Top

Smart Materials™

Smart Vinyl

Edited: September 30, 2024

Follow the instructions below to cut and apply Smart Vinyl.

 

What you need

  • Cricut Explore 3 or Cricut Maker 3 smart cutting machine
  • Design Space software on computer or mobile device
  • Premium Fine-Point Blade and Housing
  • Smart Vinyl (13 in / 33 cm wide)
  • Weeder
  • Cricut Transfer Tape*
  • Burnishing tool, such as a Scraper

*Transfer Tape works for most vinyl types. Use StrongGrip Transfer Tape for vinyl with a textured finish, like Shimmer. StrongGrip Transfer Tape is too strong for other vinyl types.

 

Design, cut, and weed

  1. Customize your design in Design Space, then select Make It.
  2. Select your material load style (Without Mat) and your specific material type.

Note: For the rollers to grip and load your material, Cricut Explore 3 and Cricut Maker 3 allow some space above and below your design. To ensure you have enough Smart Materials for your design, wait until after the cut is complete to trim.

  1. Align material against left material guide on the machine, then slide it under the mat guides and up against the machine rollers.
    • For best results, make sure your material has a straight edge.
  2. Press the load button. The machine measures your material to ensure there’s enough for your project.
    • Leave 10 in (25 cm) of space behind your machine and guide vinyl into a roll as it feeds out the back of your machine.
    • If your material loaded crookedly it will try to realign the material as it measures.
    • Smart Materials may bow up in the middle when loading. If your material isn’t lying flat by the end of the measuring process, press the unload button, realign your material with the left material guide and under the mat guides, and reload.
  3. Press the Go button and watch the magic happen!
  4. When the cut is complete, press the unload button.
  5. Use a weeder to remove excess vinyl from in and around your design, leaving design on the liner.

Tip: Smart Materials must be at least 6 in (15.24 cm) long to use without a cutting mat. You can still use shorter by placing them on a StandardGrip Mat.

 

What you need

  • Cricut Joy or Cricut Joy Xtra smart cutting machine
  • Design Space software on computer or mobile device
  • Cricut Joy Blade and Housing
  • Cricut Joy Smart Vinyl
    • 5.5 in (13.9 cm) wide for Cricut Joy
    • 9.5 in (24.1 cm) wide for Cricut Joy Xtra
  • Weeder
  • Cricut Transfer Tape*
  • Burnishing tool, such as a Scraper

*Transfer Tape works for most vinyl types. Use StrongGrip Transfer Tape for vinyl with a textured finish, like Shimmer and Glitter. StrongGrip Transfer Tape is too strong for other vinyl types. 

 

Design, cut, and weed

  1. Customize your design in Design Space, then select Make It.
  2. Select your material load style (Without Mat) and your specific material type. 

Note: For the rollers to grip and load your material, Cricut Joy machines allow 1 in (2.5 cm) of space at the top of your design and 0.5 in (1.2 cm) at the bottom. To ensure you have enough Smart Materials for your design, wait until after the cut is complete to trim. 

  1. Using both hands, insert material under guides. Continue feeding into machine until rollers grip material. 
    • For best results, make sure your material has a straight edge. 
  2. Once machine senses materials under the rollers, it measures your material to ensure there's enough for your project. 
    • Leave 10 in (25.4 cm) of space behind your machine and guide vinyl into a roll as it feeds out the back of your machine. 
    • Smart Materials may bow in the middle when loading. If your material isn't lying flat by the end of the measuring process, select Unload in the software, then reload. 
      • For Cricut Joy Xtra, ensure the star wheels on the roller bar are evenly spaced across the roller bar rather than pushed to either side.
  3. Select Go and watch the magic happen! 
  4. When the cut is complete, select Unload.
  5. Use a weeder to remove excess vinyl from in and around your design, leaving design on the liner. 

Tip: Smart Materials must be at least 4 in (10.16 cm) long to use without a cutting mat with Cricut Joy, and at least 6 in (15.24 cm) long to use without a cutting mat with Cricut Joy Xtra. You can still use shorter by placing them on a StandardGrip Mat. 

 

What you need

  • Cricut Venture smart cutting machine
  • Design Space software on computer
  • Performance Blade and housing
  • Smart Vinyl in 13 in / 33 cm or 25 in / 63.5 cm width
  • Weeder
  • Cricut Transfer Tape*
  • Burnishing tool, such as a Scraper

*Transfer Tape works for most vinyl types. Use StrongGrip Transfer Tape for vinyl with a textured finish, like Shimmer. StrongGrip Transfer Tape is too strong for other vinyl types.

 

Design, cut, and weed

  1. Customize your design in Design Space, then select Make It.
  2. Select your material load style (Without Mat) and your specific material type.

Note: For the rollers to grip and load your material, Cricut Venture allows some space above and below your design. To ensure you have enough Smart Materials for your design, wait until after the cut is complete to trim.

  1. Make sure the machine is flush with the edge of your table or stand.
  2. Following the prompts in Design Space:
    • Load the Performance Blade in clamp B
    • Raise lever
    • For 13 in/ 33 cm material
      • Move the right Pinch Roller to position 1
      • Raise the left and middle guides
    • For 25 in / 63.5 cm material:
      • Move the right Pinch Roller to position 2
      • Raise the left and right guides
    • Insert the material from the top of the machine, making sure it goes under the material guides
    • Insert the material until it reaches the front edge of the machine – this ensures it covers the lower sensor
    • Lower lever
    • Press the load button
    • If your material loaded crookedly it will try to realign the material as it measures
  3. Press the Go button and watch the magic happen!
  4. When the cut is complete, cut off the material
  5. Use a weeder to remove excess vinyl from in and around your design, leaving design on the liner.

Tip: Smart Materials must be at least 6 in (15.24 cm) long to use without a cutting mat. You can still use shorter by placing them on a StandardGrip Performance Mat.

 

Apply Transfer Tape

Note: Transfer Tape works for most vinyl types. Use StrongGrip Transfer Tape for vinyl with a textured finish, like Shimmer. StrongGrip Transfer Tape is too strong for other vinyl types.

  1. Peel liner from Transfer Tape.
  2. To place Transfer Tape on your design carefully follow these steps:
  3. Attach a small area of Transfer Tape to your design. This can either be the center or one end of your design.
  4. Use a Scraper to burnish Transfer Tape onto your design, working outward from where you attached the small area.
  5. Flip design and burnish.

 

Apply to project surface

Important: Application of long designs requires care and planning. Take time to plan your approach.

  1. Make sure project surface is clean and dry.
  2. Peel vinyl liner away from Transfer Tape and design.
    • If vinyl doesn't separate from the liner, simply burnish liner back onto the vinyl and peel away again.
  3. To transfer design to your project surface carefully follow these steps:
    • Attach a small area of design onto your surface. This can either be the center or one end of your design.
    • Use a Scraper to burnish design onto your surface, working outward from where you attached the small area.
  4. Peel Transfer Tape away from design.
    • Work carefully. If vinyl peels up with Transfer Tape, simply burnish Transfer Tape and vinyl back down to the project surface and peel away again.
    • For best results, peel Transfer Tape at an acute angle.

 

Related articles