High-tack wall prints, advice on installing them, please?

[David Wilde]

I cant help with your current issues I’m afraid, but I can pont you in the right direction going forward.

1) never use high tack vinyl on a wall. Use a specialst wall covering. These are easy to position/reposition during install and adhere better after being left a few hours. We use a woven wall covering from Image Perfect but there are plenty out there. This also solves your ‘stretch’ issue, as these generally do not stretch even under significant pressure.

2) Never laminate a wall covering, it’s a recipe for disaster. Going 2 ply on a wall covering not only adds weight to the graphic but also expansion/contraction issues. Often, laminate and the vinyl are fighting against each other which can result in lifting/bubbling because the surface is porous unless a primer is used.

Hope this helps.

[RobertLambie]

I am sure you have already, but you must be clear before continuing that there are issues arising from how the company has provided you with these prints to install for them. if nothing else, if there is an install error, they must be sympathetic and “they” must be prepared to swallow the extra cost to replace.

Here is a method I have used for many years installing truck wraps “outside in the sun” with non-air release cast vinyl.
It keeps the vinyl square and perfectly aligned but also limits any stretch you may get over the length.

Basically masking tape the panel into place as shown.

flap back the top half and peel out the lining paper and cut off excess paper straight and fold 50mm back on itself.
Apply the vinyl from the middle to the top.
then remove the masking tape and apply the bottom half.
You will see I have formed a “T” in the middle, it is important to make the T, 2-3 layers of masking tape or it will simply tear with the weight of the vinyl being folded back on it and the whole thing will come away.

The “T” should be about 600mm deep by 200mm wide at the top, minimum…

The picture on the right is a side-on visual.

[Hugh Potter]

4mm of stretch over 4m is pretty good, I tend to hinge after lining it as best as poss (similar to Rob) and work upward first. You can manipulate film to match whether stretching a little or, more often, rucking it up a little and using plenty of heat to almost shrink it in, a bit like wrapping!

I always use proper wallcoverings though, my preferred is Wallmark, by General formulations, available from innotech. Very high tack but with a repositionable adhesive, very user friendly. Very conformable and thick, so hides a multitude of filled plug holes etc.

I have previously used the Arlon covering with great results, and metamark, though the latter I moved on from when there were issues with strange finishes that only appeared on that film, it may have been sorted now though.

I have some mactac wall covering materials, and some Neschen wallpaper (to be pasted) which I have yet to print and test.

Proper wallcoverings are not cheap though, which is why many firms use / send out high tack vinyls.

Ideally, seal the wall first, something like Zinsser Gardz, or Bullseye. I know some use a pva water mix first. I rarely do this on smaller, regularly changed installations as I go over the top of the old, but sooner or later you need to take it off and that’s when you’ll find out how much damage can be done, especially if the first was a rush job onto a new bare plasterboard wall!!

[Graham Scanlan]

Hi John,

Our best selling product for walls is Mactac WW300, it’s been around for over 12 years. Like rob had indicated, using a hinge method should make installation easier for you. Also take a look at this installation guide

https://youtu.be/PpDoqFx5USY

Graham

[John McNickle]

Thanks guys sorry i’m only getting back to this, Christmas rush and staff members down was a tough December, to answer a few of the points, yes I called the other firm straight away and they don’t do these type of installs but were advised by the supplier that they are selling truck loads of high tack to firms using it for wall prints… i said i didn’t agree, yes Rob i use your way for install but as Dave said it was normal print with lam so very heavy over 4.5 metre drop, i’ve used the Image perfect and it is lovely to install but will give the Mactac a goo too, i’ve resolved it with the other company but its an area i’m moving towards a lot more now so want to know the best vinyls for the jobs

thanks again guys, much appreciated

[Gary Forbes]

We did a huge wall and it was nearly six metres deep. we split it into 2 sections for each panel.
so it was 2 sections at three metres deep. it worked out well and really helped fit it more accurate.