Don Conklin and Joanne Turner from Pinnacle Custom Signs sat down to talk about wall wrap and window wrap for businesses and what you need to know if you are considering investing this type of custom signage.
What do you think the main reason people choose to do wall or window wraps in their business?
Joanne Turner: I think it’s a cost effective way to brand a large area.It gives the customer a lot of creativity, a lot of options to show their branding, to show different dimensional objects on top of a wall wrap. It’s visible to customers, and it’s visible to people outside of a business, if they’re using window wraps.
Don Conklin: I want to also add that there is also a way to add a artistic element to an office. We see lots of people put things like skyline of the city that they’re in and things like that within their office from a wall wrap or a window graphic as well.
What is the difference between wall graphics and window graphics?
Joanne Turner: There is a big difference between window/wall decals, graphics and stickers, and it really comes down to a combination of things. I’ll talk about windows, and I’ll let Joanne talk about walls.
Don Conklin: On windows, the first thing you talk about on decals on windows is the front door of a business, right? When you walk up to the front door, a lot of time, it has their logo on it. It has their phone number on it, their hours on it and things like that. That’s for identification and informational purposes. We see a lot of customers use graphics on their windows to advertise their business.
One of our larger customers, Dentistry for Children, has the advertisement for their quarterly promotion on perforated window graphics on all of their centers. We do about 25 to 30 of their centers every quarter, changing out the window graphic. They have used the windows as a medium for advertising their business. That’s a lot different than just an informational sign on the door.
What do you think about from a wall standpoint?
Joanne Turner: I think a wall mural is a more permanent fixture. You can use interior applications to brand things for your customers that walk through the door. I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily for advertisement. You can use something outside, like a brick wrap or something like that, but it’s definitely for a more branding standpoint.
How long do wall and window graphics last?
Don Conklin: It comes down to a lot of different environmental factors, right? The first question you got to ask is how long do you want it to last, right?
For example, in the City of Atlanta, right now, there’s something going on in two weeks called The Super Bowl. If you looked at downtown Atlanta, there are 35 to 40 story tall window graphics on the Westin Peachtree Tower on the Mercedes-Benz stadium.
These are temporary graphics that’ll only be there for about three weeks. The material they use on something like that is a lot less expensive and flimsier than something that’s going to last for a year or two years.
For the most part, window graphics will last you for about two to three years if they’re not in the direct sunlight. If they’re in direct sunlight, it’ll last less than that.
On a wall standpoint, depends on the condition of the wall. If it’s an exterior wall, you’re probably talking about a year or two. If it’s an interior wall, it could be up to five to seven years just depending on how it’s taken care of.
How difficult is it to apply/remove window and wall graphics?
Joanne Turner: I think that window graphics and wall graphics, the way that they are removable depends definitely on what they’ve been applied to. Window graphics are easily removable, depending on the weather conditions. Wall graphics, depending on whether or not they were installed on dry wall or brick, that definitely affects their ability to be removed.
Don Conklin: I would also add to that, how the original graphic was applied will also affect that. If someone applied it using a lot of glue and primer, it will be more difficult to take off than if it was just applied as recommended by the manufacturer.
Joanne Turner: The process to apply window and wall graphics depends on where the graphic is being applied. Window and wall graphics have different application methods. Essentially, they’re all the same providing that they’re from
Don Conklin: Applying window and wall graphics, the process is about the same. The materials are what is different. Window graphics is different from materials of wall graphics depending on what’s the situation. That’s how the process differs.
The other thing I would tell you is vinyl does not stick well to anything under 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a cold weather time and it’s below 50 degrees, applying to outdoor surfaces will be a bit more difficult than if it was an interior surface. That also affects the process of applying window and wall graphics.
The other thing that also affects that process is how recently, if it’s a wall, it was painted and whether it used high or low VOC paints. If the wall was recently painted with high VOC paint, we may have to delay applying the graphics until the paint has fully cured; this is because the VOCs that are being released during the paint curing process can get trapped under the vinyl and begin to react with the adhesive causing it either to fall off the wall or become fused with the wall.
If low VOC paint was used, we may have to be more aggressive with the application method or change out what type of vinyl/vinyl adhesive we use in order to properly secure the graphic to the wall.
How are window/wall graphics different for a storefront vs a business office?
Every business is going to be different depending on what they do and their location. We’ve worked with businesses that primarily use window and wall graphics to primarily promote their branding and company culture. We’ve worked with businesses that just need to get their basic business information up but don’t expect to attract foot traffic.
And we’ve worked with retail businesses, gyms, and other businesses which utilize their wall and window space to advertise and promote their business as the primary focus. Storefront window graphics are often more pictorial and advertisement for whatever the business does. While offices focus on the basic, need to know information.
How much does a vinyl wall wrap or a vinyl window graphic cost?
Don Conklin: Does a vinyl wall wrap cost, I will tell you it depends on a lot of factors. It’s between 10 and $20 a square foot. Now, you’ll say, “That’s a very wide range. How do I narrow that down?” If you’re doing a standard wall mural on a standard dry wall in an office, it’s probably going to be closer to the $10 range.
If you have to go to an outdoor cinder block or brick wall, you’re going to have to use some of the most expensive vinyl that is produced because the surface isn’t even or smooth. That’ll drive the prices up to about $20 a square foot. Other types of surfaces are somewhere in the middle from that standpoint. On a square foot basis, you can probably average that at about $15 a square foot install.
Joanne Turner: Vinyl window decals cost between eight and $14 depending on the material used. You could use perforated vinyl or opaque vinyl. It depends on how much light you want coming through your windows and how much coverage that you’re going to use.
Don Conklin: That just about wraps it up. If anyone has any questions that we didn’t answer or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to give us a call!
Pinnacle Custom Signs has certified individuals who are able to install all sorts of media on windows and walls. We work nationwide and are one of the top custom sign companies in the Atlanta area. If your business is looking for any kind of custom sign, give us a call or contact us online for a quote.
