Floors, Walls, and Windows. Oh My!

There’s been a lot of talk about floor, wall, and window graphics lately, so we decided to go to Michael Clementi, LexJet’s in-house solutions expert, to discuss some of the most popular and easiest products to use for floor, wall, and window applications.

Clementi talks about several products in LexJet’s portfolio in the video above. Here are some of the highlights:

Floors –

When it comes to floor graphics, there are two options: a one-step solution or a two-step solution. Clementi suggests the one-step method for short-term graphics, and the two-step application will be down for an extended time.

“A product like LexJet Textured Indoor Floor and Wall has a slip-rated surface so you can print it and put it directly on the floor,” he says. “The two-step process requires you to have a printable product and a laminate. This solution is for medium to longer-term floors graphics.”

Walls –

Wall graphics offer everything from short-term needs (up to two years), to intermediate-term (up to five years), to long-term (7+ years). LexJet Solvent Print-N-Stick Fabric has been a favorite among LexJet clients for the past few years for many reasons. It images well and will last up to two years, but it is also easy to install for just about anyone, from kids to adults.

“The difference between Solvent Print-N-Stick and a regular calendered wall film is that Print-N-Stick is a fabric so airflow can go right through the product [reducing air bubbles],” says Clementi. “Also, there’s no overstretching it. If adhesive vinyl gets overstretched, it might not match the panel next to it.”

Windows –

For window solutions, there are several options: some visibility, total coverage, or privacy. Simple Low-Tack Clear and White are quick and easy options for minimal or full coverage and are great alternatives to static cling. LexJet Simple Perforated Window Vinyl 60/40 is the perfect “go-to” solution for privacy.

“Low Tack Clear and White have the same adhesive. It’s a very low tack microsphere adhesive that doesn’t have problems sticking to the release liner, and it won’t come up and ribbon on you at the edges when you are contour cutting like static cling can,” says Clementi. “The last alternative is window perf. It has 60% vinyl and 40% perforation, excellent for retail environments. The liner is super thick and holds the product extremely well, all the way through the print process and on to the install.”

For additional solutions, visit The LexJet Experience or contact a LexJet Applications Expert at 800-453-9538. And don’t forget to check out the video above to hear more from solutions expert Michael Clementi.

Printing the Big Picture for Conferences and Trade Shows

Printing wall graphics for conferencesAt 11th Hour Printing Solutions in Orlando, Fla., they don’t simply print and apply. Consultation and bringing their expertise in effective trade show and conference graphic programs to the forefront is their forte.

In this recent conference project pictured here for a Marriot in the Orlando area, 11th Hour meticulously mapped out the best sites, and the best application methods, for the common area directional graphics. Mark Jacques, director of print services for 11th Hour, says they often use an iPad 2 as a tool during the process.

“We’ll walk a client through the space with all the images of their graphics housed on the iPad. Then, we’ll pull up the image of the graphic that goes in a certain space to make sure the directional works for them in that location. It’s been an excellent tool for our work,” says Jacques.

Inkjet printed signs applied to wallsMoreover, Jacques adds, “On this property we have every location for a surface graphic identified on a map. We send the client the full map, and then we have a conference call to discuss what parts of the property they’re using and what they’re traffic flow is going to be. We recommend where to put directionals and graphics. In this instance the client did all the design work and we provided the measurements for each location where everything needed to go.”

In other words, 11th Hour takes a big picture view of each project to ensure both effective branding and direction. When possible, 11th hour prefers to apply graphics to walls, columns and entryways, as opposed to using banner stands and sign easels. Jacques says, “The easiest sell is that it’s not obstructing the traffic flow; banner stands and easels with signs are obstructions. This gives the client the opportunity to brand the entire space and make it look like it’s theirs.”

Conference directional signage applied to a wallFor this project, 11th Hour used a combination of Photo Tex for solvent printers and LexJet Simple Low-Tack White Vinyl. Printed with 11th Hour’s HP L25500 Latex Printer, the two materials are easy to install, reposition and remove.

“We’ve done an extensive amount of work and testing at this property. Everything we’re applying the graphics to is a wood panel painted with an oil-based paint and we’ve never had any damage to the surface,” says Jacques.

