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One of the latest trends in large format digital printing is custom designed wall graphics – and the team at Superior Signs and Graphics are becoming a part of that trend. The technological improvements in the print industry have facilitated the use of custom “wallpaper” in the retail, office and industrial sectors. Graphics can now be designed, printed on a variety of media, and installed on various wall surfaces.
The applications are broad, and include retail themes like the orange grove wall wraps we installed at The Cove Market & Deli in Anaheim. The coffee bar and convenience store located in The Tropicana hotel wanted a local theme to decorate their entrance.
Organizations can also benefit from wall graphics, like the Boys and Girls Club of Buena Park, who teamed up with us and Nutrilite to create and help fund some nostalgic and inspirational wall wraps that now set the tone when kids and visitors enter the club!
Industrial applications apply as well, like the graphics we did for TAB records management in Fullerton. They had moved to a new larger facility, and needed to use one of the warehouses as a large office area with cubicles. To make the two-story warehouse size less overwhelming and reinforce the company logo and colors, they had us create two wall graphics of their logo – each six feet tall. After painting a band of their logo color half way up the wall, we added the vinyl logos to the walls because their painters could not replicate them with the same accuracy.
Really, wall graphics have the versatility to be used in almost any commercial environment. A ReMax broker in Brea that we did a number of sign projects for when opening their new office took advantage of wall graphics at their entry focal point. Framed by two LED Flat screen message centers left and right is the iconic ReMax balloon and logo lettering as well as the “Cornerstone” brand of the agent’s new office.
Wall graphics work the best when the wall surface has little or no texture, as the “orange peel” and “knockdown” surfaces common in residential environments affect adhesion and appearance of wall graphics and wraps. Some low VOC paints can also be an adhesion challenge for vinyl wall wraps, and could require a new coat of primer before graphics can be applied. At Superior Signs and Graphics, we test surfaces with a 3M test kit before determining whether existing paint is appropriate.
There are a few options when choosing the material to print the graphics upon – calendared vinyl, printable wallpaper like the options from HP, textured printable wallpapers like those offered by Koroseal, and even highly conforming cast vinyl – typically used for vehicle wraps. The cast vinyl application would be for rough surfaces like brick or concrete.
Several laminate options exist for the vinyl options, including a gloss, luster or matte finishes. Each has its pros and cons and is fit for specific applications. Gloss allows the greatest wow factor, but really should not be used on textured walls or where close lighting causes glare. Luster knocks down some of the glare while maintaining most of the vibrant colors, and matte gives a purposely duller “retro” look that works especially well with black and white graphics.
Designing large format wall graphics takes experience as some of the images require choosing the correct resolution and using proper scale. At Superior Signs and Graphics, our expert graphic design staff can take your existing design and layout your graphics – or we can completely design the graphics for you to your specifications. Call us today at 714-739-2855 to turn your inspiration into your new digitally printed masterpiece!
Posted by Scott Hoffman on December 8, 2013