5 Biggest Dome Sticker Problems And How to Avoid Them

What you should know before ordering stickers!

What should you pay attention to if you want to apply convex stickers and enjoy their beneficial effects for many years? We outline the five key problems and provide guidance on how to avoid them.

1. Curved product surfaces.

Convex stickers are not suitable for sticking on strongly curved product surfaces. For example, small diameter tubes – a few or even a dozen centimetres. Polyurethane is cast flat and, after hardening, maintains this form. It has some flexibility and can maintain its shape, but only with small arcs and curves. Therefore, with large curves, regardless of the adhesive strength used, doming stickers will peel off along the edges.

What is the solution?

Only use 3D stickers on flat or slightly curved surfaces. For large curves, use traditional flat foil stickers. They can be glued to any shape and will fit perfectly.

PRO TIP: For highly resistant flat stickers to abrasion and UV, order them laminated.

2. Rough, structured surfaces.

Avoid ordering domed gel stickers on regular foils if the surface of your product is extremely rough. A regular convex sticker is quite stiff on the bottom. If your product is very rough, the contact surface with the adhesive will be very small. You don’t want your sticker to fall off after some time, do you? That’s not why you order them.

What is the solution?

Here again, it is worth choosing flat stickers, which will better adapt to a difficult surface. But sometimes it is also worth testing 3D stickers on a foil with a thicker layer of glue. Then the glue fills in the irregularities more effectively.

PRO TIP: You can order a production sample for testing at a low cost. You will then check the adhesion and fit of the product.

3. Low gluing temperature

If you want to stick convex stickers at low temperatures, it will be a problem. Why? At temperatures below 15 degrees, polyurethane stiffens more and more with lower temperatures. This is problematic for sticking, as the sticker loses its plasticity and fails to adhere properly to the product. Then the glue “will not catch”. And we do not want that.

What is the solution?

Stick convex stickers in higher ambient temperatures. If you absolutely must stick them in low temperatures, then it is better to choose flat stickers again.

PRO TIP: In the winter season, after the stickers are delivered, do not apply them immediately. Let them rest for hours at room temperature. Then the elasticity and ease of sticking will return. Also, store them at room temperature.

4. Do they turn yellow from the sun?

We’ve heard a rumour that convex stickers turn yellow over time due to exposure to the sun. How much truth is there in that? There is a grain of truth. In the past, epoxy resin was not resistant to sunlight. Over time, the 3D sticker lost its shine. Does anyone still use this material in production? We don’t know. All we know is that we use two-component polyurethane, which no longer has this problem.

What is the solution?

Order convex stickers only from trusted manufacturers.

PRO TIP: Why not choose POLINAL? We will be happy if you become our client.

5. Have they gone out of fashion?

We sometimes hear from customers that they want something more modern than convex stickers. Does this mean that their time has passed, and it is worth choosing other markings? It is not for us to judge taste and fashion, but we do recommend more modern metal emblems for some products.

In our opinion, silicone stickers utilising doming technology remain a viable solution in many industries. They are resistant to difficult conditions and are easy to clean. These are undeniable advantages. Combined with a good design, polyurethane can still beautifully present the brand.

If, despite the problems that domed stickers pose, you still want to use them in your home, start with a quote.

What is the minimum production budget? You can produce 3D convex stickers with us from EUR 400 net.

• Are we preparing designs for dome stickers?

  We prepare 3D sticker designs using graphic elements based on the company’s key visual, such as logos and corporate themes. When necessary, we direct our clients to collaborate with an external design studio.

• Are 3D labels suitable for application on vehicles?

  Yes. Because the car’s paint is smooth, 3D stickers will work well and will definitely not come off.

  The raised stickers are resistant to water and chemicals. They can be washed multiple times and are also UV-resistant. They will still look as good as new on the cars.

• Are 3D stickers resistant to water and sunlight?

  Yes. The stickers are completely waterproof. Additionally, sunlight does not alter their appearance. Our tests indicate that the raised stickers maintain their look for up to 10 years.

• Can the shape of 3D domed stickers be unusual? Does it affect the price?

  We can produce 3D labels in shapes other than square, circle, rectangle, or ellipse. The captivating shape of 3D domed stickers makes it much easier to stand out.
  Will it be more expensive because of this? Not necessarily. It depends on how the project looks.

  A complicated shape may slightly increase the cost of casting. Send us your idea, and we will review it.