Large vinyl murals on foam core advice

[Fallguy]

Well, so far it is working better than trying to roll them like wallpaper on the wall.

We are using 6" 3M double sided tape every 6" and a frame around them.

The company making the banners doesn't do anything but make the banner. A stretched frame is an interesting idea. We do have a one inch margin we remove.

The priest ordered these and assumed it would be easy, so we are trying to make it work.

Thank you billct2 for your suggestion.

 

[Fallguy]

Here is the tape for the wall application.

Honestly, the only reason for backing into it all is it was assumed too be to easy friends. It wasn't about DIY to heck with pros.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

View attachment 141516 Here is the tape for the wall application.

Honestly, the only reason for backing into it all is it was assumed too be to easy friends. It wasn't about DIY to heck with pros.

Unfortunately, too many people assume that about our line of work...

Glad you now understand the skill set involved and the time it takes for one to acquire those skills. Now you understand why people with those skills charge what they do.

 

[wildside]

Here is the tape for the wall application.

Honestly, the only reason for backing into it all is it was assumed too be to easy friends. It wasn't about DIY to heck with pros.

and yet here you are asking professionals?........

if the wall is poor enough shape to not hold vinyl stuck to it, what makes you think it is good enough shape for VHB to hold to it?

with that said, do a banner stretching system, easier, lasts longer and can be changed out whenever you want.

 

[bannertime]

Gluing a banner will not work. Been there and done that. Scrim vinyl is not dimensionally stable and could contract or expand enough to rip the paper or glue off the foamboard. If it's climate controlled, it may prolong that effect, but scrim vinyl is also heavy. If they are to be installed at that angle, they'll eventually fall. Could be weeks could be years. Even using tape will produce a less than desirable look. You won't be able to get it completely flat and will always show ridges where the tape it.

My recommendation: If you're not going to use a professional frame system. Lose the foamboard and build a frame out of some 1x3(rip some 1x6s). Then treat it as if it was stretching a canvas.

 

[Corwin Steeves]

If you'd like to do this yourself then I would do this:
Buy more 1/2" foamcore. Glue the two half inch panels together with the top face running vertically and the bottom face running horizontally. This will make the 7' x 7' a single strong one inch thick piece.

Run one inch VHB around the circumference of the back of the piece.

Starting with the top, tape the banner and drape over the foamcore. Lay it face down and bring it around to the back and tension and tape the bottom. Start in the middle and tape outwards in both directions.

Do the same for the sides.

You will now have a "canvas wrapped" foamcore piece.

You can also do this with a staple gun and a wooden frame. Your choice.

Nice to see people volunteering their time for something btw. I hope this helps.

 

[shoresigns]

Well, so far it is working better than trying to roll them like wallpaper on the wall.

We are using 6" 3M double sided tape every 6" and a frame around them.

The company making the banners doesn't do anything but make the banner. A stretched frame is an interesting idea. We do have a one inch margin we remove.

The priest ordered these and assumed it would be easy, so we are trying to make it work.

Thank you billct2 for your suggestion.

One more suggestion I don't think anyone's made yet, maybe because it's too obvious. You could take the banners to virtually any sign company and ask them to hem and grommet them, as is normally done with most prints on banner material.

With the hem and grommets, you could simply hang them on the walls with hooks. I don't know if this is the look you wanted, but the printed material you bought is normally used for outdoor banners hanging on a building or a fence, and that's how they're normally done, with hem and grommets.

 

[equippaint]

Banner tape aluminum flat stock on the back of the top edge, hold the banner up (print side to the wall and upside down) screw it into the wall and let it fall. Put another piece on the back bottom edge, roll it under, pull it tight and screw through the front into the wall. Use screw caps on the bottom, top will be hidden behind the banner.

 

[thesignpost]

We are installing large vinyl backed murals onto 1/2" foam core. Large as in 7 feet by as low as 7 feet side by as long as 13' wide.

The foam core is preassembled with tape on the back and thickened epoxy at the seam. The core has low shear, so the epoxy is supported by the tape and eventually the mural itself.

We tested various adhesives and all wallpaper adhesives failed to bond well. We also realized we needed to seal the foam core and are using Roman 999. The glue we are using is actually flooring adhesive. The flooring adhesive passed our test which was to have a shear failure in the core. All other adhesives failed to bond well to the mural.

The only issue is the adhesive application is with 1/16th or 1/32 trowels and we are getting quite a bit of air pocketing. Due to the size of the mural; they are rolled onto a pvc tube and rolled off onto the glued surface carefully to help stay square to the core.

The resultant parts looks good, but I am wondering if anyone can advise a way to improve.

Some ideas....

Use a wide glue roller and roll the glue on flat and without the lines which are air, or after troweling; roll the glue flatter. This sounds ez, but a little daunting to end up line free.

Use a weighted roll off tube. Our roller is a piece of 3" pvc. We could put some sand in it and cap it on the ends. The table is designed specifically for the mural height.

Use a different glue? I don't see this is an answer, although a spray adhesive might have less air pocketing; the murals are too heavy to slip sheet and we would need to wear respirators and build a spray chamber and we might still get some bubbling.

Thank you for allowing me to post. I can add some pictures later.

I agree, banner material "pasted" to foamcore of course, it will not work, no matter what you try to use to stick to wall, the material overall, is too heavy for that application. Banner framing is the answer.

 

[myront]

They make textured wall wrap material. You can apply it to stucco, cinder block etc. Squeegee on then use a heat press apparatus to work it into the "grooves" or "pits" and such. We've done this to several outside walls of buildings.

 

[StarSign]

Pray

 

[Fallguy]

Please note, the banners are being mounted on a wall/ceiling that is roughly a 45 degree angle. The reason we did not frame mount is the middle would probably sag.

Thank you all for the replies.

 

[GAC05]

Pray

No direct Saint for us - the next best match:

St. Bernardino of Siena was so well known for his crowd-pleasing public preaching in the early 15th century that he’s now considered the patron saint of advertising and public relations.

 

[Fallguy]

Here is a picture. You'll see we put a frame around them for a physical hold on the edges.

The one on the left had a bit of paper delam from someone lifting the edge up too far into the process. I might try to needle inject some epoxy into it. The area of paper delam is about 4"x2" or so.

There is no frame on the left side; just a margin placeholder for the next one.

 

[Gino]

I like happy endings, even if it took a miracle.