Frequently Asked Questions

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Support Email

hello@thermoweb.com

Check out the most frequently asked questions here. If you still need help, please contact us by clicking the blue "Chat with us!" button on the bottom left-hand side of your screen or send us an email at hello@thermoweb.com

Adhesive Transfer Designs

No, the adhesive cannot be applied like a rub-on transfer. A laminator or die cut machine must be used.

The Adhesive Transfers can be applied using heat from a laminator or pressure from a die cut machine. See detailed instructions on the product page.

Once the printed front liner is peeled off, you will see the clear adhesive design on your project. This looks similar to stamping with clear embossing ink.

If applying the Adhesive Transfer to an ink-blended or watercolored background you must ensure that the surface is completely dry before attempting to transfer the design.

The scratches likely transferred from the cutting plates. If plates have a lot of cut marks in them, it’s best to place a thin piece of cardstock or copy paper over the top of the Adhesive Transfer during both steps, transferring the adhesive and transferring the foil, to ensure smooth results.

There are several reasons why the Adhesive Transfer did not transfer correctly. Here are some tips and tricks:

  • Once the back liner is peeled back and the adhesive is exposed, be careful not to touch the adhesive with your fingers or tools
  • Once the Adhesive Transfer is placed on paper, press gently with fingers to tack the design in place. If the Adhesive Transfer is rubbed too hard the intricate details of the adhesive design can shift or distort the design.
  • When Using a laminator, let it heat up for at least 10 minutes on a hot or 5mil setting. If using a Minc machine, we recommend a 2 or 3 heat setting.
  • When using a die cut machine, pressure is key and depending on your machine, you may need to create a shim with cardstock when making the sandwich. Make sure you aren’t using too much pressure, however; see the FAQ regarding indentations.
  • For best results use the silicone-lined Deco Foil Craft & Carrier Sheet as a folder. Fold the sheet with the shiny side to the inside.
  • If you place an Adhesive Transfer in the wrong spot, or if you need to remove a portion that did not transfer correctly, you may remove the adhesive with the iCraft XL Adhesive Eraser.
  • If applying the Adhesive Transfer to an ink-blended or watercolored background, ensure that the surface is completely dry before attempting to transfer the design.

For best results, a laminator is recommended. The heat from the laminator allows the adhesive to transfer easily to the vellum or acetate.

The best way to apply different colors of foil to an adhesive transfer design is to cut and apply all the foil colors as desired and run through the laminator or die cut machine in one pass. Several passes through the machines can dull the foil finish.

Designer Lines

Yes. You can use Fancy Foils with iCraft Deco Foil adhesives which do not require a laminator, including Deco Foil Foam Adhesive Sheets, Deco Foil Adhesive Pen, Deco Foil Liquid Adhesive and Deco Foil Transfer Gel Duo. You can test other double-sided adhesives with Fancy Foils, but the foil may scratch off and/or not be as durable. 

When using the Gina K. Designs Permanent Adhesive Dot Runner, the application must be slow and steady. If you go too fast or if it’s angled to one side, some of the dots won’t come off the liner. When this happens, it can stop the runner from working. We recommend using the runner at a low angle (45 degrees) and slow speed with no sudden side-to-side movements. 

If you've experienced this issue recently, we highly recommend watching our tutorial video on tape runners to refresh your technique and make sure you are set up for success in the future. (While this video focuses on iCraft Tape Runners, the techniques shared will also apply to your Gina K. Designs Permanent Adhesive Dot Runner.)

Absolutely! Start by adding 2-3 teaspoons of gel hand sanitizer to the hardened Glitz Gel, recap tightly and let it sit overnight. Stir gel well with metal fork or similar metal utensil to break up any clumps. If Glitz Gel still seems too thick, repeat, adding no more than 1 teaspoon of hand sanitizer gel at a time. Do not exceed 5 teaspoons of hand sanitizer or gel may become too thin to hold its shape.

Helpful Tips:

- Wipe jar rim and inner edge of lid before recapping.

- Seal jar with plastic cling wrap prior to recapping. 

- Recap jar tightly, but do not over-twist the threaded lid or air may enter jar.

- If jar is less than half full, store jar on its side so the gel is concentrated together.

