Are you thinking of getting a wall graphic installed in your school, college or university?

Not sure what the different options are?

As wall graphic creators and educators around all things school display, we have helped schools all over the UK navigate the pros and cons and select the right wall art product. This article looks at what makes vinyl suitable for a school environment and explains what you need to know before going ahead with your project.

What is a vinyl wall graphic?

Wall vinyls can be installed around obstruction on your wall and are not limited by size or design.

Any image or design that is applied to a wall with self-adhesive vinyl can be considered wall art, or a wall graphic. It is the most common, and cheapest type of wall art production. With larger designs being applied to your wall in sections called ‘drops’ there is no maximum size for a wall graphic. Wall graphics can be full-coverage (like wallpaper in your house) or be sized and cut to fit any shape.

There are many different vinyl products available for companies to use, each with varying degrees of success in sticking to a painted wall. You can save money by using cheaper types of vinyl (expect to pay £25 – £35 per square metre) but it may not last very long as the adhesive is not designed to stick to painted surfaces, which have lower surface tension and usually need a specialist wall vinyl product.

Why choose vinyl graphics for my school walls?

Vinyl wall graphics work well in schools because they are cost-effective, relatively easy to install and can be covered with a protective film, or laminate, to further protect the print from scratches and scuffs. Complete wall wraps in spaces such as corridors and other high-traffic areas can make a massive impact on the feel of your space and, because they are cleanable, can help save the cost of redecorating walls every year.

Shape-cut wall vinyls can help to make a big impact for less money.

What type of wall do I need for vinyl graphic?

Vinyl graphics work best on walls with a smooth painted finish and are as clear of obstructions as possible. Vinyl can be installed around sockets, light switches, and other obstructions, but if there are lots of pipes, conduits, and sections of trunking, covering your chosen wall, your design may not stand out will be harder to get a good impact.

Vinyl will show any bumps and imperfections that exist on your wall so for the best possible finish it’s always a good idea to fill any holes or gaps, sand and repaint your wall if it needs it. The better the painted surface is, the better your vinyl wall art will look once it is installed.

Speciality vinyl solutions do exist that can be applied directly to brick and block walls but check the installation costs as they can take much longer to install than panels. Also, as they don’t hide the wall texture you should consider the final viewing distance available to allow your design to be seen as you want it to without the texture becoming a distraction.

Can I easily change a vinyl wall graphic?

As they can easily last ten or more years indoors, you should think of a wall vinyl as a mid-long term display solution. Once your vinyl has been installed, you can not easily update the design without removing it, leaving your wall in a state requiring some form of redecoration before you do anything else with it. If you need additional flexibility or a more temporary solution, there are plenty of other solutions that may suit your needs better.

Will students be able to pick the vinyl off the wall?

Vinyl is susceptible to inquisitive fingernails only where there is a prominent edge. If your design is going across the entire wall, edge-to-edge and floor-to-ceiling then this provides the best protection against this kind of attention. If your design needs to stop before a wall or ceiling then consider adding a trim to your design, which will hide the vinyl edge and make it easier to decorate around every year.

Wall vinyl can be cut into intricate shapes if your design requires this. Although in certain areas they are an excellent solution consider that shape-cut designs can be more expensive to produce per square m, are easier to pick off the wall than full-coverage designs and are much harder for your site team to decorate around.

What maintenance does a vinyl wall graphic require?

Once your vinyl wall graphic is in place it should require little or no ongoing maintenance. If it comes with a protective laminate applied, then this will allow you to use stronger cleaning solutions than if the ink is unprotected. A gentle clean with a standard surface cleaner will remove most everyday wear and tear. Isopropyl alcohol cleaning products or alcohol wipes can be used to clean off more stubborn marks.

Vinyl wall art can be repaired cheaply with printed patches that stick over the existing design.

Can a wall vinyl be repaired?

If your vinyl graphic is ripped or torn then the only way to repair the damage is with a vinyl patch. In most cases, these patched can be applied so that you hardly notice they are there, especially if the patch can be decal-cut to tie in with a section of the design. If this is not possible, then there might be a design solution that allows the patch not to look obvious. If the damage is significant then a section may need to be removed, the wall redecorated, and a new vinyl section added.

With any vinyl patch or addition fitted retrospectively, there is a risk that the colours may not match. This can be more problematic with some types of printers than others. For example, latex printers are particularly susceptible to this colour-matching problem, sometimes causing slight colour differences on the same artwork from one day to the next.

What would cause a vinyl graphic to fail?

There are three main reasons why your vinyl may start to peel off your wall; temperature fluctuations, poor installation process, or incompatible paint.

Temperature

Vinyl is designed to expand and contract as it heats and cools and is expected to shrink slightly over time. For this reason, joints are applied with an overlap so that gaps in your graphic do not appear over time. When these temperature fluctuations are more extreme, the stretching can be too much, weakening the bond and causing the vinyl to lose adhesion and you may end up with problems if you use vinyl in these areas.

Poor installation

Most wall vinyls have a stronger adhesive than sign-making vinyl, and the application process is also slightly different. For the best installation, they should be applied dry in one smooth operation to a wall surface that has been properly cleaned and prepared. It is very achievable for smaller graphics to get a good finish with a DIY approach, but larger full-coverage walls are for the experts only.

Incompatible paint and poorly painted walls

While vinyl can be applied to most walls, it relies on high surface tension for the adhesive to ‘key in’ so it is not suitable for every painted finish. Any paint that has a silicone additive will not allow a good bond. Most wall vinyl specialists will be able to provide a test on your wall for the products they use, which will indicate how well the vinyl will stick. If your paint is too thin, or (for new builds) the plaster was not prepared adequately then this can also cause paint to fail.

Pros and cons of vinyl graphics

Pros

Cost effective
Fast to install
Can withstand the bustle of daily school life
Can be cleaned
Hight impact
No max size

Cons

Not easy to change
Not suitable in some areas
Can be picked at if unprotected or located strategically

If you’re still wondering if a vinyl wall graphic is the right solution for your school, college or university then get in touch via our contact page.

Why choose a vinyl wall graphic for use in your school?