What we make / Window Decals & Graphics
Cut vinyl decals & letteringWindow Decals & Graphics
Cut vinyl for storefront windows and glass doors — hours, logos, and frosted etched-glass effects.
More of this work in the gallery →
Window decals for storefronts and glass doors
Cut vinyl is the classic storefront look: business hours decals, glass door logos, window lettering, arrows, suite numbers and phone or web addresses — cut from solid-colour vinyl and applied to the inside or outside of the glass. White and metallic films read especially well on glass because they hold their contrast whether the shop behind is lit or dark. There is no printed background and no laminate, so the only thing on the window is the shape you asked for.
What usually goes on a storefront window
A typical shopfront ends up with three things: the business name and logo at eye height on the main glass, hours of operation on the door at 1–2 inch letters, and a small line of contact or web details low on the door where people look for it. Clinics, salons and offices add suite numbers and department names; restaurants add delivery-app and payment decals; trades and services add licence or association marks. Tell us what you want on there and we will lay the whole set out to scale so the pieces look like they belong together.
Frosted and etched-glass effects
Etched-glass vinyl gives a frosted window film effect: privacy bands for offices and clinic partitions, frosted logos on meeting-room glass, gradient or banded panels for shop windows, and safety marking on full-height glass doors so people can see the door is there. It is the look of sandblasted glass at a fraction of the cost, and because it is a film it comes off cleanly when you move or refit.
Cut vinyl, printed, or perforated?
Three different materials get called window graphics, and they do different jobs. Cut vinyl is solid colour with no background and is what you want for lettering, logos and hours. Printed vinyl suits photographs, gradients and multi-colour artwork. Window perf is perforated film that reads as a full-colour graphic from outside while you still see out from inside — that is the one for covering a large pane without blacking it out. If you describe the window and what you want it to do, we will tell you which of the three is the right answer.
Inside or outside?
Outside-mounted decals read brightest and are the norm on shop windows. Inside-glass mounting is protected from weather, scrubbing and picking, which suits doors that get a lot of hands on them and anywhere vandalism is a worry — but it has to be cut mirrored to read the right way round from the street. Tell us which side it is going on and we will set the artwork up accordingly.
Sizing
Hours-of-operation lettering reads well at 1–2 inch letter height on a door; a window logo meant to be seen from across a parking lot should be measured in feet, not inches. The sign-trade rule of thumb is one inch of letter height per ten feet of viewing distance. Our size guide has the working numbers, or send a photo of the window with a tape measure in shot and we will suggest a size.
Cleaning, lifespan and taking it off
Window vinyl wants ordinary glass cleaner and a soft cloth. Keep blades and abrasive pads away from the edges, and on outside-mounted work wash across the letters rather than into them. Permanent film is rated up to six years outdoors by its maker and usually lasts longer on a sheltered shopfront; removable film is designed to come off cleanly within a couple of years and is the right choice for seasonal and promotional work. When it does come off, a hair dryer and patience beat a scraper every time — the method is in our application guide.
Getting a quote
Email info@signs613.com with a photo of the window, the measurements and what you want it to say, or use the request form. Every job is proofed by email before it is cut, and decals ship free anywhere in Canada.
Common questions
How do I get a quote?
Email info@signs613.com or send the request form on this site — both land in the same inbox. Tell us the size, the quantity and where it is going, and attach your artwork or a photo. A real person replies with a clear price and turnaround. We do not publish a phone number; if you would rather be called, leave your number in the form and say so.
Do you ship across Canada?
Yes — standard shipping is free anywhere in Canada. Expedited shipping is available on request; tell us your deadline and we will quote it alongside the free option.
Will I see a proof first?
Always. Every job gets a proof by email showing size, colour, spelling and layout, and nothing is cut or printed until you approve it.
How long does it take?
Most decal, sticker and lettering jobs are made within about five business days of proof approval, plus shipping. Larger signs and installations are scheduled with you. In a hurry? Say so and we will tell you honestly what is possible.
What file format should I send?
Cut vinyl needs vector artwork — SVG, PDF, AI or EPS — because the blade follows the outlines in the file. A JPG or PNG has no outlines. Only have a photo of your logo? Send it anyway and we can redraw it as vector for a small fee.
How long will a cut vinyl decal last outside?
Standard Oracal 651 is rated around six years outdoors; cast Oracal 751 around eight. Sun exposure is what decides it — a decal on a south-facing window ages faster than one on a shaded door.
