How to Make Sure Graphics Stick to Walls and Boards

Last week we posted an important bulletin from 3M regarding the application of graphics on walls with low-VOC paints, which can cause adhesion issues during application. You should go check that out, but here’s the rest of the story for basic application guidelines on walls and other sign materials…

Applying Graphics to SignsThere are basic details that should not be overlooked as graphics are being prepared for application, and the preparation has to begin before the beginning. First, be sure to allow the ink to dry and set for a minimum of 24 hours. Then, it’s safe to apply to whatever substrate you’re using. Here, we’ll stick to flat, relatively smooth surfaces, like sign boards and barricades, rather than irregular ones with compound curves, or other surfaces like glass, carpets, and concrete.

With just about any flat material – whether plastic, PVC, sheet rock or other wall materials, aluminum, or MDO – the surface should be as clean as possible. Don’t use soap, Windex, or any ammonia-based cleaners as they leave a residue that will affect the vinyl’s adhesion.

The best bet is either rubbing alcohol or other cleaners that evaporate quickly, such as those manufactured by Rapid Tac, which are designed specifically for vinyl application. Use cheap paper towels to wipe down the substrate as they’re less likely than rags, towels, or more expensive paper towels to leave anything behind.

Also, make sure the surface hasn’t been freshly painted. Installation professional Keith Bernard of Road Signs in Sarasota, Fla., says to avoid alcohol on freshly painted surfaces. “A lot of interior barricades you find at malls are drywall with a fresh coat of primer, and if you use alcohol you run the risk of smearing the paint, which will cause adhesion problems with the material you’re installing,” he says.

Some people will scuff the substrate, particularly a PVC-based material like Sintra, to create more surface area for the adhesive to stick to, but this can create ridges and pockets in the material that might actually defeat the purpose.

Foam boards need less preparation, but if you’re cutting them to a different size to fit the application, make sure there’s no dust on the board before you apply the graphic. If you have a laminator, use it to apply the graphic to the material, even if you’re not laminating the print. It’s a relatively quick and easy way to apply the vinyl to the substrate.

However, if you usually run rigid materials on one side of the laminator each time, the rollers will tend to wear down on that side, causing poor adhesion and de-lamination. One solution is to mix it up, and run materials through each side of the laminator and in the middle.

To check your laminator, set the nip to zero, and if there’s any daylight between the rollers it means you’re getting wear spots, or the rollers are out of alignment. Either way, it’s a good idea to regularly check this.

Once you’ve applied the graphic to the board, whether you’re using a laminator or not, it’s important to let the adhesive set for at least two hours, and ideally 24 hours, before you trim. This is especially important if you’re using a mechanical cutting tool, like a CNC router. If you’re not using a router, make sure to use a sharp blade on a hard surface, such as tempered glass. This will help eliminate any edge lift problems.

If you’re installing in the field, the same cleaning regimen applies, as well as making sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the best temperature range for installation. But out here you often have to deal with removing the previous graphics, such as you would with an existing sign board. In this case, bring a heat gun or a propane torch. If the board is small enough (say 4×8 at most), the heat gun should be sufficient, but a bigger flame is needed to remove larger graphics.

And, have tweezers and a pin or needle handy. The tweezers will help with small, stubborn pieces of vinyl, particularly if the previous graphics include cut vinyl lettering. The pin is for getting rid of any bubbles you might have as you apply the new graphic.

Sometimes, it’s just easier and more economical to have a professional installer do it for you, particularly for larger graphics. If someone who specializes in vinyl installation can do it two to four times faster, you might better off using the time and effort you’d spend installing doing what you do best.

Installation may be the most important component since it’s what the customer and the public ultimately see. A professional installer can make it look better and help avoid wasting material in the process.

If you need any help or advice, give one of our experts a call at 800-453-9538.

Make it Stick with LexJet Foam Tape

This galvanized cooler surface was tough to stick graphics to, so Coco Beverage, Hot Springs, Ark., used LexJet Foam Tape to ensure a solid bond for this point of sale project. Photo by Cameron Biles
This galvanized cooler surface was tough to stick graphics to, so Coco Beverage, Hot Springs, Ark., used LexJet Foam Tape to ensure a solid bond for this point of sale project. Photo by Cameron Biles

LexJet has just introduced LexJet Foam Tape, engineered to stick in tough spots and permanently, primarily for outdoor applications where graphics need to be applied to low-energy surfaces like painted concrete, plastics, finished aluminum, acrylics and glass.

LexJet Foam Tape is durable in all weather conditions with a double-sided adhesive that provides long-term bonding between the print medium and the substrate. It also fills the gaps in irregular surfaces, strengthening the bond, and will not fail due to temperature variations that cause contraction and expansion.

LexJet Foam TapeResistant to water, UV rays, detergents, and picky people picking at the point of sale, LexJet Foam Tape is the high-bond answer to tough-to-stick situations.

