For a project I am working on, I needed to generate my own Decals. So, I bought some Hayes Waterslide Decal paper (Inkjet). Due to being a numpty I did not relise that the decals needed sealing. When I came to use them, they made a bit of a mess.
So lesson learned.
I have read up on what to seal them with. Everything I have read implies some sort of Acrylic Varnish. I have both Vallejo Matt and Gloss Polyurethane varnish, and was wondering if these will work, or do I need to get something specific.
If I need something specific, could any of you guys recommend something, ideally something I can get in the EU, as I live in Cyprus?
Hi there, I also made that first beginner’s mistake. The acrylic varnishes you mentioned are the second (which I also committed). Those varnishes also water down when soaking the decal with another failure. I now use a spray can of varnish from a DIY store (car paint type) and it does very well what it should do, namely shielding the ink from the water.
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Hi @MacGeorge8035,
I use the Hayes paper as well. I’ve coated them with the Vallejo Matte and Gloss Varnish with great success. Because inkjets use water soluble inks any clear coat used has the potential to cause them to run. First thing is to ensure the decals have had sufficient time to dry after printing. Then apply the clear using multiple passes of light coats. Allowing time for each coat to dry before applying the next. If you do that you won’t have any trouble with the decals smudging.
The non-water based clears tend to be less finicky because the solvent evaporates very quickly compared to water. They can still cause the decals to run if too heavy a coat is applied. Again, multiple thin coats is much better than a single heavy pass.
Good luck!
Does anyone know if a krylon matte finish would work like the Vallejo stuff? I’m not too sure, but I’m interested in making custom decals too (and it would be preferred to not buy more stuff lol)