A squeegee is basically a tool having a flat and smooth blade of rubber that is used to control the flow of liquid or remove unwanted or uneven material from the flat surface. Although there are so many squeegees that can be available in the market, each type of vinyl squeegee has its own qualities and advantages. Depending upon your needs you can buy various squeegees from online stores. Some of the types of squeegees are

• Nylon reinforced squeegee that is used for general application of vinyl.
• Felt and Teflon squeegees for vehicle wraps.
• Soft plastic flexible squeegee for corrugation applications.

You should have knowledge of squeegees so you can keep the type of squeegee that is needed for your vinyl application toolbox. Let’s discuss in detail about squeegees.

Details about squeegees

A squeegee is generally slightly more than a thin plastic piece. But it is the most important and essential tool of the installer. These squeegees come in various sizes and can be of different materials. Different shapes are also available in squeegees. The most popular size is 4”, other common sizes are 6” and 12”.

Nylon squeegee

The use of pressure is critical in graphic applications and nylon reinforced is used for that. Although it can be used for other purposes too, nylon squeegee help in maintaining necessary pressure or force because of the stiffness. You can use your thumb and fingers on this squeegee to force the air out from under the film

Soft plastic squeegee

Although a nylon squeegee is a good option that works perfectly, plastic squeegees also work better. These squeegees are more flexible as compared to nylon-reinforced squeegees and can conform far better than to the curves of corrugation. But these squeegees lose their shape more quickly as compared to nylon squeegees as these are cheaper.

Teflon squeegee

These squeegees are used for applying the wrap to the vehicle. During installation, you would at some point you would be applying the film without the tape. Nylon squeegees are hard which is why installers avoid their usage. Nylon squeegees can create scratches on the graphics. You can prevent this to happen by using a soft cotton rag or can use a felt squeegee. But the best option is to use a Teflon squeegee. As the surface of these squeegees is slick, they slide smoothly over the film. You don’t have to worry about scratches while using this squeegee. The application technique which is used while using this squeegee is different from any traditional squeegee. You can buy the squeegee according to the type of application or usage.

How can you sharpen the squeegee?

If you starting the vinyl application then you should first inspect the edges of your squeegee. You should check if the edges are smooth and straight or not. An uneven or bowed-edged squeeze will make your vinyl application uneven. You can sharpen these burrs and nicks by rubbing the edges of one squeegee to the other from the middle. Upon sharpening very fine plastic dust will be produced.