For more information about LexJet Foam Tape and all of LexJet’s adhesive products, including application advice, contact a knowledgeable LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Successful Adaptation to Changing Times at PhotoGraphics Maui

Fine art photography printing and mounting
This fantastic Hawaiian surf image by Franck Berthuot of Berthuot Visuals (www.berthuotvisuals.com) was printed on Sunset Photo eSatin Paper and mounted to Masonite.

PhotoGraphics Maui illustrates how someone can do what they love while their business model changes radically over the years. In PhotoGraphics Maui’s case, the company’s evolution started about 30 years ago when Japan was the world’s economic powerhouse.

Printing and mounting fine art photography
The customer was blown away by the treatment of this photo, which is Sunset Photo eSatin mounted to black-stained bamboo and finished with a non-glare plexiglass.

In the ’80s, Japanese tourists were flocking to Maui, Hawaii. Arriving literally by the busloads, PhotoGraphics Maui’s owner, Renee Zaima, started shooting tour group pictures.

“We processed our own film and pumped out pictures every day. Then we would go to the airport and sell the pictures to them,” explains Zaima. “Then we got into wedding photography and videography with the Japanese. We used to send our small prints out, but the lab was closed on weekends. With the Japanese we were doing an average of 80 weddings a month and we had to get the albums to them before they left. So, if the wedding was at four o’clock that day and they were leaving the next morning at 8 we had to have the photos and the video ready for them.”

That business largely dried up in the ’90s, coinciding with Japan’s “lost decade” when markets dived and Japan’s economic growth slowed to standstill, a harbinger of things to come in the American economy in 2008.

Fine art and photography printing
Most of these images were printed on Sunset Photo Metallic Paper and mounted to aluminum. Renee Zaima, owner of PhotoGraphics Maui, says a lot of customers come in and buy the images off the walls. "I don't take a commission on the ones we sell because I know the photographer or artist will want to print more," she says.

Fortunately, PhotoGraphics Maui was able to pick up the slack by shifting its business to traditional photo lab work for photographers while still offering photography services. The next big shift came with the Internet boom and the digital age.

“When the digital world and the Internet happened, we started concentrating on fine art. We still do everything, but we print more reproductions for artists than we did before,” says Zaima. “You have to change with the times. It’s hard to catch up when you don’t stay on top of those changes. We’ve done that by going to large format inkjet printing and offering the mounting services.”

Inkjet printing photography and mounting to aluminum
This image is Sunset Photo eSatin Paper mounted to aluminum and finished with non-glare plexiglass.

Those two differentiators are the company’s bread and butter; the bread being the large format printing and the butter the mounting services. In order to keep that business smooth and efficient, Zaima needed to supply the two Epson Stylus Pro 9800 inkjet printers with consistent products.

“We were getting everything from a variety of vendors, and sometimes the boxes weren’t even marked or the products weren’t consistent. We were wasting money because we had to keep re-doing our projects, and finally we found someone who was consistent with our customer specialist at LexJet, Sukesh Pathak,” explains Zaima. “We love the canvas and the coatings we get from LexJet [Sunset Select Matte Canvas, Sunset Satin Coating and Sunset Gloss Coating], and Sukesh has been on top of things for us. I get emails when he’s not even at work to follow up with me on products and shipping. I also have LexJet’s Sales & Application Guide book that I can show my customers, because everyone’s looking for something different.”

Those different media options for PhotoGraphics Maui include LexJet Sunset Photo eSatin Paper and Sunset Photo Metallic Paper. The combination of different media with a range of mounting substrate options helps set PhotoGraphics Maui apart.

PhotoGraphics Maui mounts to aluminum, Masonite, bamboo and other materials, sourcing and cutting the materials themselves. The prints are typically applied edge to edge with a layer of non-glare plexiglass on top and channels on the back so the pieces “float” off the wall.

“I can’t compete with stores that offer prints terribly cheap. We stay away from that, which is why we’re so glad we found LexJet because now we can order everything we need,” says Zaima. “We go with what our customer’s needs are, so I’m constantly looking for something new that will catch their eye. I can’t make money printing 4x6s; that era is gone. With a product like Sunset Photo Metallic and our floating frame, it looks very modern and contemporary and the photographers love it; it’s probably our most popular product.”

Easy Photo Application on Boards with New Adhesive Backed Photo Paper

With LexJet’s new Production Satin Photo PSA you can eliminate steps, and save time, materials and money. Rather than apply a mounting adhesive to the back of the paper, apply LexJet Production Satin Photo PSA directly to the board with an adhesive on the back of the paper that will stick to different substrates, like PVC, foam boards and aluminum.

“It’s the best material for photographic applications to board,” says Eli Weingarten, Presentation Graphics, Brooklyn, N.Y. “We’ve always had a hard time with adhesive-backed materials that curl, but this paper applies easily, it has a great finish and our customers like it. It’s an excellent paper.”

Compatible with aqueous inkjet printer and formulated to take advantage of the wide color gamut provided by the latest generation of Canon, Epson and HP printers, LexJet Production Satin Photo PSA is a resin-coated archival paper that ensures longer lasting images that won’t yellow over time. It’s engineered to dry instantly with both dye and pigmented aqueous ink and can be laminated with either thermal or cold laminates.