- Store Glitz Glitter Gel jar inside a plastic zipper bag, away from direct sunlight. 

Clear stamps often don't give their best impression right out of the package. They usually have sort of a filmy coating on the surface that's part of the polymer stamp manufacturing process. That coating can prevent a clean impression. Here's a video from Gina K. where she explains how to condition your stamps. From about the 14-minute mark to about 15:18 in she walks you through this process. 

Additionally, for larger stamps, a stamping platform like the MISTI helps a lot in getting a clean, crisp impression. It helps apply consistent pressure and allows you to reink and stamp your image multiple times to create a solid impression.

The Rina K. Designs Electro Pop Inks are dye-based inks.  

Fabric Crafts & Sewing

Overheating HeatnBond may melt the adhesive into the fabric and cause an insufficient bond between the material and the adhesive. Please follow package instructions for proper adhesion. Slightly longer pressing times may be required for thick or heavy materials. We also recommend going to the product page of the item that you've purchased to see the list of directions, tutorial videos, and tips for using the product.

Our tutorial videos are available for HeatnBond UltraHold, HeatnBond Lite and Featherlite, HeatnBond Hem Tape, and HeatnBond SoftStretch. We highly recommend these videos to first-time users to better understand the product and its applications. However, we also recommend these videos to seasoned users to refresh your technique and ensure you are getting the best results from our HeatnBond products.

We do not recommend it as the product is quite thick and tacky. It may be difficult for the Cricut cutter to work properly. 

For more information on how to best use this product, we recommend watching our tutorial video for PeelnStick Fabric Fuse Fabric Adhesive Tape.  

No, but we recommend you store the products at room temperature and avoid direct sunlight.

For more tips on how to best use our product, we recommend watching our tutorial videos for HeatnBond UltraHold, HeatnBond Lite and Featherlite, HeatnBond Hem Tape, and HeatnBond SoftStretch. These are valuable for first-time users to better understand the product and its applications as well as seasoned pros to refresh your technique and ensure you are getting the best results from our HeatnBond products.  

Yes. While Deco Foil Transfer Gel Duo is intended for paper crafting projects, you can apply Transfer Gel Duo to fabric; however, it is not washable. For washability, please use Deco Foil Hot Melt Adhesive or Deco Foil Liquid Adhesive; follow care instructions on adhesive label.

Instructions are dependent upon the adhesive being used. Instructions are provided on the adhesive packaging/label, as well as in the short videos on the product pages on the site. 

Three of our Deco Foil adhesives are compatible with fabric:

• Deco Foil Hot Melt Adhesive

• Deco Foil Fusible Spray Adhesive

• Deco Foil Liquid Adhesive

The first two require heat setting; the Liquid does not. Foiling with either the Hot Melt Adhesive or the Fusible Spray Adhesive is a two-step process. Adhesive is applied, followed by foil.

HeatnBond Iron-On Adhesives are permanent so you may experience difficulty trying to remove them. However, you can try an adhesive remover like Un-Du. We recommend first testing a small area with adhesive remover to see how your fabric may react.

For more tips on how to best use our product, we recommend watching our tutorial videos for HeatnBond UltraHold, HeatnBond Lite and Featherlite, HeatnBond Hem Tape, and HeatnBond SoftStretch. These are valuable for first-time users to better understand the product and its applications as well as seasoned pros to refresh your technique and ensure you are getting the best results from our HeatnBond products. 

Fabric Fuse is a permanent adhesive; however, we may be able to assist you in removing it. One way you may be able to remove it is by heating it up. Place an iron on the fabric over the area where the Fabric Fuse was used; do not place the iron directly on the glue. While the glue is still hot and “gooey,” you can try to scrape/peel it off. Again, do not place the iron directly on the glue. You can also try an adhesive remover like Un-Du. We recommend first testing a small area with adhesive remover to see how your fabric may react.

For more information on how to best use this product, we recommend watching our tutorial video for iCraft Fabric Fuse Liquid Adhesives.  

We suggest at least 24 hours. After this time we suggest machine wash cold and dry on low heat or no heat (and in accordance to garment / fabric washing directions). Avoid repeated or excessive ironing to the area after fusing.

