How to Properly Cut Vinyl Rolls

How to Properly Cut Vinyl Rolls

Vinyl is a versatile material that can be used for a wide variety of projects and designs. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced vinyl cutter, it’s important to know how to properly cut vinyl rolls.

A good cutting technique is to create a kiss cut, which cuts only through the vinyl and not the paper liner backing. This will make it much easier to weed and transfer your design.

Choose the Right Material

Think of vinyl like a giant sticker that you can cut into all sorts of shapes and designs. It’s frosted window film used on a variety of slick, smooth surfaces—like monograms on water bottles or school logos on car windows. Standard adhesive vinyl is available in a wide range of colors, two sizes (9-inch and 12-inch widths), glossy permanent and matte removable, as well as specialty finishes such as wood and fabric.

Most people use their vinyl cutter to cut out images, words and phrases that they then apply as decals to a surface. It’s easy to do and the results are pretty impressive! It’s important to know your equipment and understand how to prepare the work area before you dive into your first project.

A clean, dry mat is essential to ensure the vinyl adheres firmly. A brand new LightGrip or StandardGrip mat works best. If you’re using a machine that has Smart Materials capabilities, select the Vinyl setting.

You’ll also need some transfer tape, which is similar to contact paper with a non-sticky side and low-tac sticky side. It’s used to lift the weeded design off the original paper backing and move it to your final project. This step helps to eliminate bubbles and wrinkles when applying your vinyl decal. It’s typically done with a weeding tool, but a seam ripper will also work.

Select the Right Machine

If you want to work with vinyl in a variety of applications, then you’ll need a versatile machine. While you can use a manual cutter for basic projects, digital machines are your best bet for larger designs.

There are a variety of digital cutters to choose from, including Silhouette and VEVOR models. These machines are known for their user-friendly software and pre-designed projects. They’re also capable of cutting a wide range of materials, including paper, cardstock, and fabric.

Another consideration when choosing a machine is its tracking capability, which is how well it keeps the blade on track throughout a cut. A good tracking system can reduce mistakes and save time. A digital servo-driven cutter can achieve up to ten times better tracking than a stepping machine.

Lastly, consider the amount of force that your vinyl cutter can generate. Depending on the type of vinyl you’re using, the thickness, and durability, you may need a higher or lower force to make sure it cuts accurately. Typically, cutting force is rated in grams of force (GF), with values ranging from low value like fifty GF for thin films to high value like 500 GF for thicker, more robust materials.

Prepare the Surface

For the best results, the surface to which you are applying your vinyl should be smooth and non-porous. Wipe it down with rubbing alcohol before you begin, and be sure to get rid of any unseen dust or oils that can keep the vinyl design from adhering properly. You can use standard adhesive vinyl on most solid surfaces, but iron-on vinyl is typically recommended for softer or fabric surfaces (although it will stick to plastic, glass, and painted wood just fine).

To prepare the vinyl for cutting, place it on the mat with its paper liner side down. Line up the straight edges of the vinyl with the white printed Cutting Vinyl Rolls grid on the mat and press firmly to flatten it out. Use a scraper tool or your hands to smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles.

You can then load the mat into your machine and cut it. Once the vinyl is cut, remove it from the mat and peel off the paper liner. If necessary, use a weeding tool found in a Basic or Weeding Tool Set to remove any negative pieces that didn’t make it through the cutting process.

If your vinyl didn’t cut cleanly the first time, you can increase your cutter’s cutting pressure in Cricut Design Space on the final cut screen by choosing More. This will usually give you the extra oomph you need to achieve precise, clean cuts.

Cut the Vinyl

Once you’ve selected a design and cut it out in your cutting machine, you’ll need to apply the vinyl to the surface of your project. Make sure that the surface is smooth and free of dust, lint, oil, or other debris that might prevent the vinyl from adhering properly. Clean the surface with rubbing alcohol or a lint-free cloth if needed.

If you’re using a Maker, Maker 3, or Explore 3 machine, you can select the material settings directly in Design Space on the Make screen. Choose vinyl from the list of materials, or click Browse All Materials to see the full set of options. Make a test cut first, if possible, to double-check your settings before cutting out a large project.

For all other machines, you’ll need to load a LightGrip or StandardGrip mat and set the correct material settings for your vinyl. If you’re using Smart Vinyl, which has a thicker backing and enables your Cricut Joy to cut without the use of a mat, you can skip this step.

Once you’ve trimmed off any excess vinyl, place the transfer tape over it. Then, use a scraper tool or a weeding hook to rub over the entire area of the transfer tape+vinyl design. This process is called “burnishing.” Doing this helps the vinyl to stick better to the transfer tape.