The usual bumper sticker is a wide rectangle around 3" × 10" to 11". Our Bumper Stickers print on white vinyl under a gloss or matte laminate, last 3 to 5 years outdoors before the print starts to fade, and peel off paint without residue when it's time for a change.
Size
Around 3" × 10" to 11" is a convention, not a rule. Measure the spot before you choose:
- Many modern bumpers have little flat, painted space. The tailgate, trunk lid, or rear window often has more room than the bumper itself.
- The sticker has to read from a car length back. Big, bold lettering and a few words work better than a paragraph. Thin script and fine outlines disappear at a distance.
- Contrast does the work: dark on light, or light on dark. Two mid-tones side by side blur together on the road.
More on choosing a size in what size should my sticker be?
Material and finish
White vinyl with a protective laminate is weatherproof and resists sun, water, and scratches. A car parked in full sun every day sits at the short end of the 3 to 5 years, and reds and bright colors fade first. See how long stickers last outdoors.
Gloss sits closer to the look of car paint, and matte cuts glare. Neither outlasts the other.
Avoid textured, unpainted plastic (the black trim on many bumpers) with standard vinyl, because the adhesive only touches the high points of the texture. Put the sticker on paint or glass instead, or order rectangle-shaped High-Tack Stickers, the same print with a much stronger adhesive.
Putting it on
- Clean the spot with isopropyl alcohol and let it dry. Don't use window cleaner, and don't apply over fresh wax.
- Apply at room temperature, not on a cold morning or a sun-baked panel.
- Peel back an inch of backing at one end and place that end. Then smooth along the sticker as you pull the rest of the backing away.
- Press firmly, especially along the edges.
Then leave it alone: 24 hours before it gets wet, and 48 hours before anything scrubs it. After that, washing the car is fine. A pressure-washer wand aimed at an edge will lift any sticker, so keep the jet moving. More in stickers on cars.
On a window, keep the sticker out of the wiper's path and out of the driver's view, and check your local rules for what's allowed on vehicle glass.
Taking it off
- Warm the sticker with a hair dryer until it's warm to the touch.
- Lift a corner with a fingernail or a plastic card. Never use a metal blade on paint.
- Peel slowly, pulling the sticker back almost flat against itself.
- Wipe any leftover adhesive with isopropyl alcohol on a cloth. Test any stronger remover on a hidden spot of paint first.
A sticker that has spent years in the sun takes more heat and more patience, not more force. High-Tack is made to stay, so it's harder to remove and can leave residue. Full steps are in how to remove a sticker cleanly.
Ordering
The minimum is 25 of a design. The calculator on the product page shows the price before you add to cart, and orders ship 3 to 5 business days after you approve your proof. Before you order, you can also see an optional "Live Sticker Proof" on the product page: upload one design, then press "Draw It Now" in the "See Instant Sticker Proof" box. See how to use the Live Sticker Proof.