Why does a Stickers4 double-sided window sticker really stand out?
Some window stickers may claim to be double-sided, but are they really? We take a look at the science behind window sticker visibility.
Just because a window sticker claims to be "double-sided" doesn't mean it really is. Let us explain…
Basic window stickers (you know, the cheap ones you find plastered all over Amazon)
Most window stickers are advertised as double-sided, but they actually consist of only one layer of ink. Imagine drawing a picture on a glass window with felt-tip pens. You can see the drawing from both sides of the glass, however, when the sun goes down, it will be very hard to see it at all. That same drawing on a piece of white paper will be visible in all but complete darkness! Why?
The Science:
Coloured inks, by their very nature, don’t contain much pigment, so when printed onto a piece of clear vinyl, they don’t reflect much light. Instead, light passes through the ink. So, when it's dark, there’s not enough light to interact with the ink to make it visible.
- Day: Colours can be seen, but look slightly dull as some of the light is passing through
- Dusk: Colours fade
- Night: Barely visible
 |
 |
| Light passes through so the image doesn't appear as vibrant | During the day only a small amount of light is reflected to the image looks dull. At night the sticker is barely visible at all |
|TEST: try drawing a picture on a piece of glass using felt-tip pens and see what it looks likes when you hold it up to a dark sky at night. Compare the same drawing on a piece of white paper.
The Stickers4 Way.. Triple layer print with a reflective white ‘Block’ Layer
So, what if you're a sticker guru? You print a reflective block layer between two colour layers, and voilà! It's like you’ve built a mini-billboard inside the sticker. This is triple layer printing. Or, Layered UV Ink Technology (LUVIT) as we call it (because you'll LOVE IT!). It takes 3 times longer to print and uses 3 times more ink, but we think it’s more than worth it! The difference between the cheap single layer print and our 3 layer print is, well, like night and day!
- Day: Colours can be clearly seen, and look vibrant as light is reflected back by the block layer.
- Dusk: Colours can still be clearly seen
- Night: Colours can be seen under ambient lighting
The Science:
The reflective white block layer serves as a light reflector and bounces light back through the coloured ink, enhancing the vibrancy of the colors. This allows for clear visibility of the image even in low light conditions.
What Happens in Layers:
|
Layer |
Function |
Benefit |
|
Colour |
See the design from outside |
Can be seen at night by streetlight/moonlight |
|
Block (white) |
Reflects and absorbs |
Enhances visibility |
|
Colour |
See the design from outside |
Makes it visible from both sides |
 |
 |
| With a refelctive white layer, light is reflected back to the viewer... | ...and looks vibrant day or night! |
Comparison
- Cheap window sticker: Light goes through, looks dull and design loses its charm when it's dark.
-
Triple Layer print window sticker: Colours stay vibrant because light is reflected, not transmitted through the ink.Can be seen in low light levels.
"Simply put, don't be fooled by claims that it says it's double-sided! If it doesn't specifically say that it uses triple-layer print, with a reflective white block layer, then it will look dull and lifeless"
Why It Matters
During the winter months it becomes dark very early in the day so you want your window stickers to remain as visible as possible, for as long as possible. Only triple layer print stickers will be seen when it's dark outside. For a business like Stickers4, where we aim to bring your windows to life 24/7, understanding these principles is game-changing. You won't just be sticking on a design; you'll be applying a mini-engineering marvel!
Stick with us, and shine on—day or night!
Remember, if it doesn't say that it is triple layer print then it probably isn't!
NB - Suncatcher and stained-glass designed window stickers are a little different as they will rely on light passing through them. They look great when it's sunny however, will soon become hard to see when there is little outside light. They will always look quite dull from the outside.
