Vinyl On Glass Cutting Boards
For glass cutting boards, you can opt to use a dishwasher-safe mod podge. However, there is a twist – you don’t want to cover the whole board in the mod podge.
First of all, when you are applying your vinyl decals – make sure you put them onto the underside of the board. This means that whenever the board is being used, no food or knives is touching the vinyl.
By doing this, you’re going to preserve the life of the vinyl decals and also ensure you don’t get any peeling vinyl in your food!
Once you’ve completed your decal – you want to apply the dishwasher-safe mod podge to your cutting board. Just make sure you cover the underside of the cutting board – the reason for this is that you don’t want to put any chemicals on the topside where your food is being prepared.
On the flip side, you also don’t want to just apply the sealant on and around the vinyl without covering the rest of the surface too. The sealant can potentially make the glass a slightly different colour and so it makes it look very clumsy if you have a big circle of glass around your decal that is a different colour from the rest of the board.
How To Seal Vinyl On Glass Mugs
Sealing glass mugs is going to be very similar to sealing vinyl on wine glasses as they are both vessels from which you drink and also that you’re likely to use a dishwasher to clean.
Again, I would not recommend a think sealant such as the dishwasher safe mod podge as it will tint the glass a different colour and will leave brush strokes from where you applied it.
The best option here, if you do decide to seal your glass mugs is to use the Polyurethane spray – be sure to cover the rim of the mug before you spray it as you want to leave an area around the top unsealed so that you can drink from the mug without risk of tasting the sealant.
The same as the wine glasses, it is not recommended to seal glass mugs as it can impact the aesthetics but if that’s not a concern for you then by all means seal them!
To seal a glass mug using Polyurethane spray, follow the steps for the wine glass – place the mug upside down in an open space, avoid breathing in the fumes whilst you spray and make sure to watch for any dust/debris that could be blown into and stick onto the mug whilst it’s drying.
How To Seal Vinyl On Glass Plates
As glass plates are, more often than not, used to eat food from – the recommendation here is to not seal plates. However, you can seal plates if you’re just using the plate for decoration purposes!
If you do go down the decoration route then the best way to seal a glass plate is going to most likely be the Polyurethane spray. This is going to likely be the case for all glass objects as the purpose of using glass is for the clean and clear finish it provides – using something like a mod podge is going to ruin that look.
Another reason you’re not going to want to seal plates that you eat from is that you don’t want to be putting chemicals onto surfaces that you eat your food from. This is because it’s likely to make your food taste icky and you don’t want to be putting those chemicals into your body!
In terms of actually sealing a glass plate, you’ll want to spray it in a wide-open space so you don’t breathe too much of the spray in. The suggestion here is to do lay the plate down so that the vinyl decal is facing towards the sky to cover it with the sealant.
If you’ve put a vinyl decal on both the front and back, make sure you seal one side first – let it dry – then seal the other side.
How To Seal Vinyl On Glass Ornaments
Sealing vinyl onto glass ornaments can be a challenge – especially if it has lots of different edges, curves and you have a specific finish in mind.
If you’re looking for a sealant that will provide a glossy finish then the Polyurethane spray is going to be best but you can always try to experiment with different types of spray. For example, you can get a Matte Finish Polyurethane spray that will take the shine away from the ornament if that’s the sort of look you’d like to go for.
Finally, if you’d like to have a brushed finish – the dishwasher-safe mod podge is your guy. Due to the use of a brush for application, the sealant will leave brush strokes on the ornament which can always add to the artistic effect.
The Best 5 Permanent Vinyls For Glass of 2022
1. Oracal 651
In our experience, the best permanent vinyl for glass has to be Oracal 651.
- Priced around $14USD per 10ft roll;
- Leaves a high gloss finish;
- Will be in keeping with the shiny aesthetics inherent with glass products;
- Perfect permanent adhesive outdoor vinyl lasting 5-6 years.
This is exactly what you want for the likes of a plate or a glass that is going to be washed and used multiple times.
2. Kassa Permanent Vinyl
- Priced around $25USD per 10ft roll;
- Can come in glossy and matte finishes;
- 2.5mm thick & compatible with any cutter;
Kassa Permanent Vinyl – although it lasts very well as an outdoor permanent vinyl, it does not weather well in the dishwasher.
As a result, the Kassa recommends washing all products by hand. It’s likely this vinyl will do well on a product that is to be sealed.
3. Cricut Smart Permanent Vinyl
- Priced at around $7USD per 3ft roll;
- Can be very difficult to weed;
- Works with the standard model of the Cricut Maker – however doesn’t work with the newer models. A mat is needed instead;
The general consensus is that this is a great permanent vinyl and boasts to be dishwasher safe! However, it’s criticised for being difficult to weed and it’s 50%+ more expensive than the Oracal 651 at approximately $25USD for 10ft of material.
4. IModeur Permanent Adhesive Vinyl
- Priced at around $28USD per 12ft roll;
- Compatible with all cutting machines;
- Guarantees to last 5 years indoors and 4 years outdoors;
- Easy to weed.
The pricing point is very competitive, however it has a shorter ‘sticking life’ than the Oracal 651 at just 4 years outdoors. This can, of course, be increased through sealing.
5. HTVRONT Permanent Vinyl
- Priced at around $16USD per 14ft roll;
- Guarantees an indoor life of 5 years and outdoor life of 3 years;
- Advertised as ‘ideal for medium term designs’.
Although this is very competitively priced, it’s lasting life doesn’t seem to do it many favours. When you’re choosing a permanent vinyl – you’re wanting something that lasts as long as possible.
This is a great vinyl if you’re on a budget and looking to seal the vinyl.
Can You Make Vinyl On Glass Dishwasher Safe?
Absolutely! By using dishwasher-safe mod podge, you safeguard your creations against being destroyed in the dishwasher.
However, don’t fret if your particular glass product would be ruined by the use of mod podge as any sealant will help to create an additional safety barrier between the glass and the hot jets of water from the dishwasher.
If all else fails, you don’t need to seal products that are using permanent adhesive outdoor vinyl as it’s so robust that it will last absolutely ages without showing signs of wear!
For items that you regularly put in the dishwasher, you’ve likely been using them to eat and prepare food from so not sealing them is probably the best choice!
Verdict
So ultimately, how do you seal vinyl on glass?
If you decide that sealing your product is the best way to go, you’ll want to use either a Polyurethane spray or mod podge coating to ensure it holds up against all wear and tear.
The Polyurethane spray is a super versatile option that avoids brush marks but requires a lot of space to apply due to the fumes.
Dishwasher safe mod podge, however, is very easy to apply and will last very well. However, it does leave brush marks which may ruin the aesthetics of your glass products.
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Last update on 2022-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. Disclaimer
