Alterna Savings and Credit Union has added wall graphics to its offices at Toronto’s Ryerson University.
Combining ingredients for success
The technology that makes these applications and others possible is incredibly vast in terms of the variety of films, adhesives and laminates available today.
There are generally three levels of adhesives: permanent, removable and changeable. With that in mind, one of the first questions to ask the client is, “How long will this need to last?” It is important to keep in mind the performance of the adhesive will also affect the ease of installation. Air-release ‘comply’ adhesives, for example, were developed separately from repositionable adhesives, but some pressure-sensitive vinyl films are equipped with both.
In most cases, clients who want to add interior graphics to their workspace are in favour of a permanent application. And most would prefer a film with a matte finish, given how interior lights can otherwise cause glare on gloss films.
The laminate is also an important consideration. While some designers believe opting out of a laminate is a good cost-saving option for office graphics, this is generally not the case, as even indoor applications can otherwise be damaged by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays and cleaning chemicals.
Also, laminates make installation and removal simpler. This is because the combination of film and laminate is thicker and, thus, easier for the installer to handle, which means it can save measurable time and money on a job.
Finally, there is the issue of appearance.
“Overlaminates not only protect the image, but also provide the best way to meet the client’s requirements for a consistent overall finish, such as matte or ultra-matte,” says Jeff Uzbalis, a wide-format digital imaging specialist for 3M Canada.
Indeed, the overall look and feel of digitally printed interior decor can depend on the selection of the laminate. Beyond basic choices like matte and gloss, there are also textured options, graffiti-resistant coatings for graphics in public areas and special visual effects like sparkle features.
“Today’s range of overlaminates let you create combinations of colours and textures like never before,” says Uzbalis. “You can tap into key design trends like ‘raw,’ ‘untreated’ and ‘artisanal’ with laminates that replicate nature’s random imperfections for a more organic effect.”
Motive Media, for its part, used a durable, 0.05-mm (2-mil) thick vinyl film with a pressure-sensitive, repositionable and removable adhesive, along with a matte cast vinyl overlaminate that is conformable across curves and rivets. This combination proved sufficiently versatile—and easy to install—for the company’s various decor surfaces, including painted drywall, metal filing cabinets and wooden desks and doors.
Engaging and inspiring
Thanks in large part to the availability of these materials, many workplaces are now changing from once-drab landscapes to engaging and inspiring spaces for employees. For the young people now joining the workforce, this trend is becoming more and more important, so business managers are taking note and making changes accordingly.
As these organizations come to understand how digitally printed graphics can bring a space to life more creatively than carpeting or paint, wide-format print service providers (PSPs) have a major new opportunity to expand their business.
Holly Douglass is director of sales for Motive Media in Bolton, Ont. For more information, contact her via e-mail at holly@motivemedia.ca.
