Question Wall Vinyl Help.

[Jonzed]

We are new to wall vinyl and have a large job coming up for a church. The walls are freshly painted. What wall (matte)vinyl should I use? Should I use a laminate with it? Should I be concerned about the vinyl sticking to the fresh painted walls?


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[Texas_Signmaker]

After testing like 3 vinyls, that I did for an auto dealership's halway I settled on 3m cast vinyl and heated it to "form" to the rough surface. I used laminate. It worked good and is still up after 6 months.

 

[Gino]

You need to know what kinda paint they used to figure out what vinyl will adhere to it. Otherwise, you're just shooting in the dark.

And yes, you should use an appropriate laminate with it so they can clean it and not worry about normal wear and tear.

 

[clsche]

First and foremost type of paint used. Second to that I would run a wall test to determine the proper vinyl. Lamination will make is much easier to install.

 

[Jamie Levey]

You don't need laminate for most wall films 6 mil or more. Make sure they didn't use low VOC paint...nothing sticks to that well. For textured, I like Wall Frog. Non textured, I use Avery MPI wall film. Definitely test first...

 

[Jonzed]

What if they did use a low voc paint?

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[ikarasu]

You don't NEED laminate, but why not? Yes, it'll increase install price... but it'll also increase longevity by a lot. This is a church...there will be tons of people, and kids, getting their grimy fingers all over the pretty picture. All it takes is 1 cleaner to use the wrong cleaning solution, and your multi-thousand dollar job just got streaks of ink removed from it. You should always laminate if its intended to be used longer than short term... it's such a small cost in the long run, and will double longevity in most circumstances.

Also, it all depends on the type of paint. Some low voc is ok - most arent. The formula they use for low voc causes many vinyls not to stick... There are some that will though. Talk to your supplier and ask for a sample of a couple different vinyls, stick it to the wall, and come back in 24 hours and try to peel it off. Whichever one is the toughest to peel off, is the one you want.

Do whatever samples in an inconspicuous area though. Fresh paint tends to peel off with the vinyl... Also make them aware of that, if/when they remove the vinyl, it may bring up some of the paint with it. Most of the time it's fine, but depending on how cheap/brand of paint they used, it's a risk.

 

[BigfishDM]

Then you just need to go over the surface with a scotchbrite pad and some denatured alcohol.

What if they did use a low voc paint?

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[Asuma01]

If the walls are painted with low voc (hint: every indoor paint now-a-days is low voc) then I wouldn't even bother with vinyl. Go the printed wallpaper route. Just do a search on this forum for low voc and vinyl wall coverings. You will see MANY horror stories.

 

[mnapuran]

We've done these for years... used to have great luck with Oracal 3169RA and 3165RA. With the low/no voc paints.... only had luck with 3109HT. We always laminate as well... typically matte laminate.

Here's a snippet from Sign magazine with an ad from Orafol with one of our older Church wall graphics (see the arrow). It's basically 29' x 4' graphic

 

[jkdbjj]

So let's make a distinction. Normal vinyl if used should get a laminate.

However, if you choose a thick actual adhesive backed wall covering material it doesn't usually get laminate, maybe spray laminate but not roll laminate.
The reason being is the material itself is part of the selling point. It's got a nice wall paper like finish. Laminating it makes it disappear.

So it depends on what material you go with.

Last option is true wall paper you can print on. It comes in MANY cool textures and is fire code proper (another thing to be aware of).

Then, after printing is done, find a local wall paper installer and job done.

 

[Gino]

So let's make a distinction. Normal vinyl if used should get a laminate.

However, if you choose a thick actual adhesive backed wall covering material it doesn't usually get laminate, maybe spray laminate but not roll laminate.
The reason being is the material itself is part of the selling point. It's got a nice wall paper like finish. Laminating it makes it disappear.

So it depends on what material you go with.

Last option is true wall paper you can print on. It comes in MANY cool textures and is fire code proper (another thing to be aware of).

Then, after printing is done, find a local wall paper installer and job done.

I'm not sure I understand this. Most wallpapers today are all self-adhesive and if they're not, you just need to put the paste on, book them and then put them up exactly the same way you do a wrap job. Only difference might be.... real wallpaper gets butted joints, I don't know about self do it wallpaper stuff, but I always overlapped ever so slightly.

I've wallpapered many a rooms in various houses and buildings the old fashioned traditional way. I also wallpapered with self-adhesive vinyl. I've also printed to vinyl and stuck it on as full wall paper areas and did lotsa wallpaper border trims. Not a single problem. I used OraCal low end stuff and it stuck in each and every case. Some of it is still up after maybe 15 years.

 

[d fleming]

Phototex

 

[Grafix]

I tend to use Phototex or the Ahlstrom EasyLife Spray'n Up wallpaper. Much easier to apply and no issues with paints.

 

[TLA Signs]

I normally like to give a good 30 days after walls (or anything has been painted) to outgas. Maybe overkill, but seams to be the info I've been given. Ask the painters to check with the paint manufactures on outgas time.

As far as low/no VOC painted walls, the best way to handle installing vinyl on those is to just not do it. Trust me, been there done that. I've tried all the "recommended" theories on how to get vinyl to adhere, 70% IPA, heat, rubber roller, etc, etc. Short of using the extremely high tack vinyls (which if ever need removed, will remove not only the paint but also the drywall). There are better alternatives than pulling all your hair out and explaining why your work did not work...