A plain wall can be turned into an eye-catching art piece on what would otherwise be a boring and possibly unsightly area.
Selecting your materials
Making sure the graphics are applied in the correct manner is one thing, but selecting the right materials is a different challenge all together. I cannot stress enough how important it is to work with quality, high-grade media on jobs like this. After all, bricks and concrete are both rough and porous, and not the easiest surfaces to work with, but working with a tried and trusted material will mean the application will perform well and meet the company’s and customer’s standards.
There are several solutions suitable for use in applications on rough surfaces such as bricks. A polymeric self-adhesive PVC film can deliver up to seven years’ indoor or outdoor durability with matching laminate on surfaces such as metal, plastic, wood, glass, and brick.
You can heat it up using a heat gun and conform it to the texture of the surface you are applying it to. Also, most films are good at extreme temperatures from -20 to 80 degrees Celsius which means they can be used for a wide range of brick applications in all sorts of environments.
This level of flexibility means that polymeric self-adhesive film is ideal for curved or rough walls and comes in a choice of matte or gloss finishes. When paired with Interlam Pro Emerytex, long-term, no-slip floor graphics can be created. The film can be printed using eco-solvent, latex, and UV technologies, and also holds a whole host of fire rating safety certificates including CAN:ULC-S102 and EN 13501-1.
Another product ideal for brick applications is a PVC-free, aluminum print media suitable for use in outdoor floor and wall graphics. Without the need for lamination, this film can be applied to rough surfaces, including concrete, brick, and asphalt.
The writing’s on the wall
What makes these types of applications so great is that they can be relevant in almost any sort of environment. They are something the customer may not have considered before, but by offering up some ideas of how they can help transform the look of a surface, while in some cases also providing a service for passers-by, there could be a win-win situation for both the company and the customer.
For example, for customers working in the food and beverage market, propose the idea of applying a giant menu to the outside of their restaurant. Not only would this application help to draw in customers, but also transform what can be rather dull exterior walls and add a unique look to the venue.
Moving inside, work with clients in the retail sectors to bring a whole new dimension to their shops and stores. Whether it would simply be installing the retailer’s logo or name on the wall to brighten up the interior, or pushing the boundaries further by adding themed areas to the store, the possibilities are almost endless with brick wall applications.
Looking down at the ground, brick floors represent a blank canvas just waiting to be decorated with graphics. Simple applications such as directional signage or, in recent times, social distancing markers, can prove extremely effective. More advanced projects, such as murals that completely change the look of a larger section of the floor, are also achievable when working with the right materials.
Brick has traditionally been a tricky surface to work with, hence why many brick surfaces remain plain and untouched. However, the use of high-quality materials and the right sort of tools and techniques means the world is very much your oyster when it comes to applying graphics of all shapes and sizes.
Gareth Newman is academy manager at Drytac and is involved in the research and development of new media, including print testing, print trials, media profiling, application testing, and reviews. Newman also helps train customers on best practices and application techniques.