For more tips on how to best use our product, we recommend watching our tutorial videos for HeatnBond UltraHold, HeatnBond Lite and Featherlite, HeatnBond Hem Tape, and HeatnBond SoftStretch. These are valuable for first-time users to better understand the product and its applications as well as seasoned pros to refresh your technique and ensure you are getting the best results from our HeatnBond products.  

Use the tip of a pin or needle to gently “score” the edge of the adhesive liner to make it easier to remove. If you have a roll that is “sticking,” try running your finger along the edges of the paper to remove any excess adhesive that may be preventing you from peeling the liner away.  

We also learned a helpful tip from our friends at Oliso Irons; they “crack and peel” the backing to more easily remove it from the adhesive. Crack one edge of the paper, or create just a tiny tear, and that should aid removal of the liner. 

HeatnBond Liquid Vinyl is not certified food-safe for direct food contact. While HeatnBond Liquid Vinyl is nontoxic and phthalate-free, any food items must first be placed in a food-safe wrap, bag or other covering before placing it inside an item treated with Liquid Vinyl.

We don’t recommend putting the adhesive in the microwave as the adhesive will overheat and melt. 

For more tips on how to best use our product, we recommend watching our tutorial videos for HeatnBond UltraHold, HeatnBond Lite and Featherlite, HeatnBond Hem Tape, and HeatnBond SoftStretch. These are valuable for first-time users to better understand the product and its applications as well as seasoned pros to refresh your technique and ensure you are getting the best results from our HeatnBond products.  

You may need to wash your fabric a few times to remove the adhesive or take your fabric to the dry cleaner. For machine washing, we suggest pre-treating the fabric by soaking it in detergent and then running your washer on the hottest cycle your fabric can tolerate.

The last option we suggest to try is nail polish remover that contains acetone. We are very cautious about suggesting this option as we cannot guarantee how this may react to the fabric. We do not suggest using nail polish remover with a synthetic fabric. 

HeatnBond is an EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) hot-melt adhesive. It does not contain PVC or polyester and is safe to cut with a laser. It is also acid-free, chlorine-free, and non-toxic. 

For more tips on how to best use our product, we recommend watching our tutorial videos for HeatnBond UltraHold, HeatnBond Lite and Featherlite, HeatnBond Hem Tape, and HeatnBond SoftStretch. These are valuable for first-time users to better understand the product and its applications as well as seasoned pros to refresh your technique and ensure you are getting the best results from our HeatnBond products.  

HeatnBond FeatherLite and Lite are designed to temporarily bond appliques, wall hangings and apparel projects together without pinning, and must be sewn through after adhering fabrics together. HeatnBond Ultrahold is designed to permanently bond fabrics together without pinning or sewing; the no-sew adhesive is stronger than traditional fusible webs.

For more information on each of these products, we recommend watching our tutorial videos for HeatnBond UltraHold, HeatnBond Lite and Featherlite, HeatnBond Hem Tape, and HeatnBond SoftStretch. These videos will help you understand the differences between each of these products and their applications.

All fabric that HeatnBond is used on must be prewashed due to a chemical on it called sizing. It creates problems with the adhesion of the HeatnBond and could also be causing some of the stiffness you are experiencing because sizing actually stiffens fabric. 

 

If the fabric is exceptionally thick and you have several layers it could also result in stiffness. Another possibility is that the fabric is quite thin and you are feeling the stiffness of the adhesive through it.  

 

If this is a concern, you may want to try HeatnBond Soft Stretch for a lightweight iron-on web adhesive specially designed to move with your stretch fabric while maintaining a strong bond! There is no added bulk and maintains a soft hand after fusing.

 

For non-stretch fabrics such as quilting cottons, HeatnBond FeatherLite provides a virtually weightless bond that gets even softer with laundering. Like HeatnBond Lite, FeatherLite must be sewn to be permanent.

 

For more tips on how to best use our product, we recommend watching our tutorial videos for HeatnBond UltraHold, HeatnBond Lite and Featherlite, HeatnBond Hem Tape, and HeatnBond SoftStretch. These are valuable for first-time users to better understand the product and its applications as well as seasoned pros to refresh your technique and ensure you are getting the best results from our HeatnBond products.  

Please make sure you have prewashed your fabric without fabric softener. Any chemicals that the fabric was treated with may be interfering with the bonding process. 

