Our Top Window Graphics Tips

Window graphics have come a long way from the corner gas station. And while those bottling and promotional graphics are still in high demand, using window space to apply signage and brand messaging or even create a sense of privacy have inspired a new batch of window graphic materials for ease in installation and replacement. Here are a few of our top window graphic tips:

To Perf or Not to Perf?

Perforated window graphic film, such as LexJet Simple Perforated Window Vinyl (70/30), allows you to print on 70 percent of the surface, while 30 percent of it is tiny perforations, or holes. This allows for excellent image reproduction and shading coming into the window from outside, while people inside the building can still see out the window, through the perforations. Since this product is mounted outside, we suggest LexJet’s Optically Clear Cast Laminate for extra protection. Window perf is also available in 60/40 vinyl.

Do You Have a Winning Lineup for Outdoor Graphics?

Now more than any other time of year, outdoor signage and graphics are front and center and in demand. We hold outdoor graphics to higher expectations in terms of durability and longevity, but also in photo and color reproduction and overall strength and visual appeal. We gathered some of our customers’ favorite outdoor products for a variety of applications. Check out this list to find your tried-and-true choices, as well as some new products that you’ve yet to discover:

Although it’s not technically specified for outdoor use, our customers have found that LexJet TOUGHcoat ThriftyBanner can take the heat … and the rain. Photographer Carl Caylor reproduced football player images, shown above, and displayed them on the field in frames attached with BannerUps for an entire football season. “We had a few games with really nasty weather, and they really held up great,” he says. “The ThriftyBanner got wet, but after the game we hung them up to dry, and everything was fine. It was amazing for a product that’s not really rated for outdoor longevity.”

LexJet Simple Adhesive Vinyl SUV is a tried-and-true outdoor self-adhesive option. It can be used to cover up eyesores, like Spectra Imaging achieved quite stylishly by covering a generator and finishing it with a film laminate for extra outdoor protection, pictured here. Another self-adhesive favorite is LexJet TOUGHcoat AquaVinyl PSA, a go-to choice for durable outdoor signs, like those used for election season yard signs when paired with Coroplast or foam boards. And don’t forget that LexJet now carries a full line of Avery Dennison films and laminates made specifically for long-term outdoor use for vehicles, transit and marine graphics, as well as floors, windows and walls.

Need a lasting window option? We’ve got dozens of window graphics choices, but if it’s a retail space and you want to see through the graphic, a favorite option is LexJet Simple Perforated Window Vinyl (70/30). Because 70% of the surface area is printable, you get great graphic reproduction and color punch with the added benefit of not obstructing the visibility through the window. Compatible with solvent, eco-solvent, UV-curable and latex inks, it’s designed to mount on the exterior of the window and will cleanly remove from the glass within the first year of installation.

Try LexJet Production Display Film SUV for banner stands. If you’ve got a customer request for banner stands that’ll be used outdoors, this is an ideal option for you. Our Production Display Films were a huge success when they launched, and it’s not hard to see why — this true lay-flat option won’t curl on the sides the way some material will, especially when they’ve been displayed for some time. The solvent option means you don’t have to apply a laminate top coat, and it’s super versatile. LexJet Production Display Film SUV is ideal for trade shows when you don’t need it to stand up to the outdoor elements.

If you’ve got dye-sublimation capabilities in your facility, a high-end, durable solution is ChromaLuxe EXT, made specifically to be used outdoors and guaranteed to last up to and beyond three years. These metal panels create stunning, high-end signage or décor with the vivid color reproduction we expect from dye-sub transfers. Stay tuned to our blog for more information and real-life examples featuring ChromaLuxe EXT!

Pro Advice: 3 Top Tips for Installing Long-Lasting Window Graphics

Windows present an opportunity for high-impact advertising space. They also make the first impression for customers entering a place of business. Battling the elements, like rain and dirt, can really take a toll on how printed graphics look on a window, especially when using a perforated media.

In the video above, we tapped long-time printer and installer Keith Bernard of Road Signs in Sarasota, Fla., to share some tips and tricks he’s learned over the years while printing and installing window graphics. For example, the need to use a laminate with a perforated vinyl.

“If you ever look at the holes during a rainstorm on a non-laminated window perf, and they fill up with water, you can’t see out because of the water that’s built up in there,” says.

In the video, he offers his top tips on how to print and finish perforated window graphics, and other options for clean, long-lasting, vibrant window displays.

These three products are featured in this educational video:

Not All Window Graphics Media Are Created Equal

When it comes to printing window graphics, the technology and application possibilities have exploded in recent years, thanks to new films and clings that have hit the market. Window graphics have been used in the bottling market for years on store windows, in particular. But with all of the new options available today, even more environments — like retail outlets and corporate offices — are getting their messages and imagery beyond the walls and onto the windows.

But it’s important to know: Not all window graphic media options are created equal.

Installing-Window-Graphics-Cottrell-Printing
Cottrell Printing installs a 60-40 perforated window film.

“Each substrate has its own nuances to consider,” Digital Output magazine reported in its October 2015 issue. “Such as whether it is adhered to the outside or inside of the glass, ink type compatibility and special print challenges.”

But that doesn’t mean it has to be a challenge to find the right window media for the job. “You basically have three options: Low-tack films and vinyls (in clear, white or backlit), static clings or perforated media,” says LexJet’s Michael Clementi. “You can also add a removable adhesive to any product.”