Geocaching Stickers Fade...

[+QuesterMark]

A little while after I started geocaching, I bought a geocaching sticker from Groundspeak and stuck it to the back window of my Element, where the wiper doesn't go.

 

It's not even been a year yet, and one of the colors has faded to look like one of the other colors, and the top and bottom are peeling.

 

How can I protect the new geocaching sticker I bought (and the Waymarking sticker) from suffering the same fate?

 

(don't say, "Don't stick them on the window of your Element.")

[+KBI]

First step: Remove the old sticker. Do you have a razor, Occam?

 

 

(I crack myself up.)

 

Seriously, maybe you could try switching to one of the monocolor stickers:

 

[+wiseye]

They are bumper stickers, put them on your bumper....'ya think?

[+Team LaLonde]

Did the orange fade to yellow? Red pigments in printing ink react to ultraviolet light from the sun. Any printed matter subjected to sunlight requires a special UV coating, and even then the red family (red or any color mixed with red) will fade over time.

[+michigansnorkelers]

Did the orange fade to yellow? Red pigments in printing ink react to ultraviolet light from the sun. Any printed matter subjected to sunlight requires a special UV coating, and even then the red family (red or any color mixed with red) will fade over time.

 

I have no idea if this will work, but if you have some 303 Protectorant, you might try wiping a little on the sticker. 303 is a Big Deal with kayakers, as it prevents UV fading of boat hulls. Maybe it will work with the stickers too?

 

http://www.303products.com/tech/index.cfm?...&page_id=20

[+QuesterMark]

First step: Remove the old sticker. Do you have a razor, Occam?

 

 

(I crack myself up.)

 

I always knew geocachers were smart (alecky) people!

 

[+QuesterMark]

They are bumper stickers, put them on your bumper....'ya think?

 

While you may be correct, nowhere in the description of the sticker on the Groundspeak Store site does it mention the word "bumper".

 

More importantly, I'd agree with you if cars still had chrome bumpers. But I'm not about to stick a sticker that would probably have to be scraped off on black "rubber" or worse, the plastic bumpers cars have now..

 

*wistful for the old chrome bumpers that could actually absorb some impact*

[+QuesterMark]

Did the orange fade to yellow? Red pigments in printing ink react to ultraviolet light from the sun. Any printed matter subjected to sunlight requires a special UV coating, and even then the red family (red or any color mixed with red) will fade over time.

 

I guess that's what I'm looking for...Some kind of permanent (well, let's say it oughta last a couple of years) film or coating.

[+QuesterMark]

Did the orange fade to yellow? Red pigments in printing ink react to ultraviolet light from the sun. Any printed matter subjected to sunlight requires a special UV coating, and even then the red family (red or any color mixed with red) will fade over time.

 

I have no idea if this will work, but if you have some 303 Protectorant, you might try wiping a little on the sticker. 303 is a Big Deal with kayakers, as it prevents UV fading of boat hulls. Maybe it will work with the stickers too?

 

http://www.303products.com/tech/index.cfm?...&page_id=20

 

I'll check that out! Thanks!

 

After I get some and try it, I'll post something about it.

 

Everyone else: I'm still accepting suggestions!

[Birdbath]

Did the orange fade to yellow? Red pigments in printing ink react to ultraviolet light from the sun. Any printed matter subjected to sunlight requires a special UV coating, and even then the red family (red or any color mixed with red) will fade over time.

 

I guess that's what I'm looking for...Some kind of permanent (well, let's say it oughta last a couple of years) film or coating.

 

I was just getting ready to order a couple but I'll look somewhere else after reading this. Thanks for the headsup.

[+Aiden's Cachers]

I also tend to attached the stickers to sheet magnet so it is easily removable and can be placed more freely. I know it doesn't help with the fading part but you never have to scrape again

[+Hotlanta]

Man, I just went out to look at the stickers on my Jeep, in the rain and they too are fading. But there are cold frosty beverages are in the garage refrigerator that I passed on the way out there, so with a cold one in hand I feel better now. Any way, it looks like most all the stickers are fading some. And they are not all from Groundspeak, but many different places. But over the years all the stickers, either stuck on glass, metal or anything else tended to fade. So I just buy a new one every couple years or different ones and replace the worst looking stickers. That 303 Protectorant looks interesting though, but more for my boat’s red gel coat than my stickers.

[+DrAwKwArD]

You all just gave me a perfect idea. I have a couple of those green Groundspeak stickers :

 

They seem so very bright and attention getting out of the box. Maybe after a few months outside they may fade just enough to look good alongside one of my camoflauge caches.

