I have a customer wanting to do a mural on a brick wall (image attached). I have never done an install on brick before and have never used any type of brick wall vinyl material. I know Arlon, Mactac and 3M (probably others) make vinyls specifically for this application. How well do these materials work? What type of longevity should I be expecting (6 months to 3 years?). Also, as shown in the picture there are several runs of conduit going vertically up the building, are these going to cause problems or should I be able to work the vinyl over top of these with no problems? Any input would be appreciated.
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Brick Wall Mural
- Thread starter VTSigns
- Start date
Letterbox Mike
New Member
We've had the best luck by far with 3M's textured surface vinyl. It's only rated for 6 months outdoors, everything we've done has lasted longer than that though. MacTac I believe is rated for 18 months and we were seeing failures within 3-6 months so I wasn't too impressed with it.
When bidding this remember to price the installation accordingly, this stuff is SLOOOOOOW to install, very very time consuming on brick.
When bidding this remember to price the installation accordingly, this stuff is SLOOOOOOW to install, very very time consuming on brick.
Moze
Precision Sign Services
I don't think you want to lay vinyl over top of the conduit...
CES020
New Member
We have a piece we got from Mike (Insignia) I guess 2 years ago, or more. It was a test and it's stuck to our loading dock on the flat surface. It gets full sun exposure for most of the day. It gets rained on, material dragged across, snowed on, and about everything else. I can't believe it's still stuck. Aside from wear, it looks great.
However, we installed it, AGAINST our recommendation for a customer on curbs (no parking, etc.). We repeatedly told them it wouldn't work and they said we could do the job or they'd get someone else to, so we did it. After about 3 months, we started seeing failures. I suspect the curbs get saturated with water every time it rains and that was the cause, because our sample is still there, doing fine.
I can tell you, installing those on the curbs was one of the most physically challenging thing I think I've ever installed. It takes a LOT of work and a LOT of pressure.
Keep in mind, you need to use the special rollers and they go for about $120 a pop. I think it's an outstanding product and it looks amazing, just know it's not the easiest install you'll ever do. It's not difficult, it just takes a lot of pressure and it's hard on the wrists.
However, we installed it, AGAINST our recommendation for a customer on curbs (no parking, etc.). We repeatedly told them it wouldn't work and they said we could do the job or they'd get someone else to, so we did it. After about 3 months, we started seeing failures. I suspect the curbs get saturated with water every time it rains and that was the cause, because our sample is still there, doing fine.
I can tell you, installing those on the curbs was one of the most physically challenging thing I think I've ever installed. It takes a LOT of work and a LOT of pressure.
Keep in mind, you need to use the special rollers and they go for about $120 a pop. I think it's an outstanding product and it looks amazing, just know it's not the easiest install you'll ever do. It's not difficult, it just takes a lot of pressure and it's hard on the wrists.
signage
New Member
HulkSmash
New Member
truth, it's like a 3 step process. It takes forever. Lots of heat, lots of rolling.
Oh yeah, use a roller for this install.
Cale Frederick
New Member
We have the front of our building wrapped with 3M 8624. It has been up for a little over 3 years now facing west and getting a full sun beating every day. Since we now try to stay away from 3M though, I have played around with several vinyls on one of our other brick buildings and they all work relatively well. They have all been up for over 6 months now and none show any sign of letting go anytime soon. Some are even calendared vinyls and are holding up just as well, however I would never give a customer a callandered graphic to go on brick.
I would not go over the conduit either. Maybe during install, but would cut them afterwards.
Here is the front of our building.
I would not go over the conduit either. Maybe during install, but would cut them afterwards.
Here is the front of our building.
Attachments
Letterbox Mike
New Member
I would use IJ8624 if only because it's been out much longer and is proven in the field.
xxaxx
New Member
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0mwitTgZqY This will give you an idea of what goes into it ... a lot of work. We have a school coming up doing a ton of interior brick walls like that, should be fun. 
round man
New Member
nuther vote for Jill's suggestion,...got walls here that have been up for over 25 years,..they are faded and flaking slightly but still effecive advertising,... some are even kind of local landmarks
edited to add,... have to restore a wall next week that has been up in a nearby town for at least 75 years,....it is still readable and only needs preping and repainting,... I bid the job so the local vinyl shop will make more profit than if they had done the work themselves and without much more effort than a couple phone calls for their part
no materials+no labor= net profit greater than actual shop production net profit,... and they get to spend the time they would have been doing the wall making money on other work
edited to add,... have to restore a wall next week that has been up in a nearby town for at least 75 years,....it is still readable and only needs preping and repainting,... I bid the job so the local vinyl shop will make more profit than if they had done the work themselves and without much more effort than a couple phone calls for their part
no materials+no labor= net profit greater than actual shop production net profit,... and they get to spend the time they would have been doing the wall making money on other work
HulkSmash
New Member
your fellers rep is wrong. This is why i don't use fellers much, that's awful advice.
use 8624 with 8524 lam.
weaselboogie
New Member
PAINT. And if you have no clue what you're doing, hire a sign painter on the condition that you help. You'll have a better looking and better weathering project and you'll have a better respect for your trade when you see how things were done in the past. Even though I'm mostly vinyl and 3d shop, I intentionally take on several paint jobs a year just to keep me centered.
Vinyl on walls weather into to litter, paint on walls weather into art.
Vinyl on walls weather into to litter, paint on walls weather into art.