Dee-O-Gee on the Windows Update: Win-Win-Win for Print Shop, Client and City

Printing window murals with a large format inkjet printerThe last time we checked in with INK Outside the Box, Bozeman, Mont., and its ongoing project with local pet store Dee-O-Gee, the sign code restricting window murals was still up in the air, but INK Outside the Box was aiming to change that. What wasn’t up in the air was the success of the project, which has led to a change in the sign code.

Justin Lind of INK Outside the Box says Dee-O-Gee has been able to attribute a 35 percent increase in the pet store’s business since the murals went up last year. Over the past year INK Outside the Box has added thematic touches to the original murals that draw additional interest and anticipation from residents, tourists and other passersby in Bozeman. Moreover, INK Outside the Box has realized additional business due to the visibility of the project, not to mention the added revenue from simply changing the mural every season.

“We’re getting a huge response. A lot of Dee-O-Gee’s client base is always curious about what the next theme is going to be. We have a lot of tourists that come through and they’re interested in it as well,” says Lind. “And, all we have to do is tell one of our potential clients that we printed the dogs and they always recognize the project. It was a hot topic for awhile in the paper; it definitely gives us a lot more clout with our customer base, especially customers who have never done business with us before.”

The latest theme, shown here, celebrates spring in the Bozeman area, where the rivers begin to flow from snow melt and fly fishing is king. INK Outside the Box will reveal the summer motif in the next couple of weeks. As Lind puts it, “Summer is finally arriving here in Montana.”

The thematic accessories, such as the hats and fly fishing gear of the spring-themed dogs, are printed on LexJet Simple Low Tack White Vinyl with INK Outside the Box’s HP UV curable printer then die-cut on a Mimaki plotter. Transfer tape is applied to the die-cut images so the customer can easily apply them on top of the original base image, which is about 92 in. x 92 in. The fly fisherman vest is about 24 in. x 36 in., to give you some idea of scale.

Creative Applications with Dee-O-Gee on the Windows

Dee-O-Gee is actually the name of the establishment that sports a creative application of inkjet printable vinyl to advertise and inform customers and passersby about its natural pet supply store in Bozeman, Mont.

Originally reported on this blog earlier this year, the project by Ink Outside the Box is ongoing and changed slightly depending on the season. As the photos show, Ink Outside the Box embellishes the original images, printed on LexJet Simple Low Tack White Vinyl with an HP Designjet 35500 flatbed UV-curable printer, with removable bits and pieces that coincide with the season.

“We thought it would be a great idea to print ornamental images on a repositionable material to dress up that same image. Then, they can peel those off and save the materials for the following year,” says Justin Lind of Ink Outside the Box. “The material we use from LexJet is perfect, because of the consistency you get for the price. Every time I get a roll of material, one roll is the same as the next. I like the adhesive with the 24-hour cure that you can pull back up and stick back down again during application and then it sets within 24 hours.”

Lind adds that this particular project has helped loosen up the sign codes in Bozeman a bit. He says it’s simple economics.

The original window graphics project for Dee-O-Gee before the Christmas additions by Ink Outside the Box. The dog photos are by Loneman Photography in Bozeman.

“This one client has increased his walk-in business by 35 percent just by having those murals on his windows. We took this information to the city and told them that we’re trying to help businesses survive during tough times, and this helps the city’s tax base,” explains Lind. “The way we advertise now is so different than what we did even five years ago. The window graphic is a great solution because it’s right there, it tells a quick story of who you are and what you do, plus it’s economical.”

Using Images for Window Murals

By Kara Work

We love it when our customers show us some of the creative ways they are using materials from LexJet. Here’s an example showing how a producer of commercial graphics used images supplied by a local photography studio to produce some very attention-getting window murals for a pet-supply store in Bozeman, MT.

As Justin Lind of the company Ink Outside the Box explains in a blog post: “Sign codes in Bozeman, Montana do not allow window murals to directly advertise what is sold within a business without a permit, and it is limited to only 15 to 30 days a year. However, using something tasteful and loosely related to your company is acceptable–such as mountains, or in this case, dogs.”