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Printed Window Graphics…
Can anybody tell me how full size window graphics are printed, can they be mirror and applied to the inside or do they have to go on the outside?
Thanks
Nathan -
21 Replies
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If the graphics are to be applied to the inside of the window then you must mirror the image and print onto a clear media. Then when thats done, leave the media to cure (24hours) then laminate with a white vinyl. This will bring the colour out of the print and is then ready to apply. When doing this make sure that the white vinyl is not grey backed like some digital media or the colours will not come through.
You can go on the outside of the window if you want to, this is printed as normal onto a white vinyl.
As far as application goes it’s all down to the individual, wet or dry? (?)
I always go dry on glass otherwide you could be there for sometime!! 🙁
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quote Nathan:Can anybody tell me how full size window grpahics are printed, can they be mirror and applied to the inside or do they have to go on the outside?Thanks
NathanI always print, laminate and apply to the outside.
If it is really big. you could apply wet, with no app tape. As long as it is laminated, you just need a window cleaning rubber squeegee to remove the water, trim the edges and you are done.
Inside application would be as described above
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quote Shane Drew:I always print, laminate and apply to the outside.can i ask why you do that shane? just being nosey… only because if i applied any graphics to the outside of a window…..guaranteed it would be picked off within twenty mins……… 😉
nik
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quote Nicola McIntosh:quote Shane Drew:I always print, laminate and apply to the outside.can i ask why you do that shane? just being nosey… only because if i applied any graphics to the outside of a window…..guaranteed it would be picked off within twenty mins……… 😉
nik
They have more important things to do in Australia, like chasing the Kangaroos. :lol1:
-Marek -
quote Nicola McIntosh:quote Shane Drew:I always print, laminate and apply to the outside.
can i ask why you do that shane? just being nosey… only because if i applied any graphics to the outside of a window…..guaranteed it would be picked off within twenty mins……… 😉
nik
Really? Never had a problem with that here. Graffitti maybe, but it is pretty common here to do it this way. Outside application to a full window.. never done it inside… ever.. you scottish lot must be real vandals :lol1:
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quote Marekdlux:They have more important things to do in Australia, like chasing the Kangaroos. :lol1:
well i sure hope the kangaroos, teach you how to keep not jumpin in on a post……….. 😉
nik
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quote Nicola McIntosh:quote Shane Drew:I always print, laminate and apply to the outside.
can i ask why you do that shane? just being nosey… only because if i applied any graphics to the outside of a window…..guaranteed it would be picked off within twenty mins……… 😉
nik
printed graphics I should say, computer cut I always do inside, just printed on a full window display I’ll do outside. Just thought I’d clarify that 😉
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:shutup:
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Thanks for the advice. I’ve tried using a window cleaning rubber squeegee when flood coating but with little success, it would grab the vinyl which resulted in it tearing.
Nathan
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quote Nathan:Thanks for the advice. I’ve tried using a window cleaning rubber squeegee when flood coating but with little success, it would grab the vinyl which resulted in it tearing.
Nathan
lots of soapy water on the squeegee side? Don’t do it dry or it will be hard work.
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quote Shane Drew:lots of soapy water on the squeegee side? Don’t do it dry or it will be hard work.…for "hard work" read "damn near impossible"!!
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Getting me worried now… I have 4 large windows to do this week, gave the customer the option of laminated or not, as they are only up for 3 months, of course he went for the cheaper option.
Am I going to have problems with scratching the prints when I apply? Is using soapy water on the printed surface going to affect the prints?
And lastly… am I going to have to put app. tape on to give a bit of rigidity? They are all approx. 1800mm x 1500mm. -
quote Lorraine Clinch:Getting me worried now… I have 4 large windows to do this week, gave the customer the option of laminated or not, as they are only up for 3 months, of course he went for the cheaper option.
Am I going to have problems with scratching the prints when I apply? Is using soapy water on the printed surface going to affect the prints?
And lastly… am I going to have to put app. tape on to give a bit of rigidity? They are all approx. 1800mm x 1500mm.I never give an option Lorraine, if I am expectecd to fit them.
Depending on the width Lorraine, are you doing them in sections 900 x 1500?
I’d be doing them with a wool cloth over my gold squeegee, and lots of soapy water. Scratching will be something you’ll have to be conscious of, make sure they are really dry tho. A wet wool cloth will be a scratch free material, should be a straight forward application (he said in the comfort of his office in australia :lol1: )
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Hi Shane (in the comfort of your warm Aussie office 🙁 )
They are going on in one piece, 2 pairs of hands, outside windows. Don’t know about wool cloths-where do they come from (once the sheep has finished with it of course 🙂 )?
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I find this method works for me.
Works on just about any size of flood coat or large non-taped graphic. Never screwed one up yet in goodness knows how many years…
(Taped stuff & I’ll do dry 99% of the time.)
Tools. Spray with very mildly soapy water, window squeegee (WS), (nice gold 3m) vinyl squeegee (VS).
Spray a ‘spare’ window or an area where the graphic/vinyl will not be applied to with a good misting of water.
‘Stick’ the graphic/image (vinyl side) to the wet surface & peel off the liner – spraying sticky side as you go.
Spray up the area you are going to apply it to.
Get some help & position as normal.
Make either a single vertical or horizontal (medium pressure) sweep with the WS from the middle out. Repeat in either parallel lines working fluid outwards (with an overlap in the strokes) or in quadrants (personal preference thing). You have to be quite firm with the WS, (more a ‘feel’ than a specific) as a light motion will leave a lot of excess fluid in place. Any stubbon little bits use the VS – but protect the surface by putting a scrap piece of liner on the print (don’t move it) and push water out to edges as normal. No scratches, no bubbles, done in a very short time…just a small soapy puddle at your feet if you get it right…another kind of puddle if you get it wrong. 😳
Dave
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..erm… what dave said Lorraine. Good advice here. Not going to be really easy in one piece tho to be totally honest.
Daves advice here is spot on… if I had the use of two hands i probably would have typed similar.. 😳
Don’t rush, deep breaths, smooth flowing actions and you’ll be fine.
Really cold here tonight. Dropped to 11 deg c 😉
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Hi Lorraine,
To give a bit of protection to your digital prints, spray & polish them with Mr. Sheen or some other furniture polish. You will find that they will not scratch nearly as much when you run your squeegee over them. It really works quite well for short term prints.
Cheers,
Jamie. -
A great big thank you to Shane, Jamie and Dave, I shall take note of all you have said.
Shane, they are being done in one piece cos I don’t trust myself to get the images lined up spot on.
Dave, I already use this method when flood-coating large boards wet, so makes good sense to me.
Jamie, thanks for the tip about furniture polish, I shall make sure I do this before applying.
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Hi just a quick one
when you say soapy water, what kind of soap would u put in.
i.e. fairy liquid or something of that sort.
The method explained is very similar to window tinting.
In window tinting we used to use jonhsons baby shampoo.
Can anyone recommend a soapy solution.
no pun intended
cheers
taroon
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Supermarkets own brand washing up liquid, seemingly there is a chemical in the posher versions that may affect the vinyl adhesion. I may be wrong here but I vaguely remember this from somewhere, plus there’s no need to use anything more expensive.
I would stick to baby shampoo for the tinting though, as you need less of it to allow you to slide the piece. If you tried this with soapy water you would have to use a very soapy mixture.
Gavin
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Hi Lorraine
Just a thought. Are you removing the graphics for them after the 3 months?
If so we have always found that laminated prints are far easier to remove than unlaminated ones.
Good Luck. Nick.
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