Matte vs. Glossy Vinyl

Many vinyl lettering websites have both matte and glossy vinyl available for your project. Several reasons why you would use one type over another will be discussed further down, but for starters, let me explain the visual difference.

The easiest way to explain is to use the example of patent leather vs. regular leather shoes. Glossy vinyl looks like patent leather shoes; they are both slick and shiny. The Matte vinyl looks like a regular leather shoe; slightly textured with no shine.

Where you are going to place that project is probably the first determining factor as to whether you want to use matte or glossy vinyl. Here are the characteristics and best uses for each type of vinyl:

Matte Vinyl
1. Unlimited life indoors; 3 year outdoor life.
2. The adhesive on the back of the vinyl makes it very easy to remove from walls and other surfaces. It will not leave any residue.
3. Because Matte vinyl is not shiny, it doesn’t glare when indoor lights hit it.
4. Limited choice of colors available.

Glossy Vinyl
1. Unlimited life indoors; 4-8 year outdoor life (depending on the brand and type).
2. The adhesive on the back of the vinyl is permanent. Therefore, removal of this type of vinyl will take a little more effort to remove from a surface.
3. Because Glossy vinyl is shiny, indoor lights tend to glare off the vinyl.
4. The best vinyl to use on car windows is white glossy.
5. Many color choices available.

Basically, if your project is going to indoors, you will probably want to choose matte over glossy unless you have your heart set on a color that doesn’t come in matte. For outdoor use, glossy will be your best bet for longevity.