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Sticker or Decal?

Stickers vs. Decals: What's the Difference?

The difference between decals and stickers​

All in all, 'sticker' is an overarching term– all decals are stickers, but not all stickers are decals. Decals are decorative stickers built for outdoor use, and they feature three layers– the backing paper, the decal, and the transfer paper. On the other hand, a sticker can be a wide range of things, from bumper stickers and labels to car decals.

How to best choose between stickers and decals​

When choosing between stickers and decals, you should consider your needs. Stickers are the low-tech option. They can be placed practically anywhere and last for many years without exposure to the elements. Decals, however, feature a heavy-duty adhesive and are generally made with vinyl or polyester. If you need a permanent sticker in an outdoor area, you should opt for decals. However, stickers are the easier option if you're looking for a quick decoration method and you're not worried about longevity.
 
What about a sticker on a weed?

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Stickers are those things that stick to your clothes when you walk through the woods; tan round balls and the skinny black ones with two points.
 
A "sticker" is free. You have to pay for a "decal".
 
OMG - That's what heaven must look like! LOL... love it
I have thousands and thousands more in boxes in the cabinet. I always give them away to friends, family, neighbors, the neighborhood kids and give them away to kids at the swap meets and car shows.
 
I always thought that decals were meant to be permanent and stickers could be removed. "It was a 440,I saw the decal"
 
I have thousands and thousands more in boxes in the cabinet. I always give them away to friends, family, neighbors, the neighborhood kids and give them away to kids at the swap meets and car shows.
LOL! I have an addiction to those dang things... nice to know I'm not alone... "Stickers anonymous"
 
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LOL! I have an addition to those dang things... nice to know I'm not alone... "Stickers anonymous"
I don't apply them to my cars. Just around the garage. I don't like to advertise on my vehicles. In fact, I peel off logos/decals, grind off logo's on castings and weld/fill in logos if machined in, etc.
I special ordered my Moroso vacuum pump and pulleys without their laser etched logos on them. I special ordered my kirkey seat covers without the embroidered head rest logo, etc.
 
This debate has cropped up several times in the modelling and RC car hobby. For me, a sticker is sticky; it's an image that is adhesive. A decal is like those water-slide decals in model kits.

RC cars typically have stickers applied to the bodies, while plastic models have water-slide decals applied.

One of my pet peeves is stickers on ANYTHING. I hate 'em. When I special-ordered my 1998 Dakota years ago, I had the dealership remove all the "Dakota" and "Sport" stickers, it looked a lot cleaner without them. And most of the time when you try to remove stickers, parts or most of them get stuck behind as residue, which you need to remove too.

You see all these ricers with those sticker-bars behind the front fenders of all the parts that are probably NOT installed on the car, but each of those stickers adds 1 - 2 horsepower, easy.

EDIT: The other thing I don't like about either decals or stickers is that none of them are permanent; they will fade, peel up, and have parts scrub away over time. I had my tail stripe on Grendel painted on for that reason, I would never buy a sticker or decal of it. Just my 2 cents. :)
 
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This debate has cropped up several times in the modelling and RC car hobby. For me, a sticker is sticky; it's an image that is adhesive. A decal is like those water-slide decals in model kits.

RC cars typically have stickers applied to the bodies, while plastic models have water-slide decals applied.

One of my pet peeves is stickers on ANYTHING. I hate 'em. When I special-ordered my 1998 Dakota years ago, I had the dealership remove all the "Dakota" and "Sport" stickers, it looked a lot cleaner without them. And most of the time when you try to remove stickers, parts or most of them get stuck behind as residue, which you need to remove too.

You see all these ricers with those sticker-bars behind the front fenders of all the parts that are probably NOT installed on the car, but each of those stickers adds 1 - 2 horsepower, easy.
That is the first thing I did when I get home from a dealer with a newer vehicle is de-badge the dealership emblems and remove their license plate frames. That brings up another point. Back when my 96 Ram was under warranty and I would take it back to the dealership, they would stick their badges back on my vehicle and add their license plate frames to my vehicle. I would tell them everytime not to add them. Yet, they still did. Finally, the last time I refused to pay the bill until they removed them back off my vehicle. Which they did.
I haven't been back since. Now that everything I own is way put of warranty.
 
OEM: Decals

J.C. Whitney & etc.: Stickers

:lol:
 
I'd just tell them, "If you want me to advertise your dealership, I'll take $*** per month to keep your stickers/dealer plate frames on."
 
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