What are some helpful techniques for applying stickers?

Question

It can be tricky to place small stickers accurately on small parts using adult-sized hands. The best technique I've found so far is to remove the sticker and stick it on the corner of the sticker sheet so that I can position the sticker above the part without my fingers getting in the way. Still, though, it can be difficult to center the sticker perfectly, and when the margin between the sticker and the edge of the part is small, tiny inaccuracies are easily noticeable.

What are the most effective techniques for applying stickers accurately?

Answer 1

For a rectangular sticker on a rectangular surface, I usually try to center it between two sides and align it along the top. This does cause the problem of centering the sticker up and down.

If I really care about the proper alignment, I use the end of a small knife blade to place the stickers properly. Just stick a corner of the sticker to the tip of the blade, align and stick. This has the added advantage that when you begin to place the sticker, the knife is still underneath and will allow you to remove it and try again if you miss.

Answer 2

Another way is to stick a single side of the sticker to the piece, then give it a little tug without ripping it to make sure it's flat and has no wrinkles. Then apply the middle and other end.

Answer 3

The LEGO brick separator, spanner and crow bar have thin wedges on the end, which makes the sticker a bit easier to line up, rather than position by hand. I have heard some people talk of placing a drop of water on the brick, allowing a moment of slide before the sticker attaches firmly (but need to attempt it for myself).

Answer 4

While building the Ghostbusters Firehouse Headquarters, I used tweezers to place the stickers. This let me reposition it if it wasn't quite in the right spot, but had already started sticking to the element.