Attaching a Just Married sign to a hatchback

October 27, 2018 8:36 PM

My sister is getting married tomorrow, and I want to make a "just married" sign to attach to her car. I was thinking posterboard or foam board with markers, but I'm not sure how to attach it in a way that's temporary but secure. She drives a Toyota Yaris hatchback.

Yes, this is something she knows I'd be doing and her and her fiancee are fine with it. I'm away from home but will have access to craft supply stores (this is in Manhattan).

posted by serathen to Grab Bag (16 answers total)

Best answer: Does it have to be on posterboard or foam board? Could you use windshield paint markers designed to be washed off with soap and water?
posted by Rob Rockets at 8:52 PM on October 27, 2018 [9 favorites]

Strong magnets, like neodymium magnets, would probably be enough.
posted by Wild_Eep at 9:24 PM on October 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

but I'm not sure how to attach it in a way that's temporary but secure.

This is why the Flying Sphagetti Monster created Zap Straps.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 10:28 PM on October 27, 2018

Shaving cream was the way to go back in the good old days.
posted by metahawk at 11:03 PM on October 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

Gaffer tape will hold very well but remove without leaving a residue and usually without damaging the surface. For easiest results buff on some wax before taping the sign on to provide protection to the paint.
posted by Mitheral at 11:13 PM on October 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

I would try those 3M removable Velcro picture mounts (available at most hardware shops, I imagine). Make sure to clean and dry the attachment points on the car's surface. As long as you're not putting the sign where it gets/creates a ton of wind drag, I think it'll be pretty secure.
posted by cocoagirl at 1:38 AM on October 28, 2018

Shaving cream damages paint. Zip tie to the bottom of the license plate. The bumper is likely plastic, but the trunk likely be steel, so magnets will work there. Craft stores will have glue-able magnets. Streamers are nice, too.
posted by theora55 at 5:38 AM on October 28, 2018

Seconding Mitheral; I just had my side mirror strapped on with gaff tape for five days and it held up well. For a sign, short term, it'd be fine. If you tape straight to the windows rather than the paint, I would have no worries about that at all.
posted by gideonfrog at 5:57 AM on October 28, 2018

I would attach the poster to some ribbon and shut the ribbon in the hatch so there's no actual adhesive on the car and way less potential for scratching the paint than magnets. I might ties a handful of knots in the ribbon to add a little extra friction. If you wanted to be able to open and close the hatch a number of times while it was still attached, I'd run two ribbons vertically and tie them around the hatch door.
posted by advicepig at 7:37 AM on October 28, 2018 [5 favorites]

This is basically the purpose of Command strips, which seems like the easiest solution here. I use them to hang up everything in my apartments, from clocks to pictures to Christmas lights and the tabs pull away clean when you're done. Never tried them on a car but I really doubt they would damage paint because of the way they work. You can buy them wherever, hardware stores, Target, probably grocery stores.
posted by robotdevil at 7:54 AM on October 28, 2018

Do not use adhesives on someone else's car! (/clapping hands)
Put duct tape on the corners of the poster, on the back. Punch a little hole with scissors in each corner and run string or ribbon through it. Tie string/ribbon to door hinges (also there are usu openings around the edge of the door for exactly this)
Play with it a little...leave your string lengths with a little 'play' that u can tighten as necessary...now close the door...it should hold the poster taught without ripping it.
posted by sexyrobot at 8:57 AM on October 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Does it have to be a sign? You could get some of that marker that people use to write “for sale” on car windows and write “Just married”.
posted by Autumnheart at 9:29 AM on October 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Shaving cream was the way to go back in the good old days.

[crawls out of crypt] Creamy/fatty white soap, if rain wasn't immediately expected. Rubbed over a stencil, if one wanted crisp lettering.

You could do soap lettering on the inside, too, or maybe attach your sign to the hatch interior with Scotch tape.
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:43 AM on October 28, 2018 [2 favorites]

Unclear on this point: Do you expect them to drive with the sign? If you're just going to have it on for decoration while parked, any of the above should be fine, but if they drive above say, 20 mph, posterboard or foam is going to rip right off any attachment where air can get under it.

Agree with the suggestions for markers.
posted by sageleaf at 11:20 AM on October 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Could you use windshield paint markers designed to be washed off with soap and water?

This. Times infinity.
We've always used the markers on "just married" cars, and they work perfectly, and don't block the view out the back window nearly as much as a sign does.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:06 PM on October 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I bought some “liquid chalk” markers from an art supply store and they worked great!
posted by serathen at 2:34 PM on October 28, 2018 [2 favorites]