Letterbox Mike
New Member
Permanent as in it won't come off the wall on it's own or permanent as in a permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive? Phototex doesn't have a "permanent adhesive" (like IJ35 does, by the way), but it won't let loose unless you're pulling it off. But anything, even a high-bond vinyl like DPF8000 or Convex Pitbull will let go of the wall when you give it a tug.
The problem with wall vinyls is they are vinyl, so they're going to expand and contract some. And because they have a low-tack gummy adhesive (supposedly to help it grab and adhere to the texture of painted drywall) in reality over time the expansion and contraction of vinyl (especially laminated vinyl) is going to cause that "wall adhesive" to let go. Frankly the same can be said for a high-performance cast vinyl as well, albeit to a much much lesser extent. That's why I don't trust any true vinyl material on a painted drywall wall, too many variables and too many things moving around to guarantee that adhesive is going to stay put.
Phototex isn't a vinyl, it's a fabric, it does not expand or contract at all, so despite the fact that it's adhesive is "removable" (because low-tack gum-type adhesives like that actually stick to painted drywall very well) it's not going to remove itself from the wall. Case in point: we've got two walls here in our shop that were done on Phototex a little over 5 years ago (as well as a number of customer jobs). Not one is showing any signs whatsoever of letting go of the wall. I've never had a vinyl product last on a wall more than about 18 months, that was 180C and it looked pretty wrinkly at the end of that time. Most true "wall vinyl" products we've tried lasted 6 months to a year tops before we saw lifting.
Another nice feature of Phototex is because it is completely stable you an double-cut the overlapped seams just like wallpaper, so you have a smooth butt joint and no overlaps, and they do not pull apart like they would with vinyl.
