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(June 2008) posted on Mon Jun 23, 2008

Drywall, plaster, windows: Vinyl wraps them all.

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By Craig Campbell

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So, we’re mainstream. We’re everywhere. Television, magazines, Internet, airports, bus shelters, heck, we’re even on YouTube! Who, you ask? All of us in the signage and graphics industry, that’s who. Whether you produce graphics, sell supplies or just handle the installation, your work can be seen anywhere and everywhere.

Speaking of everywhere, this month we’re talking about graphics that are produced for the most ubiquitous spaces around us – windows and walls. We’ll take a look at some special considerations when using either of these venues for your canvas, and also, the best types of pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) vinyl for these applications. So, stop patting yourself on the back for a minute, and let’s see what we can learn.

Let’s talk walls first. Graphics can be applied to many different wall types, so understanding adhesion will give you much better chances to succeed, and to meet your client’s needs.

Indoors, most walls are painted drywall, typically matte latex paint. PSA vinyl can be applied to latex paint, but the wall should be primed before the latex paint is applied. Always ask your customer exactly how the wall was prepared before you even suggest a particular type of graphic. For full-coverage graphics, such as a wall mural, it’s always best to choose an acrylic enamel with a gloss finish.

Once the drywall is ready for a graphics package, determine how long the customer wants the graphics to last. For long-term, permanent applications, choose either an intermediate or ultra-calendered product with a permanent adhesive. If it’s a digital print, always choose a brand-matching laminate, as that print will be continually touched, poked and prodded by all the “Little Johnnys” of the world. Tell your customer the underlying paint will probably be damaged upon removal.

For shorter-term applications, where customers specify frequent graphics changes, or, if they can’t risk any damage to the underlying paint, use a film with a removable adhesive. The application’s duration will determine if the product should be an economy or intermediate film. The shorter the life, the less expensive the vinyl needs to be.