Do you want to make homemade stickers? If yes, you are in the right place. It is not an easy process, but when you follow our step-by-step instructions, you can easily make homemade stickers. Read on!

Materials and Tools

Because it is a lengthy process, you will need a few materials and tools. These include white glue, white vinegar, and design on the paper, Tupperware container, a wide brush, contact paper, or packaging tape. Also, you will need a straight edge, little spray bottle, blade, and scissors.

Experts say that regular printer paper is ideal for making homemade stickers. You must not use matte paper because it does not absorb adhesive. Thus, you will have a weaker sticker. You can also make crisp stencils, but it will rip easily than the tape. Therefore, we recommend using a tape.

When it comes to the design, make sure you fit various stickers on one sheet. You must not have a problem with square or rectangular stickers. They can fit on a single sheet. However, if your stickers have a more dynamic design and shape, then you have to leave 1/8 inches border around the ink’s edge.

Many people talk about using a variety of vinegar for making homemade stickers. Well, experts believe white vinegar works the best. Not only is it cheap, but it also comes in the purest form. Using white vinegar is beneficial as it won’t discolor the sticker stock. Here is the step-by-step guide to making homemade stickers. Continue reading!

Step 1

First, you need to balance the ratio of the vinegar to glue. Experts recommend a 2:1 for the glue to vinegar. So, you can start with two tablespoon glue and one tablespoon vinegar. The amount will give you about half a dozen sheets of stickers. You can also mix up a huge batch of glue and vinegar and then save it in a jar. You must mix all the ingredients well.

Keep in mind that the adhesive goes on the backside of the stamps. Vinegar-based adhesives won’t taste bitter even if you lick it. Try to avoid slobbering it because it will give you a funky taste on your tongue. We recommend you to avoid licking at all. It is not a good adhesion method. A wet adhesive reactivates the glue, and when you put your sticker down, you are gluing it on.

Step 2

It is important to check how the sticker sticks. Experts say that not all strokes reach the end of the page. You must apply two strokes to short-ways and three strokes to long-ways. After covering the sheet, you will have to check the evenness of the coat on all stickers.

When the layer is dry, you can brush on it another layer of adhesive. Make sure the layer is perpendicular to the first layer’s direction. After that, let the layer dry completely. When you feel that the layer has dried by touching it, the sheets will get warped. So, you must put them under a stack of heavy objects or books to flatten them out.

Step 3

Next, you add the gloss. Take out the flattened sheet of your stickers and lay the tape across them. You must start at one end and lay it down evenly using your straight edge to prevent wrinkles and bubbles.

It will make the stickers weatherproof and give it a nice glossy appearance similar to a vinyl sticker. We think you can skip this step as it depends on your preference for giving a customized look to the stickers.

If the stickers are larger for the tape, then you can use the contact paper. Cut out a piece of the contact paper that will cover the entire sheet. Now, uncover one of the edges of the plastic. After that, you have to lay it down on the edge of the paper.

Remember, it is not an easy part of the homemade sticker-making process. You can use a straightedge to lay down the plastic on the paper evenly. At the same time, you have to pull the backing off your adhesive. Once done, cut the sticker out to its final size. Make sure you keep all stickers flat so that they do not get buckled. Some people put them in the pockets of their sketchbooks.

Step 4

You can put the sticker on a flat surface. We recommend finding a porous surface because it works best. However, it depends on the sticker’s adhesive. You can use a spray bottle to spray the adhesive to cover it all. Make sure you spray from a distance of one foot. The purpose is to avoid too much concentration.

Too much water also makes the adhesive watery, which means it won’t dry. Use a damp rag in case you don’t have a spray bottle available at home. Now, apply your stickers to the surface and hold them there for a few seconds.

Make sure you flat out any bubbles or wrinkles. If you have not weatherproof the stickers with plastic or tape, you can spray the face of the sticker to activate the adhesive. Keep in mind that it is no easy to remove stickers. So, choose a place carefully where you want to keep them.

General Considerations

Do not put your stickers on public property. Also, you can get a design on the sheet. Although silk screening is a tough job, it gives a great DIY feel. You can print them at a print shop to maintain the quality. Make a variety of stickers and gift them to your friends and family members.

Also, you have to make the adhesive balanced by focusing on the mixture. By balance, we do not mean adding 1:1 of the glue and vinegar. We mean to say that the right adhesive is 2:1 of glue and vinegar.

Moreover, it is not easy to make homemade stickers. If you think the procedure is hard, go through it again. Take note of each step and ensure you follow the instructions. Otherwise, your effort will go wasted.