Question about butt seams

[a77]

BUTT SEAMS


I've heard that this is a great way to install a wall mural, especially with materials like phototex. I've read (on this site) and had sales people say to me: it's easy... just overlap, cut through both layers and remove the two waste pieces and you have a virtually unnoticeable seam.

My questions is how are people doing this on a normal drywalled and painted wall? To cut through two layers of phototex you have to use a fair amount of force. If you don't fully cut through these fabric-style materials, you get loose threads which is no good. If you cut hard enough, you cut into the paint and drywall, which then makes it have a raised ridge. Maybe with dark coloured graphics this might not be noticeable but with lighter graphics you see this black line. Not to mention when they remove the graphics they'll have all these slices in their wall that they need to fix.

I was thinking of laying a protective strip under the edge, then cutting on that and removing it after - quite a bit of extra work. Ever since I tried it once I have just left overlapping edges. But someone is saying they don't like overlaps, so I'm considering trying this again.

Curious to know.. has anyone done this type of butt seam with phototex or similar and had good results?

 

[BigfishDM]

Yellowtools might have a solution to help you cut those butt seems. They are also an MM on here.

 

[eahicks]

BUTT SEAMS


I've heard that this is a great way to install a wall mural, especially with materials like phototex. I've read (on this site) and had sales people say to me: it's easy... just overlap, cut through both layers and remove the two waste pieces and you have a virtually unnoticeable seam.

My questions is how are people doing this on a normal drywalled and painted wall? To cut through two layers of phototex you have to use a fair amount of force. If you don't fully cut through these fabric-style materials, you get loose threads which is no good. If you cut hard enough, you cut into the paint and drywall, which then makes it have a raised ridge. Maybe with dark coloured graphics this might not be noticeable but with lighter graphics you see this black line. Not to mention when they remove the graphics they'll have all these slices in their wall that they need to fix.

I was thinking of laying a protective strip under the edge, then cutting on that and removing it after - quite a bit of extra work. Ever since I tried it once I have just left overlapping edges. But someone is saying they don't like overlaps, so I'm considering trying this again.

Curious to know.. has anyone done this type of butt seam with phototex or similar and had good results?

I just leave the layered seam. I have never had a complaint from it. You don't notice it really, and with some vinyls, you can barely even feel it.
I tried doing what you described years ago, and like you said, I ended up with parts that frayed, and cut too deep into the wall, so when peeling up the excess strip, it also took a piece of painted drywall with it.

 

[crystalcoastgraphics]

The yellotools one works pretty well. The one with the teflon shoe is pretty expensive, but does work well. If you are going to go that route, you will need a larger overlap. I'd say nothing less than about 2". Look into doing but seams with dinoc. Can work in a very similar fashion. The wrap institute has some videos on doing it. When I went for my dinoc certification, they taught us to do them in the same fashion as what Justin shows on the wrap institute.

 

[HDvinyl]

You lost me after the picture.

 

[a77]

The yellotools one works pretty well. The one with the teflon shoe is pretty expensive, but does work well. If you are going to go that route, you will need a larger overlap. I'd say nothing less than about 2". Look into doing but seams with dinoc. Can work in a very similar fashion. The wrap institute has some videos on doing it. When I went for my dinoc certification, they taught us to do them in the same fashion as what Justin shows on the wrap institute.

So you mean using the bodyguard knife? Never thought of that... I see why you'd need a nice big overlap in that case you have to lift vinyl a bit, and starting the cut seems like it might be fun. Not to mention it won't be a perfectly straight cut as when using a ruler or guide. Interesting

 

[spectrum maine]

my butt seems to have an obvious crack

 

[Bigdawg]

We just did a 10'x10' full color coverage mural with the opaque Phototex. Cutting through the seam was problematic and overlapping and leaving it was unacceptable to the customer. We ended up printing the mural and trimming exactly on the marks with our Evolution cutter, then butting it up to each other during installation. Worked perfectly - you can't even see the seam unless you are looking for it.

 

[MikePro]

whenever I've done zero-overlap seams, I just triple/quadruple-layer painter's tape right on my cut line, prior to applying both tiles.
one cut through the middle, peel-away excess, and looks great!

 

[a77]

good idea

 

[MikePro]

thought just occurred to me, might be worth a try:
double-layer 2" painters tape on the wall, with two double-layer 1" painters tape on top of it, side-by-side, creating a slight gap between the two 1" strips for your blade to glide-through. still using a straight edge as a guide, but the "gap" might help cut your wall graphic a bit cleaner.

....or it could just be a waste of time & tape, lol. but i definitely plan to try this sometime, now that I've thought of it. putting up a wall mural for my soon2b niece next week! she won't care about overlaps, because he's still negative 2weeks old, and its a free nursery mural, but I care

 

[papabud]

look into knifeless tape. it helps you leave a perfect cut seam.
its basically a thin plastic type tape with a pull string in the middle. you lay it down on your cut line. use the pull string to cut the material.

 

[a77]

knifeless on phototex? will have to try, but I'm not sure it will work.

 

[eahicks]

look into knifeless tape. it helps you leave a perfect cut seam.
its basically a thin plastic type tape with a pull string in the middle. you lay it down on your cut line. use the pull string to cut the material.

LOL That's a disaster waiting to happen. Someone else try it....I sure won't. We do a lot of GF 229 Wall Canvas and you sure can't use it for that material, and definitely not any other fabric type wall vinyl.
Stick to opaque Phototex and leave the overlap, or switch to the thicker GF wall materials. Or if you're really good, do as mentioned above....print and cut with no overlap and but them together.

 

[papabud]

i actually intended that to be more of a question on if you tried it. it might be strong enough or it might not. if it does work that would make a perfect butt seam every time i would think.

 

[Bly]

We just cut into the wall if it's original PhotoTex.
You have to butt seam that stuff or the overlap can be noticeable.
Opaque we just leave the overlap.