# which vinyl to use for a pop up canopy



## texasjack49

I found a few similar threads but they were a little old so I posting for help.
We have a few clients who want things added to their canopies and we have a couple of canopies ourselves we would like to put text on. I plan to contact Stahls, Twill USA and Orcal next week but I was wondering if anyone has experience doing this and which vinyl would you recommed and is it holding up well? We have the 24" Graphtec, 16 x 20 press and mostly do window decals and shirts with the cutter.
Thanks


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## Blue92

I believe it's going to be driven by the material that the canopy is made out of.

A nylon canopy and a canvas canopy would require different vinyls.


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## texasjack49

Blue92 said:


> I believe it's going to be driven by the material that the canopy is made out of.
> 
> A nylon canopy and a canvas canopy would require different vinyls.


Obviously.
So which vinyl do you recommend for Canvas and which do you recommend for Nylon.
The ones we have and might do are the 10 X 10 pop up canopies. They are all nylon or some other light material. Actually, I don't know any vendors using 10 x 10 canvas canopies, at least not in our area.


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## Blue92

You're right that actual canvas is rare for tents and canopies.

Almost all are either nylon or different weight polyester.

We used Gorilla Grip on light weight 10x10 nylon canopy with great success. Did 8" by about 8' lettering on three of the sides. Was a bit of a challenge on a 15" heat press but we tacked it down with an iron for placement and then did the final finish on the heat press.

Have done a few heaver weight polyester ones with Thermo Film. Smaller graphics luckily.


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## texasjack49

Thanks Blue
We'll give it a try. At least we will be able to practice with our own canopies first.


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## binki

Use an apparel vinyl like thermoflex. I have never seen a nylon canopy, they are all poly that we have done.


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## texasjack49

binki said:


> Use an apparel vinyl like thermoflex. I have never seen a nylon canopy, they are all poly that we have done.


My two main concerns were; what will stick to the canopy material and stay in place and what temp will the material take without any damage. I think Gorilla Grip is applied at 320 deg. I'll have to look up Thermoflex, thought it was a higher temp.
Good to know that at least it can be done successfully


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## dazzabling

binki said:


> Use an apparel vinyl like thermoflex. I have never seen a nylon canopy, they are all poly that we have done.


Wouldn't it more helpful to tell them which ThermoFlex to use????
Since, you never seen a nylon canopy??

@texasjack

*ThermoFlex Plus:*

ThermoFlex PLUS will NOT adhere to nylon, dazzle cloth, shiny polyester or moisture-wicking materials

*ThermoFlex Xtra:*

ThermoFlex Xtra is specially designed for decorating nylon, leather and other heat-sensitive surfaces

*ThermoBanner2*

ThermoBanner 2 exhibits great durability with a polyester backing for easier weeding. This product is great for awnings, permanent banners, umbrellas, tire covers and flexible truck side coverings. It offers excellent outdoor durability
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ThermoFlex Plus : Canvas
ThermoFlex Xtra : Nylon

ThermoBanner2: if it meets the similarities of the products above


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## binki

I have never seen a nylon canopy, sorry. I don't print on nylon with any material. Have you ever seen a printed nylon after 6 months? It is all flaking off. All canopy prints we have done have been on poly. The were all EZUP brand though. Don't know if anyone else has a different version. 

Word of caution though. the material (vinyl) you use will shrink like crazy, up to an inch or more when you heat it. 

Preheat the canopy, then give just a few seconds of a press if you are doing multicolor or multi press because your press is smaller than the print and you will be fine.


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## dazzabling

binki said:


> Have you ever seen a printed nylon after 6 months? It is all flaking off.
> 
> Word of caution though. the material (vinyl) you use will shrink like crazy, up to an inch or more when you heat


Printed nylon? How did we get to printed nylon from vinyl application? 

Which vinyl have you had shrink up like crazy? 

We get you have done canopies before, but what does printed application and heat applied application have anything to do with one another.

Just because you have see some type of nylon flake off, was this your work?


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## binki

We don't do nylon decorating with heat applied products, only embroidery. 

Thermoflex and Siser both shrink on poly canopy material from EZUP, Siser more than Thermoflex. we have also seen Thermoflex shrink on sports jerseys. Maybe it is the material shrinking somewhat from the heat as well, but when I look closely I can see the adhesive from the vinyl around the edges, an indication to me that it is shrinking. 

We compensate by preheating the substrate and then using less time and temp for the product giving one final press at the end with regular pressure and heat to finish everything off.


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## SpecMat

binki said:


> I have never seen a nylon canopy, sorry. I don't print on nylon with any material. Have you ever seen a printed nylon after 6 months? It is all flaking off. All canopy prints we have done have been on poly. The were all EZUP brand though. Don't know if anyone else has a different version.
> 
> Word of caution though. the material (vinyl) you use will shrink like crazy, up to an inch or more when you heat it.
> 
> Preheat the canopy, then give just a few seconds of a press if you are doing multicolor or multi press because your press is smaller than the print and you will be fine.


Hi there-

Thank you for your input.

I have never seen vinyl flake off of nylon, especially vinyl that is made to go on nylon. 

Also- we have done extensive shrinkage testing on our vinyl and others and have never seen shrinkage like you are describing at all. If you are having issues with glue coming out the sides, that means that there is too much pressure.


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## binki

We do the craziet things around here. I don't think it is too much pressure. We did a multi color vinyl job and with the multiple presses we found the shrinkage to be extreme. I can send you the file if you like and you can try it out. From what I remember it was about 14 presses per side. This was for shirts though. 

For the EZUP with just white thermoflex or even a Majestic Jersey putting a number on the back with 3 colors we were seeing shrinkage of up to an inch.

you can call me at nine oh nine 6 three 8 333 niner. ask for phred.


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## dhearn

Jsisign.com

They have a material perfect for this. You use a heat gun to apply it. It ain't cheap though!


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## royster13

I think 14 presses per side is a little more "extreme" than typical use...Kind of an unfair representation of the material...


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## ntensitycustoms

I did three of Impact Canopy's Poly Pop up tents with Spectra Cut Plus from Imprintables. I printed all 4 "faces" of the canopy with large text and graphics and it worked flawlessly. It has held up for almost a year of constant abuse...I have pics if it helps!


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