Wall graphics have enjoyed a recent surge of interest from both business owners and members of the general public. Whether you’re trying to inform in-store customers, attract great foot traffic, or a hobby user trying to decorate a space for a recreational event. It’s crucial that you know a bit about different materials, mounting strategies, and surface challengers that may arise during the course of your installation.
In today’s post, the Signworld team shares a basic guide to interior wall graphics that should inform your design process, customer service and purchase decisions.
Selecting the Right Vinyl
Choosing the right material is key if you want impressive results. When selection time comes, you want to be sure that your chosen interior wall graphic has two main features: a matte finish and a removable adhesive.
Matte finish is non-negotiable; without this feature, the effect of your graphic may be diminished, as the glare created by shiny “hot spots” could make your content or imagery illegible!
On the other hand, a removable adhesive is also a must-have. Many sign manufacturers opt for permanent adhesives, but these aren’t optimal for interior applications. You can’t permanently install anything at a trade show or recreational event, and permanent adhesive makes life harder on retail store owners when it’s time to update their promotions, menus, or store announcements. Removable adhesive eliminates the risk of damaging the wall paint, and ours is strong enough to endure whatever’s thrown at it.
Pairing Your Vinyl with the Right Tape
Getting the tape and vinyl combination right is crucial! Matte finishes are great for reducing glare, but their unique surface properties also make it tough for tape to adhere. Ideally, your tape’s adhesive properties will strike that perfect balance between sticky and user-friendly; we want to avoid situations where the tape makes it tricky to get the cut and weeded vinyl off of the release liner, but our decal needs to stick firmly to our chosen area.
Different sign manufacturers carry different styles of tape – contact the Signworld team at http://www.signworld.org to have your questions answered during a free consultation with our team.
Finding the Right Surface (and Making the Most of It!)
Self-adhesive plotter films were initially conceived as a replacement for the paint used in commercial signs. Like paint, this means that interior graphics are best applied to smooth surfaces with characteristics that enable a strong bond between substance and adhesive.
Here’s a quick breakdown and the dos and don’ts of interior wall graphic surfaces:
- Textured surfaces are generally a bad idea. The rougher the surface, the harder you’ll find the installation. Brick and rough stone are really not advisable without the guidance of a Signworld expert.
- Paint: It’s very common to see interior wall graphics placed on paint, but not all painted walls are created equally. If you’re mounting an interior wall graphic, it’s best to choose a spot painted with enamel paints; like glass and aluminum, this kind of paint has smooth, non-porous properties that make a successful installation much easier.
- Drywall and dust: It’s not that common, but some people install their wall graphics directly onto drywall. This isn’t too much of a problem in the right conditions, but any kind of water exposure can wreak all kinds of havoc. Be sure that there is no moisture behind the walls, as it can cause vinyl failure. Also be sure that you wipe down the drywall thoroughly before you begin your installation, as any dust will interfere with the adhesion.
Learn more about interior wall graphic installations at http://www.signworld.org.
About Signworld
Signworld is a national organization with more than 300 independently owned sign companies, which provide commercial custom signage and graphics. It’s personable, creative, rewarding and ideal for people-oriented individuals who have the desire to learn how to manage a sales and production business. Signworld has been a part of the industry’s profit and fun since 1988. With over 28 years in the business, Signworld has established itself as the leader in the no-royalties and no-rules sign business concept. The ongoing support and training along with state-of-the-art equipment helps leave the competition behind. For more details visit – https://signworld.org