What is the difference between die cut and kiss cut?
Die cut means the blade goes through the vinyl AND the backing, so the finished piece is the shape of your artwork. Kiss cut means only the top layer is cut and the backing sheet stays whole, so the sticker sits on a larger square you peel it off. One thing worth knowing: most online sticker shops selling "die cut stickers" mean a printed, laminated sticker cut to shape. What we cut here is solid colour vinyl with no printing and no background, pre-masked with transfer tape — on glass or a truck door there is no visible sticker edge at all.
Should I ask for permanent or removable vinyl?
Permanent vinyl uses a strong adhesive and is what belongs on vehicles, storefront glass, equipment and anything outdoors. Removable vinyl uses a lower-tack adhesive meant to come off cleanly after months rather than years — right for a seasonal promotion, a leased vehicle, a rented space or a wall you do not own. "Permanent" describes adhesive strength, not a life sentence: it still comes off with gentle heat and patience. Tell us how long it needs to last and whether it must come off cleanly, and we will pick the film.
What surfaces will a vinyl decal stick to?
Vinyl wants smooth, clean and non-porous. Glass, painted or enamelled metal, powder-coated panels, sealed or varnished wood, acrylic and smooth rigid plastics all hold well. Gloss and semi-gloss painted drywall is fine; flat paint is less reliable and heavy texture is a gamble. It will not hold on brick, concrete, stucco, raw or weathered wood, or anything chalky or flaking — there is nothing continuous for the adhesive to grip. Send a close-up photo of the surface if you are unsure and we will tell you before you order.
Will a decal damage my paint or my window tint?
Applied and removed properly, no. Vinyl sits on the clear coat, not in it, and comes off with gentle heat from a hair dryer, lifted at a shallow angle — never a blade, and never a heat gun held in one spot. Factory tint is inside the glass and is not affected. Aftermarket tint film is the exception: it is a film on the inside of the window, so put the decal on the OUTSIDE of a tinted window and it is a non-issue. Paint that is already cracked, flaking or freshly resprayed is the real risk — let new paint cure for at least a month first.
Can I put a decal on in winter?
Not outdoors in a Canadian February. Vinyl adhesive needs roughly 10 degrees Celsius or warmer to tack, and both the air and the surface have to be there — a sunny minus-five afternoon is still a cold truck door, and cold vinyl cracks instead of conforming. Bring the vehicle or panel into a heated garage, let it come up to temperature for a few hours, clean it with isopropyl alcohol and apply indoors. Then leave it a full day before rain, a car wash or a freeze-thaw cycle. Once cured, road salt and winter are not a problem for permanent vinyl; it is the first day that matters.
Can you cut any shape, any colour and any size?
Any shape your vector artwork describes, in any single vinyl colour we stock — standard colours plus metallic, matte, gloss, reflective, holographic and etched-glass finishes. Sizes run from roughly half an inch up to four feet wide on the roll, and larger again as tiled panels. The practical limits are at the small end: strokes thinner than about a sixteenth of an inch and text under half an inch are hard to weed and tend to lift. We check your artwork at the finished size and tell you before anything is cut.
How does a cut vinyl decal arrive, and how do I apply it?
In three layers: backing paper, your design in vinyl, and transfer tape over the top holding every letter in position. Peel the backing away, position the whole thing, squeegee firmly from the middle out, then peel the transfer tape back on itself at a shallow angle and the vinyl stays behind. Spacing and layout are already correct because the weeding was done here. Clean the surface with isopropyl alcohol first, not a household cleaner — wax and detergent residue is the usual reason a decal lifts later. Instructions ship in the package, and there is more detail in our decal guide.
Can you ship cut vinyl decals to my province?
Yes — every province and territory, with free standard shipping. Cut vinyl travels better than almost anything else a sign shop makes: it ships flat or rolled, pre-masked with transfer tape, so it arrives ready to apply and there is no surcharge for distance. The same decal costs a customer in British Columbia what it costs one in Ontario. Expedited shipping is quoted on request — tell us your deadline when you ask. Only installation stays local, across the Belleville, Kingston and Napanee area.
Can you help with the design?
Yes. Send your logo, the words you need and a photo of where it is going, and we will lay it out for you. If you only have a photo of an old sign or a sketch, we can redraw it.
What if something is wrong when it arrives?
Custom work cannot be returned for a change of mind, because it is made specifically for you — but if it arrives faulty, damaged or not as proofed, contact us within 14 days with a photo and we will remake or refund it.