What Is the Best Vinyl to Use with Craft Metal Sheets?

What Is the Best Vinyl to Use with Craft Metal Sheets? Have you been wondering how to use Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheets and vinyl?  Ever since we started creating projects using these two mediums, we have been receiving lots of emails with questions about what kind of vinyl to use. Join me today as I share the difference between the two most common types of vinyl and which one I recommend to use with Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheets. You are going to love it!!!

New Discovery

Last year, I finally took the plunge and purchased a Silhouette. Unfortunately, it sat there for a long time unopened as I was scared to use it.  Then, one day a friend of mine told me to just open it and get started and I did. WOW!! I can’t even begin to tell you the excitement I felt at all the amazing projects I could create.

As I kept playing around with my new toy, I discovered I could cut Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheets with it and I could even combine vinyl and craft metal sheets to create some really fun, outside-of-the-box projects. I learned what vinyl works best when combining these two mediums and I am going to share this with you today.  

Technique Thursday

In today’s edition of Technique Thursday, I would like to talk about two types of vinyl sheets: Oracle 631 and Oracle 651 and which one I use when working with Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheets.

Oracle 631 “Indoor Vinyl”: This is the typical vinyl you will find in your local craft store or online packaged by Cricut and Silhouette for use with its line of electronic cutters.  This vinyl is great for your typical home decor, cardmaking, and scrapbooking projects. It’s specifically designed for shorter term applications, is the least expensive, and is easily removable from surfaces.  

Product specifications state that it is good for 3 years on indoor vertical wall applications.  It uses a water-based, removable adhesive making it relatively easy to remove leaving behind little or no residue and won’t damage most surfaces. 

Although this vinyl is suited for indoor applications, it can withstand outdoor conditions. Honestly, it all depends on exposure conditions and whether or not it is outside all the time or occasionally.  If it is outside all the time, then it will last about two years.

Oracle 651 “Outdoor Vinyl”: This vinyl was specifically designed for fleet vehicle graphics use.  This gives it great durability to extreme elements and yet it is still affordable. Although it is referred to as an outdoor vinyl, it can be used for pretty much everything such as dishes, mugs, tumblers, mailboxes, jewelry, and Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheets etc. 

It uses a solvent-based, permanent adhesive and will stay stuck down for many years. This doesn’t mean it isn’t removable, it just means it is more difficult to remove.  If you need to remove it, you can easily warm it up with a hairdryer and it will come off.  If there is any adhesive left behind, you can use something like Goo-Gone. 

When using “Outdoor Vinyl” on items that would normally be washed in the dishwasher, it is best to wash by hand to ensure it doesn’t come off.  I have placed mugs made with “Outdoor Vinyl” on the top rack of the dishwasher and it hasn’t come off, but keep in mind that all dishwashers and temperature settings are different. DO NOT place items with any kind of vinyl in the microwave.  I DON’T recommend “Indoor Vinyl” for these type of projects.

Best Vinyl for Craft Metal Sheets

As I started playing around with vinyl and Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheets, I discovered which one was best when working with our craft metal sheets. I experimented for a long time and made the same project using the same technique with both kinds of vinyl. The results shocked me. 

After much experimenting, I discovered that the best vinyl when working with craft metal sheets is Oracle 651 “Outdoor Vinyl”.  Craft Metal Sheets are non-porous, yet some of our sheets have a shiny finish and some have a matte finish but that isn’t a deciding factor in what kind of vinyl to use.

I found that the “Indoor Vinyl” would not stay on the craft metal sheet and started lifting off after a few days.  On the other hand, Oracle 651 “Outdoor Vinyl” stuck nicely and didn’t come off.  This is perfect when home decor items, cards, and other pieces in which you want to combine these two mediums.

Oracle 651 “Outdoor Vinyl” adheres beautifully when creating hand embossed pieces such as this kitchen home decor item I created for Spring Lover’s Coffee Blog Hop.  My recommendation is to use Oracle 651 “Outdoor Vinyl when using it with Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheets. 

Check out Oracle 651 Outdoor Vinyl it is available in some beautiful colors. If you are sure of what colors you want, I recommend purchasing in either a roll or 12″ x 24″ sheets as it is more bang for your buck.  If you want a sample of all their beautiful colors, then I recommend the Permanent Outdoor Vinyl Collection. 

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