Any tips for laminating 10' X 40' banners?

[phototec]

Ah, an 'age old fact'. That settles it then, eh? How could anyone argue with that?

Every banner that leaves this shop gets coated with Clear Shield. Every one. Not only does it bring out the colors, it provides abrasion resistance sufficient to see it through being hemmed, grommeted, rolled up, and slid into a tube without sustaining the odd scratch or two.

In apparent contradiction of that age old fact.

Which Clear Shield do you use for vinyl banners, the Classic?

Are you using it over Eco-Sol inks?

How do you apply it to the banners?

Thanks for any guidance

 

[player]

I use a small roller.

 

[bob]

Which Clear Shield do you use for vinyl banners, the Classic?

Original Formula gloss. Very important to use the Original Formula. Clear Shield comes in a variety of specialty formulas that should not be used outside of their specific specialty. This from the Clear Star people. Gloss because it really doesn't matter all the much. Clear Shield is a bit of a chameleon in this regard in that it tends to mimic the finish of the media to which it's been applied. For example put it on matte media and it will be ever so slightly glossier than matte. Put it on gloss media and it will be satisfyingly glossy.

Are you using it over Eco-Sol inks?

Yes. The laminate is water based and has zero interaction with any sort of solvent ink.

How do you apply it to the banners?

I mop it on and level it out with a foam brush. Others use rollers, sprayers, and commercial liquid laminator machinery which is really just running the the surface of the media through a bath of the laminate.

I find the foam brush to be the most convenient and easiest to clean. When I say 'level it out' all I mean is that I make sure that all areas are covered and there are no pools of laminate. Other than that, the stuff will level itself out quite nicely.

 

[Techman]

Huge Banners??
I use good old high grade commercial floor wax and a floor wax mop. Swab the deck and its done.
At Home Depot
ZEP Wet Look for gloss and
ZEP High traffic for anything else.
I also have RollaGuard a name brand liquid laminate and acts, looks and smells identical to the floor wax. The floor wax is about half the price.

 

[phototec]

Huge Banners??
I use good old high grade commercial floor wax and a floor wax mop. Swab the deck and its done.
At Home Depot
ZEP Wet Look for gloss and
ZEP High traffic for anything else.
I also have RollaGuard a name brand liquid laminate and acts, looks and smells identical to the floor wax. The floor wax is about half the price.

Thanks for the tip!

A similar thought crossed my mind, at Home Depot I have seen that clear (milky white that dries clear) poly coating by Minwax, I wonder if that stuff would work on banners?

 

[phototec]

Original Formula gloss. Very important to use the Original Formula. Clear Shield comes in a variety of specialty formulas that should not be used outside of their specific specialty. This from the Clear Star people. Gloss because it really doesn't matter all the much. Clear Shield is a bit of a chameleon in this regard in that it tends to mimic the finish of the media to which it's been applied. For example put it on matte media and it will be ever so slightly glossier than matte. Put it on gloss media and it will be satisfyingly glossy.

I'm confused now, you said Clearshield Original and from fellers website (below) it says use Clearshield Classic for Ecosolvet inks, are these both the same product?

[h=2]PRODUCT DETAILS[/h]

---

• Liquid laminate that increases UV protection and provides water and exceptional chemical resistance
• One quart covers approximately 120 square feet, gallon covers 480 square feet
• All Clear Shield liquid laminates can be applied with a roller, sprayer, or used in a liquid laminator. For best results with ClearShield Classic Lite use a white foam high density short nap roller.
• For EcoSolvent Inks use Clearshield Classic for all applications, including vehicle graphics.
• For Solvent Inks use any ClearShield version.
• 3 to 5 year durability

https://www.fellers.com/fellers-shopping/cat/clear-overlaminates/sub/liquid-laminate

 

[bob]

I'm confused now, you said Clearshield Original and from fellers website (below) it says use Clearshield Classic for Ecosolvet inks, are these both the same product?

[h=2]PRODUCT DETAILS[/h]

---

• Liquid laminate that increases UV protection and provides water and exceptional chemical resistance
• One quart covers approximately 120 square feet, gallon covers 480 square feet
• All Clear Shield liquid laminates can be applied with a roller, sprayer, or used in a liquid laminator. For best results with ClearShield Classic Lite use a white foam high density short nap roller.
• For EcoSolvent Inks use Clearshield Classic for all applications, including vehicle graphics.
• For Solvent Inks use any ClearShield version.
• 3 to 5 year durability

https://www.fellers.com/fellers-shopping/cat/clear-overlaminates/sub/liquid-laminate

Near as I can tell Classic==Original formula. I think that when Clearstar became Maribu they re-named it. Speculation, you might try calling them to make sure.

 

[FS-Keith]

Lots of flex faces we do come with a pressure sensitive laminate as well

 

[Techman]

A similar thought crossed my mind, at Home Depot I have seen that clear (milky white that dries clear) poly coating by Minwax, I wonder if that stuff would work on banners?

Poly = polymer
Mono = Monomer

Glaze 'N Seal Floor Polish is an acrylic Polymer

Most of those are acrylics. Water based with various ingredients to get them to dry faster and some UV protection.
Future floor polish is now Pledge Future Shine. I used this for clear coating temporary signs for outdoor special events.
Others are the milky white that dries clear.
They all smell and act the same. goes on wet and milky dries shiny clear.
It is used in so many different products. All the way from floor wax to paint to sealers to nail polishes to latex house paint. Yes you can get Untinted base pure acrylic at the box stores that is a very good clear coat. Goes on milky white dries clear and already has the UV protection..