The HeatnBond may also be overheated. The adhesive will appear dark and glossy if this is the case. The adhesive may seep through the fabric, as well. Please make sure your iron is set to medium heat with no steam (do NOT overheat). Press and hold the iron for the instructed time. Extra care needs to be taken with FeatherLite and Lite products as those can be overheated more easily. 

With that being said, thicker fabrics may require a few extra seconds of heat to properly adhere. We always suggest pretesting this product before applying to your final project to make sure you are comfortable with the application process and happy with the results. 

For more tips on how to best use our product, we recommend watching our tutorial videos for HeatnBond UltraHold, HeatnBond Lite and Featherlite, HeatnBond Hem Tape, and HeatnBond SoftStretch. These are valuable for first-time users to better understand the product and its applications as well as seasoned pros to refresh your technique and ensure you are getting the best results from our HeatnBond products.  

Paper Crafts

Yes! Zots are acid-free and non-toxic making them safe for more than just photos! 

Zots are safe to use with children’s projects and crafts. We recommend using supervision to be sure children do not ingest the product. However, if a child does ingest a Zot, they are non-toxic and will eventually pass through. 

For more information on how to use Zots, please check out our tutorial video for these products.

Yes! There are no animal by-products in our adhesives.

Yes. Please click this link to check out our blog post about cutting tips: 

http://blog.thermoweb.com/designers/about-us/deco-foil-and-mixed-media-prouducts-cuttings-tips/

iCraft SuperTape has a 3-5 year shelf life as long as it is kept in normal storage conditions between 60-75 degrees and kept out of direct sunlight. (This product should not be stored at temperatures lower than 55 degrees.)

Deco Foil Transfer Sheets can be used with our line of Deco Foil Transfer Gels, Deco Foil Adhesives, and Deco Foil Toner Sheets, including Toner Sheets from our Designer Lines such as Gina K. Foil-Mates, Laura Kelly Toner Sheets, Deco Foil Toner Card Fronts by Unity Stamp Co., and Brutus Monroe Designer Toner Sheets. (Please note that toner sheets do require the use of a laminator to foil.)

In order to figure out which application is right for you, we suggest watching our Deco Foil 101 tutorial videos that walk you through each o f these products. These can be found under "Inspiration" on our site or on our YouTube channel.  

We suggest the tips below:   

Wash your stencil with lukewarm water and dish soap right after use. You can gently scrub stencil with a veggie brush to make sure you don't bend any fine details in the stencil. 

You can also check out this video of one of our designers using her own stencil cleaning method with a bag of Windex. If you go to minute 13:39 that takes you right to the spot about cleaning! This approach seems to work well for several of our products including Glitz Glitter Gel, Pixie Spray, and Transfer Gel Duo. 

Zots are intended to lie flat in between your paper or cardstock. They are not meant to hang objects or bear weight.

For more information on how to best use this product, please check out our tutorial video for Zots Adhesive Dots.

Your application may have been uneven, or you may have waited too long to transfer the foil or flock. For best results, apply Deco Foil Transfer Gel Duo using the Deco Foil Stencil Pal held at a 45-degree angle to create a smooth, even layer; let gel dry until completely clear. Be sure to transfer foil or flock within 12 hours of initial adhesive application. 

Please check out our instructional YouTube video for more information on how to use this product successfully. 

Helpful Tip: When transferring foil or flock, try tucking a slightly larger cardstock shim under project to add more pressure and support.

This is a normal part of the manufacturing process. You can be sure that the extra 10 Zots or so that hold the paper to the core were not counted in your "usable" portion of the box.  

Printing with a laser printer is an additional application that works with our Deco Foil Transfer Foil; however, it is not one of our main applications. We recommend using Deco Foil Adhesives or our high-quality Deco Foil Toner Sheets or Toner Card Fronts for best results.  

There are a few variables that can affect your results:

A. Laminator

Please make sure your laminator has preheated for at least 10-15 minutes on 5 mil or hot setting. Individual laminators can have their own quirks making one side better for foiling than another (or requiring you to run the foil through twice for best results). We recommend testing this product to get a better understanding of the quirks of your machine.

B. Toner

Please make sure you’re printing with a laser printer; ink jet printers do not work for foil transfer. Also, when creating the image/text you want to foil, it needs to be created with 100% black ink on a plain background.

