There’s no shortage of ways to advertise your business, but magnetic stickers for cars are one of the most cost-effective solutions. Magnetic car signs are affordable, and they offer the versatility of being able to remove and apply them whenever you want. The only challenge is that magnetic car signs won’t stick to car panels that are made of aluminum or plastic. In this article we’re going to see what you can do to make magnetic signs stick to aluminum cars.
The Problem with Magnetic Signs and Aluminum Cars
Aluminum and plastic have become increasingly popular with car manufacturers. These materials are light and strong, they look good, and they’re easy to work with. But, they aren’t magnetic, and that creates a problem for business owners that want signage on their vehicles. If you’re trading up to a new vehicle and want to reuse magnetic signage, it’s a good idea to check what the panels are made of. Manufacturers like Audi, BMW and Tesla now commonly use aluminum in their cars, and a quick test with a magnet could save you from having to invest in new signage later.
Alternative Ways to Stick Magnetic Signs to Aluminum Panels
There’s no simple way to stick magnetic signs to aluminum car panels. We recommend investing in adhesive vinyl signage wherever possible. If you’re determined to keep your magnetic signs, there are two alternative ways to stick them to your vehicle:
- Static gripper pads – Third-party companies now produce gripper pads that use static electricity to hold magnetic signs to aluminum car panels. These gripper pads offer similar performance to magnets, and they allow the sign to be removed and applied at will.
- Foam trim tape – Weatherproof foam trim tape is a staple of the sign making industry. Although it’s not ideal, it can be used to temporarily secure a magnetic sign to an aluminum car. Foam trim tape isn’t easy to remove after it has been applied, so make sure your sign is lined up carefully!
Designing Adhesive Vinyl Signs for Your Car
If you want signage for an aluminum car or ute tray, adhesive vinyl signs are the next best thing. While vinyl signs can’t be removed and reapplied at will, they offer the same affordability and simplicity of magnetic car signs. The best part is that designing vinyl car stickers is a simple process of:
- Discussing your ideas with your sign maker and letting them develop concept art. Vinyl signs can be cut to any shape and printed in any color, so the sky’s the limit when it comes to design.
- Choosing a concept and finalizing the details with your sign maker. Most sign making companies will handle all the design work on your behalf, so you don’t need to supply anything other than your logo and ideas. That means it’s simple to create signs that show off your branding, contact details, services and more!
- Booking your installation and letting the professionals take care of the rest. Vinyl signs are a bit trickier to install than magnetic ones, so it’s better left to the professionals.
A Caution About Using Third-Party Adhesives
While foam trim tape is generally accepted to be a weather and UV-resistant way to apply signs to a car, it may not offer the same performance as a magnetic or vinyl sign. In practice that means foam tape might struggle to hold onto the sign at highway speeds. Or, if your car is frequently parked out in harsh sun or heavy rain, the tape may fail early and your sign could come off while you’re driving.
The same goes for other alternative adhesives. You should never use glue, epoxy adhesive or other types of tape to hold down magnetic stickers for cars on an aluminum vehicle. These products may damage the sign or your car’s paint, and they won’t last out in the weather. If you have an aluminum car or need signage for an aluminum ute tray, we strongly recommend investing in adhesive vinyl signs instead. The money you spend on new signs will be worth it for the peace of mind that your signs won’t fall off while you’re on the move.
