Need Help How to lay down a big graphic and how to align it?

[Annette Asberg]

Hi it's me asking again
We have a couple of large print to add to a couple of walls and we have no problem doing that without the fact that we have a problem with alignment.
I have Googled like a troll and the only thing I can find is from those with a home printer doing tiny prints of butterflies, no sarcasm at all.
It seems like the print is stretching a little but I doubt that.
Does anybody have any Tips or Tricks to do this and now I am serious?

 

[ikarasu]

What material are you using? And what printer?

Vinyl does stretch when you apply it, depending on how you do it. Take the print and lay it down on your floor before applying it and see if it aligns. If it does you know it's the installation. If not...it could be your printer.

We align the graphics on the floor... Then use 1" tape and tape it together in 3-5 spots depending on how tall it is. Then you cut the tape at the join... And when you're on the second panel, you just align your tape marks... Much easier to align tape marks than graphics while holding a 10 ft panel.

A good aligned wall wrap is 90% in the prep and alignment. It may take us 20 mins to make sure everything is straight and aligned, then 5 to lay down the vinyl.

It's the same as the old measure twice cut once rule... If your first panel goes down crooked, the rest of the job will be a pain in the ass and won't look good.

Of course there's also the basics of splitting it in specific spots to make it easier to align. It's much easier to align one big letter than it is to align 10 sentences... Even if it means one wall panel is 53" wide and one is 50" wide the. The next is 51" wide, etc. Try to strategically place the joins where you can streetch without distorting if need be to get a perfect alignment.


A good thick wall vinyl has less of a chance to stretch during installs and is much easier to work with as well. So if you're just using a cast or calandered vinyl, consider going to wall vinyl for the larger jobs.

 

[ewded]

There are two options:

1. Hire a production guy if you can afford it
2. Get a job at a sign company to learn stuff

I'm not being sarcastic, but if you have problems aligning a wall print you're not ready to face the challenges bigger jobs will bring, and believe me you can make huge losses on large jobs when you find out you used the wrong materials/techniques, you may end up paying for damages or in worst case in jail when one of your poorly installed signs falls over a child.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Ikatasu is on point... thats how I align wall wraps. Tape it on the floor and then apply to wall. The material will stretch a little so use the tape as a guide.

 

[RaymondLoewy]

measure from the drop ceiling, it is most likely is more level than the floor, especially in larger buildings.

 

[GAC05]

Another option if the alignment is critical is to pre-set the seams on the table then install it as one big panel.
Do your alignment with the overlap - tape it in place. Pull a little of the backer away from the top panel and squeegee down the seam - smooth the release sheet back down and tape it to the second panel. Align from top to bottom or side to side on the wall and install one big panel. If it is really big do them in pairs or triplets and you'll have fewer seams to deal with.