Vinyl sticking to painted walls?

[ashleighfiddler]

Good morning all, i'm hoping someone can help me figure out a matte black vinyl to use for a temporary wall graphic installation. The wall was recently repainted with "SHERWIN - WILLIAMS HARMONY ZERO VOC INTERIOR ACRYLIC LATEX FLAT" paint and I want to make sure the vinyl sticks and lasts, and will be removable.

I'm not sure how to go about figuring out what vinyl is compatible with various wall paints, can someone please offer advice? Thanks!!

 

[laserfred]

With the new paints, you have to do a test. After the paint has dried for a week, install a piece of the vinyl (or vinyls) on the wall. If it's gonna peel off because of incompatibility, it will usually do within 2-3 days.

 

[jfiscus]

NO ONE, including 3M is warrantying installs on painted drywall installs now... so get the 3M test kit (for free) if you're worried about it.
We do a lot of walls and you never know what to expect or what additives were put in the paint.

For this project I would recommend phototex, it is one product that I have NEVER had fail for wall graphics.

 

[ashleighfiddler]

This project is a cut vinyl graphic, so the phototex isn't a good option. I've used it before though and it was easy to install and looked great, i would use it again for any project requiring full coverage.

I would like to be able to use an Avery, Arlon, Oracal or 3M matte black vinyl. I could also print and laminate with matte lam, and contour cut. Would anyone recommed arlon dpf 8000 for this application, or is that overkill?? From what i have been researching it seems the latex paint itself will not be a problem for normal vinyl to adhere to but the flat finish might...?

I have the feeling I might be overthinking all this, but I really want the application to look nice, last and not damage the wall upon removal. It will be up for a few months. Plus furthering my own education is always a plus!! I would be grateful to everyone who can weigh in and offer experience or advice on this type of scenario.

 

[knucklehead]

As long as the paint isn't the 'easy clean', or 'stain resistant', versions, you should be good to go. The stain resistant paints have either teflon, or silicon in them, which makes them resistant to stains, and vinyl.

 

[Mosh]

Oracal 631 is exactly what you need. That paint need to cure for a week or two at least.

 

[Jester1167]

I never tell a client that vinyl on a painted wall is removable (without damage). If you do get the vinyl to stick it will come off but somewhere your going to pull paint, drywall mud and possible paper off the wall. They need to plan on spackling and repainting the wall after the vinyl is removed. Typically the damage will occur over the mudded areas, because no one wipes the dust off the mud before they prime and paint, so the paint doesn't stick well in those areas.

I used to do a lot of installs for galleries and flat paint marks easily. Always extend the mask around the graphic so your squeegee strokes stay on the mask. Burnish the graphic before you remove the mask with a rivet brush. Then, make sure you peel the mask at 180 degrees and watch every edge of every letter as you peel or you may rip one. Fingers and knuckles will mark the paint. It just dead skin cells. The best way to remove those marks is with a piece of mask or painters tape. You're better off not using any kind of liquid or trying to scrub or wipe marks off on matte or flat paint. If you feel you have to, test your method in and inconspicuous area. When you mess with matte or flat paint it tends to make it glossy and it looks worse than the original mark.

I have always had better luck using cast vinyl on painted walls. It will conform better to the orange peel effect and shrinks less. Installing a test piece and checking it in a few days is your best bet. As said before, the worst paints are the glossy non-marking or washable type paints.

 

[Jackpine]

+1 Phototex

+1 Phototex, it is one product that I have NEVER had fail for wall graphics

 

[ChaseO]

Agree with Mosh, 631 will be fine.

 

[Mosh]

I do agree nothing on painted drywall is 100% removable without a chance of damage. 631 is the best I have ran across, I'd say 99% damage free from the few I have done.

 

[ashleighfiddler]

Thank you for the good insights, folks. Every job is a learning experience. I'm gonna go with the oracal 631. This is for a gallery that we have done a lot of vinyl wall graphics for, and have always had good luck with removing the graphics, but I'm not sure what their wall was painted with before this. Jester, thanks specifically for the install technique pointers! Very much appreciated.

 

[Stephenedwardgraphic]

Agree with Oracal 631 Matte -- but you also need to use a special transfer tape -- Oratape HT55 which was designed especially for it. Otherwise you will have a hard time getting it off of the transfer tape.

 

[PhotoTex Group Inc.]

Low and NO VOC Paints using - Photo tex

We have tested the low and NO VOC paints with Photo Tex and see no issues with our material staying and sticking to these types of paints. Always wait at least 30 days for the paint to dry completely. You can sure contour cut with Photo Tex but you have to buy a sharper made blade (Carbide), slow the speed down , round the sharp turns and over travel. We are happy to send a FREE sample roll to anyone , just e-mail me walterjr@phototexgroup.com www.phototexgroup.com
Ask for a Original, Block-Out or High tack version(s) !

 

[GB2]

NO ONE, including 3M is warrantying installs on painted drywall installs now... so get the 3M test kit (for free) if you're worried about it.
We do a lot of walls and you never know what to expect or what additives were put in the paint.

For this project I would recommend phototex, it is one product that I have NEVER had fail for wall graphics.

Where do you get a 3M Wall Test Kit for free?

 

[CES020]

Just call 3M and ask for it.

Here's some photos. I think there's also a DVD that comes with it. I can't locate it right this minute and haven't watched it, but I seem to remember it having a disc with it. That paper in the 4th photo is about 27-29 pages long, explaining how to test various types of wall surfaces, smooth, textured, etc.

 

[PrintPostal]

I've had issues with the phototex opa on matte and gloss painted textured walls. I'm not sure if It's maybe a bad roll if that is possible?
I'm working with the manufacturer to try to find the problem.