How to apply Skins?
There are two kinds of phone skins and wraps that we provide here at Layers-Dubai Precision Fit and Standard Fit.
How to apply a phone skin (Precision Fit)
The key stages are as follows.
1. Prepare your setup
Before you begin the application process, it is essential that you gather all the items you need (skin, wipe, device, hairdryer) in one place, and that you have a suitable flat surface to work with.
2. Prepare your device
You should then use the alcohol wipe provided to clean the rear surface of your phone, along with the four sides, ready for skin installation. Make sure to dry the device once cleaned, but avoid any dust or dirt collecting on the device.
3. Re-attach the vinyl wrap
Now remove the vinyl skin from the wax-lined paper, move it down by an inch, and re-attach so the skin portion with the speaker hole cut outs is now unattached and away from the paper.
4. Line up the speaker holes
Line up the speaker and charger port cut outs with the speaker holes and charger port at the bottom of your device. Once aligned, apply pressure and stick the vinyl wrap down in place.
5. Turn the wax-lined paper horizontal
With the skin now attached around the speaker and charger holes like the above, remove the wax-lined paper from underneath, rotate it 90° (degrees) so it is horizontal, and then re-attach it to the skin.
6. Line up camera cut out
With the horizontal piece of wax-lined paper now acting as a barrier between the skin and your device, line up the camera cutout of your skin with the camera on your phone. Once aligned, apply pressure and stick the upper portion of the skin to the rear surface of your device. Leave the top edge and corner flaps for now.
7. Remove paper and stick
Remove the horizontal piece of wax-lined paper and stick down the remaining mid-portion of your skin to the rear surface of your device.
8. Heat and roll remaining edges
Apply plenty of heat to one of the remaining sides and progressively stick it to your device. Repeat these steps for the other side and the top edge. Leave the four corner flaps lifted for now.
9. Heat and carefully stick down corner flaps
Apply plenty of heat to one of the skin corner flaps and progressively stick it to your device. Use your thumb to press down the skin moving side to side from the base of the flap upwards, ensuring it sticks seamless against the already attached part of the skin. If you mess it up slightly, don’t be afraid to lift it, apply more heat, and try again. Repeat this step for the remaining corner flaps.
10. Heat and rub all edges for a perfect finish
With the skin now stuck to your phone, apply heat to the entirety of your device and rub the vinyl repeatedly to secure the wrap in place. This will help the skin mould seamlessly around your device, ensuring the vinyl phone wrap protects your phone from scratches and scuffs.
How to apply a phone skin (Standard Fit)
The key stages are as follows.
1. Prepare your setup
Before you begin the application process, it is essential that you gather all the items you need (skin, wipe, device, hairdryer) in one place, and that you have a suitable flat surface to work with.
2. Prepare your device
You should then use the alcohol wipe provided to clean the rear surface of your phone ready for skin installation. Make sure to dry the device once cleaned, but avoid any dust or dirt collecting on the device.
3. Re-attach the vinyl wrap
Now remove the vinyl skin from the wax-lined paper, move it up by an inch, and re-attach so that skin portion with the camera hole cut out is now unattached and away from the paper.
4. Line up the camera cut out
Line up the camera skin cut out with the camera at the top of your device. Once aligned, apply pressure and stick the vinyl wrap down in place.
5. Turn the wax-lined paper horizontal
With the skin now attached around the camera, remove the wax-lined paper from underneath, rotate it 90° (degrees) so it is horizontal, and then re-attach it to the skin.
6. Line up the bottom edge of the skin
With the horizontal piece of wax-lined paper now acting as a barrier between the skin and your device, line up the bottom edge of your skin with the lower edge of your phone. Once aligned, apply pressure and stick the lower portion of the skin to the rear surface of your device.
7. Remove paper and stick
Remove the horizontal piece of wax-lined paper and stick down the remaining mid-portion of your skin to the rear surface of your device.
8. Heat and rub all edges for a perfect finish
With the skin now stuck to your phone, apply heat to the entirety of your device and rub the vinyl repeatedly. This will help your skin mould seamlessly around the phone and create a perfect finish.
How to achieve the best results when applying phone skins
Applying phone skins and wraps is easy, but we have some top tips that will help you achieve the perfect finish every time, without any issues.
Apply heat for a perfect finish
There are two major benefits of heating up the vinyl phone wrap using a hairdryer. The first is that the skin will become more flexible, so will mould to the shape of your phone more easily to create a seamless finish. The second is that the adhesive underneath becomes significantly more sticky to ensure that the phone skin is long-lasting.
