Chances are you can walk into any store, restaurant, school or event center, take a 360 degree view of your surroundings and see vinyl advertising used in some form. Vinyl graphics might be on the windows and walls. Vinyl decals could be used to label products and various items. Vinyl signs are often used to help you find your way around a building. Simply put, vinyl is used everywhere.
It’s amazing how many uses there are for good ol’ vinyl. We can wrap a car or bus, lead customers to products with vinyl footprints on a store floor or decorate a classroom window with vinyl decals. The list of applications for vinyl graphics is long and colorful. This is because there are so many types of vinyl–for different uses–and it is so affordable.
One surface that has seen increasing attention from vinyl is…walls. Using wall vinyl has become almost obvious. Interior designers ask us all the time if we can create vinyl murals and full-color vinyl decals for offices, restaurants, stores and personal spaces. Property managers and builders often inquire about decorating new schools and additions with vinyl portraits, mascots and word clouds. There is probably no material that is as versatile as vinyl.
And vinyl manufactures are always creating vinyl for new surfaces, like brick walls, paved streets and gym floors. Since each surface has its own property and use, vinyls must be adapted to work with that surface.
So, no longer are windows the only surface that can accept a vinyl decal. Brick, as rough and jagged as it is, can now be decorated with a vinyl that conforms around the sharp contours of brick and mortar. Skillful stretching and the use of heat can turn an ordinary, rustic brick wall into a fantastic, colorful mural.
Advertisers are constantly searching for new ways to reach people. A relatively new product is vinyl for streets and pavement. This is a great way for bars to advertise in their parking lots and business to advertise at bus stops. A main use for this type of vinyl is foot or bike races. A business can now put their logos and messages at the starting line, finish line and throughout the route.
This vinyl is not permanent, but it is laminated for protection and very slip resistant. Previously, these surfaces were limited to paint only. Paint does not offer near the graphic options that vinyl offers; with options of full-color images, gradients and unlimited shapes.
Word clouds, or Wordles, have become a fast growing trend. Wordles are a collection of thoughts, feelings and commonly expressed ideas, all randomly grouped into a type of “cloud” of words. The more common the idea, or word, the larger that word appears in the cloud.
Many organizations, like schools and community centers, use these Wordles as murals on their walls. A perfect vinyl for this a wallpaper-like vinyl that conforms perfectly to painted surfaces.
This is a unique touch and perfect way to dress up a bare, boring wall. It’s also a great alternative to framed pictures and simple posters.
In short, if you’re looking for an affordable way to dress up a bare wall, don’t overthink it. Vinyl is a simple, yet very effective way to accomplish just about any look you can imagine.
