Wrapping 1m diameter x 3m concrete columns. Advice needed?

[RobertLambie]

Hi Pane

Are the columns circular or square?

[Pane Talev]

Hi Robert,

2 are circular.
2 are square.

[Colin Crabb]

We wrap cruise liner columns of a similar size in one piece without issues.
Working from centre out, not starting at a edge.

[RobertLambie]

Hi Pane

Circular Pillar.

As Colin has rightly said, you want to start in the middle and work your way left and right, till you come around to meet both edges. Doing this shortens the possibility of running off, but will also half the amount of vinyl you will need to work with, making the overall installation more manageable.

Working with someone to hold the material, will make the installation much easier.

You must mark your pillar with a vertically straight line. you can do this with a pencil and spirit level or laser level.

The downside of this type of installation is that you are working your way around the pillar in an “up and down” squeegeeing motion, not left and right swipes, which is slow, tedious and doesn’t feel natural… but is necessary.

Having a bleed at the top and bottom of the vinyl for the pillar, which can be trimmed once installed, makes for a better finish and gives you a margin for error, it won’t work well if the wrap has to be tight to the ceiling or the floor. If possible, once installed, I would still trim it back a minimum of 5mm and heat it with a heat gun to help bond the material.

Square pillar.

I would treat this differently.
I would probably install this in 4 separate drops, one for each side.
I would allow 10mm of bleed/overlap on each side of the vinyl drop.
A much easier approach and can be done just as quickly, alone.

Concrete

The key issue that needs to be taken into consideration here, is the 4 pillars are concrete!
Is the concrete…

• Rough or at all uneven.
• Polished smooth
• Stone chipped
• How long has the wrap to last?

1. Certain vinyls need to be used depending on the texture and life expectancy.
2. Certain adhesive types need to be used depending on the surface.
   Speak with your vinyl supplier and ask for recommendations of the brands you use and which would be best for a concrete wall installation.
   There are various brands, but most of the top ones will have their equivalent for this type of application.
3. Certain methods and tools for adhering and applying the vinyl need to be used.
   

If the pillar is pretty rough and uneven, you need to be careful applying the material.
Let’s say the the correct material and adhesive is being used and it is sticking good.
as you apply and work the vinyl around the pillar, the vinyl will begin to conform to the slightest uneven part of the pillar. this will create tension or slack in the vinyl in other places which will progressively become a crease, or… when you come around full circle, your vinyl prints may run off and not marry up on the opposite side.
If this is the case and the texture is rough, the vinyl will most likely not bond fast and you should be able to simply wrap the vinyl right around the entire pillar in one go, tack or tape it into place and then start applying it properly with your squeegee, or rolle-pro, or cloth, sponge pressure wheel or whatever you are using along with your heat-gun.

Keep in mind, if this is an external concrete pillar. it “must be dry and clean”.
make sure you brush down the surface first. if the surface is cold. I would advise on heating it to make sure there is no moisture trapped. do this with a flame torch or heat gun.

[RobertLambie]

This is obviously NOT vinyl wrapped, but I thought I would attach the pictures, purely for options and reference to solving a problem for externally wrapped concrete pillars.
I took these photos in Edinburgh a couple of months ago. a very simple fixing concept that appears to work fine. I did initially think that the bottom tie wraps could have been the metal types to prevent someone from cutting the first 6ft of the plastic ties, but then I thought, if they could snip the plastic ties with a blade, they could easily slit the banners! 🤨

Anyway, it’s just another solution for wrapping pillars. 🙂

[Mark Johnston]

thats clever. i would not have thought of that. very simple idea too. 😎

[Pane Talev]

Thank you Colin and Robert. Much appreciated.