Choosing a Media for Wall Coverings
There are walls all around you. They might be inside buildings, the sides of your cubicle, or the sides of buildings you drive by. They support, shelter, and are everywhere, making them prime advertising space.
Since walls come in sizes big and small, they also provide many unique opportunities. The side of a building by an airport could be the perfect place to list attractions for the city that people should visit. A stadium’s walls could be covered with huge murals of the team that can be redone for new drafts yearly. The possibilities are practically endless, and a wall that’s colorful and aesthetically interesting is far more pleasing than a blank one.
A Few Things to Think About
How does one actually use a wall? It really depends on what you are promoting, as well as the wall’s surface texture, size, environment, and the rules or regulations of the city. If a building has certain paints or coatings on inner or outer walls, some materials work better than others, and size also depends on the type of adhesive you need to use to make sure the covering lasts longer. The environment is another important factor; if the temperature is going to be extremely hot or cold the media used has to be able to perform well under those conditions. Finally, rules or regulations can sometimes determine what kind of promotion can be publicly viewed or what size is allowable. These are all important considerations when using walls for advertising and space branding.
Signs used to be limited to informational purposes only. In the modern day and age, it seems we can’t go anywhere or see anything without a sign or ad telling us what we need to get and informing us about something new and exciting. Wall coverings take this to the supersize level. Wall coverings can also provide cost saving benefits. If the colors are reflective or light blocking they can conserve energy.
Let’s Get Started
Before choosing a media, one has to think about the substrate’s location and how long it must last. From there, a decision can be made. The three things one must do are
- Test a few materials
- Match a good print media
- Apply the material
When working on a big project such as a wall covering, installation and de-installation time and cost is critical for high profile coverings and advertisements to make sure that no viewing time is lost. This can be easily circumvented by testing a material.
Using a material that is applied easily to the wall surface and removes without tearing or leaving residue is key. Testing materials to see which fit is the best for a specific wall is will make the process easier and have less risk of down time. One also needs to check that the material is approved for use by the city, so that after agreeing to a job there are no surprises. This is extremely important, as an improperly researched job and application can lead to fines and an unhappy customer.
Materials vary almost as much as the wall types they might be made to cover. Static clings and repositionable vinyl materials all fulfill the same purposes but have different construction and adhesives. It’s also good to choose a material that comes with a self-adhesive, as it cuts the traditional step of having to treat a wall out of the process.
Applying the material is the final step, and should really be the easiest. After extensive research and material testing, once one has been selected, a printer will be able to help install the media successfully to your wall and give you the advertising space you need. Choosing the material is a large part of making a wall covering a successful application, and a print media provider can help you make the right choice for your brand and your message.