C. Paper

We found that smooth, white cardstock works better than colored or textured cardstocks. You may also want to use a soft, lint-free cloth or brush to remove any dust particles or finger smudges from toner sheet prior to foiling; dust and smudges may cause spotty foiling.

D. Carrier

Tuck a slightly larger cardstock shim under project to add more pressure and support. If this doesn't seem to work you can also try running your design without parchment paper as it can create a slight barrier between your project and the heat source, resulting in uneven foiling.

E. Removal

Be sure to allow the foil to cool completely before removing it. Test a small corner first and then peel back the foil with slow and smooth motion. 

No, our spray adhesives are not considered non-toxic due to the propellants used for aerosols. Always use in a well-ventilated area. Please refer to product label for directions and additional tips.

The dust is actually some of the foil “left over” after peeling it off the design. You can use a temporary tape (like our purple tape) to gently apply over design and pull off the extra foil or can use a brush to clean up the area. 

If you want to use something like painter's tape, we would recommend making it less tacky before putting it on your project. You can do this by using your hands or your pants/shirt and applying and peeling off several times to reduce the tackiness of the tape so it doesn’t tear the project. 

When using the iCraft Memory Tape Runner XL, the application must be slow and
steady. If you go too fast or if it’s angled to one side, some of the adhesive
won’t come off the liner properly. When this happens, it can stop the runner
from working. We recommend using the runner at a low angle (45 degrees) and
slow speed with no sudden side-to-side movements.

If you've experienced this issue recently, we highly recommend watching our tutorial video to refresh your technique and make sure you are set up for success in the future.

Clear stamps often don't give their best impression right out of the package. They usually have sort of a filmy coating on the surface that's part of the polymer stamp manufacturing process. That coating can prevent a clean impression. Here's a video from Gina K. where she explains how to condition your stamps. From about the 14-minute mark to about 15:18 in she walks you through this process. 

Additionally, for larger stamps, a stamping platform like the MISTI helps a lot in getting a clean, crisp impression. It helps apply consistent pressure and allows you to reink and stamp your image multiple times to create a solid impression.

  1. Gently pull tip straight out to remove it from pen.
  2. Place tip in cup of warm/hot water for up to 30 minutes to soften glue.
  3. Rinse tip thoroughly under running water.
  4. Set tip aside to air dry.
  5. Insert dry tip back into pen, and prime it by depressing for up to 30 seconds or until glue begins to flow through tip again. In the meantime, use the extra tip included in the package.

Our Deco Foil Transfer Gel Duo, Deco Foil Clear Transfer Adhesive Pen, Deco Foil Liquid Adhesive and Deco Foil Foam Adhesive Sheets do not require heat for foil transfer. 

You can learn more about our Deco Foil line by checking out our Deco Foil 101 videos under the Inspiration tab on our site.

Below is a list of laminators we have tested. This includes the manufacturer, model number and setting.

  • Royal Sovereign - CS923/CS1223 - 5mil Setting
  • Royal Sovereign - CL923-CL1223 - Hot Setting
  • Swingline - Inspire Plus 12" - Hot Setting
  • Swingline - Fusion 1000L - 3mil Setting
  • Fellowes - M5 95 - Hot Setting
  • Scotch - TL901C - 5mil Setting
  • Amazon Basics - PL9 US - 5mil Setting
  • Minc Machine - MF01200 - 3 Setting

For best results, wait 10 minutes for the laminator to warm up prior to first use.

**Please note that each laminator can have its own quirks. We recommend getting to know your laminator well by testing it on scrap prior to applying to your project.

Do not touch the Zots with your fingers. The oils and any lotions/moisturizers on your hands will cause the Zot to lose its adhesive properties causing it not to stick to certain surfaces such as glass.

We recommend watching our tutorial video on Zots Adhesive Dots for a refresher on the best ways to use this product.

iCraft Ultra Bond Liquid Adhesive is water-based but dries clear. For paper crafting, we advise applying the adhesive with thin lines or small dots of glue. This works well to avoid any warping.

Thank you for visiting our page! If you still need help, please contact us by clicking the blue "Chat with us!" button on the bottom left-hand side of your screen or send us an email at hello@thermoweb.com

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