Vinyl Wall Graphics: The Basics of Decorating Interior Spaces
In the last decade, vinyl printing technologies and materials have come a long way in terms of simplicity, ease of application and affordability. Custom-printed vinyl can be a fantastic way to decorate the interior spaces of homes and offices, or to provide impactful branding at live events and venues.
Permanent vs. Removable Vinyl Wall Graphics
Wall decals come in two varieties: removable decals and permanent decals. Depending on your application, you may want to choose one over the other. Permanent wall graphics are extremely durable, and will adhere to various wall substrates with ease and stay stuck for years to come. Permanent wall vinyl is suitable for long-term projects and employs strong adhesives which are designed to keep it in place for long-term applications. Removal can be difficult however, and it can cause damage to a painted surface underneath.
Removable wall graphic materials have quickly gained popularity in the last few years with great options from well-known manufacturers such as Drytac, Aslan and Avery Dennison. Removable wall decal media is extremely popular due to its ease of application, even by the end user, and its ability to be changed out without causing any damage to the wall surface or paint underneath. Most manufacturers have a rated removability time of 2 years: for up to 2 years after applying the custom wall decals, you will be able to remove and reapply them without damaging the paint on the wall underneath.
Textured Wall Graphic Options
For specialty applications, textured wall vinyl is a great way to add another dimension to your artwork. The vinyl is embossed during the manufacturing stage with various textures such as woodgrain, sand, linen and canvas. The pre-textured film is easily printed using digital wide-format printers, and is applied to the wall using the same techniques as standard, removable wall decals.
Wall Wrapping vs. Spot Wall Graphics
Wall decals and wall wraps differ in that with a wall wrap, the whole surface of the wall is covered from edge to edge; with a wall decal, the graphic or logo is printed, cut around the edges and applied on a spot on the wall. Different applications can call for either a wrap or a wall decal. Wall decals are perfect for adding decorative accents to a home or office interior, or to place a company logo on the wall of a waiting room, for example.
Application Surfaces for Wall Graphics
Wall decals are not only good for walls, but can be applied on various other flat surfaces as well. With traditional vinyl that is more tailored for use on vehicle decals, conformability and the vinyl’s ability to wrap over complex curvatures is important. However, with vinyl that is made for use on walls, windows and other interior surfaces, the opposite is true. Wall decals tend to be much thicker than standard vinyl decals, allowing them to apply more easily onto flat surfaces without stretching. This also makes it easier to line up multiple panels when creating a full wall wrap.
Custom wall graphics can be applied on painted or unpainted drywall, laminated wood surfaces, windows and pretty much any other flat and smooth surface that you can think of that would be found in the interior of your home or office. Our custom printed wall decals can be used for architectural applications to create images and graphics that cannot be achieved using paint.
Conclusion
Pixel Imaging offers a variety of solutions for wall decals, wall wraps and other architectural graphics. We are Calgary’s wall graphic experts and are always available to answer your specific questions. With our in-house design and installation services, we can offer turnkey services to bring your next creation to life. Contact us for a free consultation today.