[+QuesterMark]

I'm hearing that perhaps marine varnish will work.

 

And I found a place that makes "waterproof overlaminate" though it's not cheap, especially with their S&H.

 

Here

 

I still need to shop around for that "wol" though.

[+Kealia]

Um, the stickers are $1.99 each - why not just replace them?

 

What else can you buy for two bucks that will last a year?

 

Sounds like a lot of trouble to protect a very inexpensive item.

[+QuesterMark]

I'm hearing that perhaps marine varnish will work.

 

And I found a place that makes "waterproof overlaminate" though it's not cheap, especially with their S&H.

 

Here

 

I still need to shop around for that "wol" though.

 

The overlaminate from papilio didn't work. Well, not for the fading part. I'll have to wait a while longer to see if it protects the sticker from peeling and curling.

[+9Key]

Um, the stickers are $1.99 each - why not just replace them?

 

What else can you buy for two bucks that will last a year?

 

Sounds like a lot of trouble to protect a very inexpensive item.

That's what I was thinking too.

[+Lutehawk]

Um, the stickers are $1.99 each - why not just replace them?

 

What else can you buy for two bucks that will last a year?

 

Sounds like a lot of trouble to protect a very inexpensive item.

 

LoL you got a point there

 

1 sticker 1.99 lasts 1 year??? maybe more??

 

how long does the 303 last?? and whats the cost?? the only way it would be worth the while is if you could add on more than a year extra for at least the same cost as the sticker.

[+Formerly Dominoes]

A little while after I started geocaching, I bought a geocaching sticker from Groundspeak and stuck it to the back window of my Element, where the wiper doesn't go.

 

It's not even been a year yet, and one of the colors has faded to look like one of the other colors, and the top and bottom are peeling.

 

How can I protect the new geocaching sticker I bought (and the Waymarking sticker) from suffering the same fate?

 

(don't say, "Don't stick them on the window of your Element.")

 

You could move to Alaska, the UV ray's arent nearly as strong there.

[+Lakeshore Geocachers]

Got two on my Jeep..yep, both faded and looking kinda worn, but two Upstate New York winters will do that to any thing..even me so my wife tells me, so I just ordered two more, a piece of plexiglass as a scraper and some rubbing compound and presto, bright new stickers! Now if the marketing wizards at Groundspeak could do it. a logo magnet would be cool...even do it like one of the thousand other types of "ribbon" things that folks put on the back. The best one is the one that says "somebody stole my support ribbon magnet"...a fool and his money...

[+Kit Fox]

I was equally unimpressed with how quick the colored geocaching sticker faded. I resorted to the GX Symbol sticker with the added "geocacher" line, and it has remained "fade free" for over a year and a half.

 

GX Logo

 

I designed my own logo using Photoshop, and had it printed at the local graphics shop. I had it printed black on a white background, due to the harsh desert in which I live.

 

[+Mudfrog]

Bought a couple of the four color logo stickers a while back. Put one on the back glass of the Jeep and the other on the rear bumper of my wife's car. Both vehicles garaged but neither of them held up well at all and were faded in less than a year.

 

The official green cache stickers sure work good so i'm not sure why these aren't made in the same way those are. I'd be willing to pay a little more to get better quality but i won't be buying any until they are made more durable!

[+cache_test_dummies]

[+Big_John]

My local craft store has some spray for photos to protect from UV fading. It is manufactured by Krylon and called "Protect it!" for digital photo's and paper. $4.99 a can. Might work.

[+Sileny Jizda]

We've had ours a 1 1/2 month to 2 months and I had to yank emm. Both started peeling and were faded so badly that they looked frosted. One of them had even been cut almost in half from the process of scoring the removable back. We won't be buying them anymore no matter how inexpensive.

 

We bought the white window clings and two weeks going they haven't gone bad yet.

[+Ambrosia]

I also tend to attached the stickers to sheet magnet so it is easily removable and can be placed more freely. I know it doesn't help with the fading part but you never have to scrape again

That's a cool idea. Just make sure that you move it every once in a while, because as car colors fade, they won't fade under a magnet, and you may end up with a rectangle on your car after a while.

Edited August 24, 2007 by Ambrosia

[+Recdiver]

Oh the Huge Manatee. Fading stickers.

 

Guess you could attach them to your vehicles, then park said vehicle in a garage and never take it out except at night and I'm sure they won't fade as quickly.

 

[+Team NightStalker]

I make all mine with my vinyl machine. 10 year vinyl. never had a problem.