Expand Vol. 2 No. 8

World of Displays, Part 2

Building better tradeshow displays with the right combination of media, laminate, and ink. This month, aqueous-based solutions, tips, and tricks for retractable banner stands, mounted graphics, vinyl banners, and graphics that aren’t laminated.

In last month’s edition of World of Displays we covered aqueous-based solutions for pop-up trade show booths, as well as production guidelines for printing, trimming, laminating, and shipping so that the graphics meet and beat your customers’ requirements.

This month, we continue our look at aqueous-based trade-show solutions, and in coming months we’ll delve into the solvent and UV-curable Worlds of Displays.

Banner Stands

Spring-back, telescopic, and retractable banner stands are space-saving, lightweight, collapsible solutions for single-panel displays that can also be displayed together for a multi-panel display. Retractable banner stands have the added benefit of protecting the graphic in transit and during setup since the graphic is rolled up into the hardware itself.

Most retractable banner stands, however, can only receive a graphic that’s 15 mils or thinner, but the safest bet is to keep the total thickness (printable material and laminate) to 12 mils or less since there are many banner stands on the market that can’t hold anything over 12-13 mils thick. Make sure you know the limitations of your display hardware ahead of time.

When producing a fabric display, use a hot knife to keep the fabric’s edges from fraying. For retractable banner stand graphics using a PSA laminate avoid using paper, which has less durability and tends to split after repeated use.

Fabrics can be sewn or taped for hems and pole pockets (see this month’s That’s a Good Question for more information about using LexJet’s Heavy Duty Banner Tape as a quick and economical solution).

Express Heavy Banner: This coated polyester fabric is weatherproof when printed with pigmented inks, so it works great for indoor and outdoor applications. Production with this material is quick and painless, plus no lamination is necessary.

Water-Resistant Satin Cloth: This coated 6-mil water-resistant fabric provides an elegant and unique look and feel, and provides photographic quality. No laminating is necessary, and it’s universally compatible with all aqueous-based printers and inks.

The following printable films recommended for use with retractable banner displays can be partnered with these PSA laminates: 3.2 Mil GraphicsGuard UV Luster w/ PreLume, 3.2 GraphicsGuard UV Matte w/ PreLume, 4 Mil GraphicsGuard UV Textured, 3 Mil GraphicShield UV Satin, 5 Mil PreLume ExhibitGuard, 5 Mil PreLume DisplayFlex, and LexJet 8 Mil PreLume T-Flex.

Your choice of laminate will depend on the thickness, finish, texture, and budget of the project at hand. Click on each laminate choice for all the specifications. Plus, a LexJet account specialist will be happy to find the perfect partner of film and laminate for your graphics.

LexJet 6.5 Mil Opaque Display Film: Opaque film won’t show hardware shadows through the image, and graphics can be rolled indefinitely without being damaged. This film can also be used in a retractable banner stand without a laminate, but a laminate is recommended for this and other films that don’t require lamination if you’d like to change the texture, finish, thickness, or all of the above. It can be combined with any of the PSA laminates listed above. Low-melt thermal laminates that work well with this product include 7 Mil CrystalEmboss, 10 Mil DisplayGuard VI, and 5 Mil or 10 Mil DisplayGuard Ti.

LexJet 8 Mil Satin Polypropylene (Dye/Pigment): This economical solution is universally compatible, tear-resistant, and features a bright white base for a wider color gamut and brilliant color reproduction. It can be used without lamination in a retractable banner stand since the material is actually rolled up into the hardware when it’s done being used.

LexJet TOUGHcoat Water-Resistant Polypropylene: LexJet’s TOUGHcoat technology makes this material easier to handle, cutting down on production time, while providing scratch and weather resistance. It can be used without lamination.

8 Mil ImagePro Gloss and Satin: This photo paper is best for short-term trade show graphics that require photographic image quality. And, because it’s a photo paper, it could eventually split due to handling over a period of time. It works best with pigmented inks and has an instant-dry coating, which makes production quicker and easier. It should be combined with any of the PSA laminates listed above. Low-melt thermal laminates that work well with this product include 7 Mil CrystalEmboss, 10 Mil DisplayGuard VI, and 5 Mil or 10 Mil DisplayGuard Ti.

7 Mil High Performance Photo Satin: This is the most universal photo material for trade-show graphics. It works well with both pigmented and dye inks, but it doesn’t dry as quickly as the 8 Mil ImagePro. It can be combined with either PSA or thermal laminates.

7 Mil Universal Fine Photo Gloss and Satin Plus: This is the lowest-priced resin-coated paper on the market, so it’s perfect for customers with a tight budget who either change out their graphics frequently or are only planning to use it for a few trade shows. It should be partnered with a PSA laminate to increase durability and create the desired finish, texture, and thickness. It’s formulated only for dye inks, and should not be used with a thermal laminate.

LexJet 7 Mil Ultra Photo Gloss and Satin: This material works as an ideal substitute for paper as it resists tearing and splitting. Like the photo papers, it’s ideal for shorter-term applications. It should be combined with any of the PSA laminates listed above and not used with thermal laminates. It does not need to be laminated when using a retractable banner stand.

Mounted Graphics

When using adhesive backed materials on flat substrates, the most important thing to remember is to make sure the substrate’s surface is as clean as possible before applying the graphic material.

Don’t use soap, Windex, or any other ammonia-based cleaners as they leave a residue that will affect adhesion. It’s better to use rubbing alcohol or other cleaners that evaporate quickly, such as those made by Rapid Tac. Use cheap paper towels to wipe off the substrate as they’re less likely than rags, towels, or more expensive paper towels to leave anything behind.

It’s equally important to allow the ink to dry and set on the printable material for at least 24 hours. For more application guidelines, click here.

LexJet TOUGHcoat Water-Resistant Self Adhesive Polypropylene: This is a cost-effective alternative to adhesive-backed vinyl which features a strong, permanent solvent-based adhesive and a scratch-resistant surface.

LexJet 8 Mil Satin Polypropylene w/ PSA (Dye/Pigment): This material has a permanent adhesive for easy mounting to any substrate. It’s tear resistant in both directions, making it more durable than paper.

LexJet 7 Mil AquaLight Backlit: For great backlit applications, partner this water-resistant material with a clear adhesive, such as LexJet GraphicMount Clear Adhesive. It’s universally compatible and has a matte finish that reduces glare while allowing the light to pop out evenly through the surface.

Vinyl Banners

For trade-show banner applications, LexJet’s TOUGHcoat banners are an excellent choice, as they provide excellent scratch and weather resistance, higher ink saturation and a bright white base for more pop and an expanded color gamut. TOUGHcoat makes the material easy to handle, creating production efficiencies.

Recommended vinyl banner materials include LexJet TOUGHcoat ThriftyBanner and LexJet TOUGHcoat Blockout Scrim Banner. Choose the Blockout Scrim Banner when 100 percent opacity is required.

For banner finishing and hanging tips, read the article in this issue of Expand that provides easy and economical finishing tips.