Use friction to smooth skin edges
Along with heat, friction is also extremely important for smoothing down the skin edges to achieve a perfect finish. You can apply friction to the skin edges by repeatedly rubbing your finger against the border of the skin. We highly recommend you apply heat before doing this to achieve a perfect application.
Don’t be afraid to lift and re-apply
When applying your vinyl wrap, unless you’re a wizard, it’s almost inevitable that you will attach an edge or corner slightly in the wrong position. Don’t worry though, the vinyl we use for our phone skins is premium quality so it can be easily lifted and re-attached during application to ensure perfect alignment. Please note that you should avoid applying too much heat until you are completely satisfied with the skins positioning as this will secure it firmly in place.
Use a suitable surface
A suitable surface is one that is clean, free of dust, and is not super-smooth. This will prevent any dirt getting trapped underneath your skin and stop your phone from sliding around during the application process.
Use bright lighting
Bright lighting conditions are often not considered overly important during the application process. However, applying your skin in a well-lit and bright environment will allow you to clearly see when the skin is aligned perfectly and make the application process significantly easier.
Clean your device before application
Dust, dirt and grease are not your friend when applying phone skins. Don’t let it ruin the party and clean your phone thoroughly with the alcohol wipe provided, before application. Once clean, you should dry your phone and if any dust or fluff remains on the device, you can use your hairdryer to blow it off.
Common mistakes to avoid when applying vinyl phone skins
Rushing initial alignment (stage 4)
Stage four is one of the most important stages. A precise alignment at this stage will mean the remainder of the skin falls naturally in place, making the application process much easier. The most important point to consider here is that small mis-alignments at this stage will become much more noticeable when you attempt later stages. You should take your time to be as precise as possible here and remember: don’t be afraid to lift the skin and re-apply it during this stage to get a perfect fit.
Starting with the wrong portion of skin (stage 4)
The other common mistake to avoid with stage four is choosing the wrong portion of the skin to start with. In our tutorial videos / key stages, we have carefully selected the optimal starting point that allows you to achieve the best results every time. This start point is chosen because it has the most reference points (edges and cut holes), which makes spotting mis-alignments much easier. Take your time and follow this step exactly.
Not turning the wax-lined paper horizontal (stage 5)
Getting this step right will make your life significantly easier during application. This stage involves rotating the wax-lined paper and replacing it between the skin and your device, once the the upper/lower portion is attached. By doing this, you minimise the surface area of adhesive that is exposed, which reduces risk of the skin unintentionally latching to your device and makes lining up the opposing portion much easier. Think about when you put a plaster on. The plaster adhesive is covered by two half-sheets of white paper, which are used to stop one half sticking in the wrong place while you attach the other. If it works for medics, it’ll work for you.
How to solve possible issues when applying phone skins
Bubbles: Bubbles are quite simply pockets of trapped air that sit underneath the skin. If you find that any bubbles appear when applying your skin, we recommend that you lift that portion of vinyl and re-apply it. To prevent the bubble(s) from reappearing when you stick down that portion of vinyl wrap again, you should apply plenty of heat to the affected area and then utilise a progressive technique, working from the inside out, to stick it back down. Think of the motion a bit like the windscreen wipers on a car, starting from the portion of the skin that is already stuck down and working your way toward the edge, bit by bit using a soft swiping motion. The most important thing to remember here is not to be afraid to lift and re-stick during application.
Scrunched corners or edges: Scrunched corners/edges occur when the tiniest bit of vinyl sticks to itself during the application process. If you see this happen, you should lift the skin from your device, separate the scrunches, and re-apply the vinyl as normal. Much like with removing bubbles, you should make sure you use plenty of heat before re-applying the affected skin portion and use a progressive technique. Take your time here to avoid the problem reoccurring and if need be, apply extra heat as you go. This will keep the vinyl flexible and prevent it from bunching together and sticking to itself again.
Quite frankly, applying skins is very easy and if you follow our step-by-step tutorials exactly, you will end up with a perfect finish that lasts the test of time. Most of you won’t need to use any problem solving techniques if you follow the instructions, use plenty of heat, take your time, and don’t be afraid to lift and re-stick the vinyl during application. However, if you do encounter any issues, you’ll quickly realize that our phone skins are extremely forgiving and with a little tender love and care, a perfect application can be achieved with ease. So, it’s time to get shopping for skins and wraps.
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