Authored by Shaun Holdom, Global Product Manager, Drytac

Social distancing has become standard practice across the world in recent weeks. As businesses and public spaces reopen or prepare for a swell in customer numbers, it’s essential to provide guidance in the form of graphics. Whether they are floor graphics designating to stand apart, or wall or window decals informing shoppers of a new queuing system, printed displays are reliable form of direction.

Furthermore, during periods of social change or difficult trading conditions, every business needs to stay relevant. Retailers and other public-facing companies need to grab their customers’ attention – and not just once, but time and time again to retain an ongoing, loyal relationship. Installing temporary graphics is an effective, affordable way to regularly refresh a brand and promote up-to-the-minute messages.

Temporary graphics offer almost unlimited creative potential. It’s possible to wrap whole buildings, inside and out, with colourful designs and branded messages. Walls, windows, doors, ceilings, elevators, stairs, floors, shelf edges, counters – you can advertise in 360º. However, with so many options to choose from, it’s possible to overwhelm customers.

Instead, choose your graphics carefully for the biggest impact. Focus on one or two parts of your space – for instance the windows or the walls – and refresh them regularly to engage with your market more effectively, and more long-term, than a flood of permanent graphics. Short-term graphics need to be applied quickly and, just as importantly, replaced quickly too. Drytac has a large selection of short-term graphic solutions that can be applied by hand with no specialist equipment – and no need to hire a professional installer – and can be removed cleanly without leaving adhesive residue. These products can also be layered over existing graphics, speeding up installation further.

Graphics media also need to withstand the duration of the promotion without fading, ripping or curling at the edges. In short, they shouldn’t attract attention for the wrong reasons. To meet these requirements, it’s important to use the right graphics media for each job. Using a product just because its sticks to brick or glass can result in problems down the line.

There are a lot of self-adhesive films and mounting adhesives on the market that have been designed for specific applications, such as window graphics. They will have been developed as an ideal blank canvas for vibrant prints, to be easy to install, to offer durability against everyday wear and tear, and to be simple and clean to remove without residue. For example, Drytac SpotOn vinyl films feature adhesive arranged in a unique dot pattern that assists air egress, removing bubbles upon application and easing removal. Drytac SpotOn White and Drytac SpotOn Clear monomeric PVC films perform brilliantly on window glass, showcasing promotional messages at their best, and can be repositioned and removed easily without leaving smears.

Similarly, Drytac ReTac Smooth 150 polymeric PVC film is coated with ReTac ultra removable and repositionable adhesive which makes it easy to get the installation of wall and window graphics just right. Alternatively, Drytac WindowTac is a clear, double-sided mounting adhesive with a unique embossed release liner, that allows printed temporary graphics to be easily installed onto glass, acrylic and other non-porous surfaces.

Drytac has also recently launched Protac Antimicrobial in the UK, a new laminating film that contains antimicrobial additives to protect graphics and surfaces against bacteria and fungus. These growth inhibitors are added to the film during the manufacturing process to ensure even distribution and durability throughout the life of the graphic, even after repeated cleaning. Protac Antimicrobial is suitable for graphics installed in hospitals, schools, restaurants and retail environments where hygienic is crucial.

Many graphics products are designed for multiple applications but check their suitability for your specific project before use, to ensure compatibility with the surface, environment temperature, cleaning products and, importantly, required levels of safety. On flooring, only specialist floor graphics media should be used as these products have been rated for slip hazards, for example. In any public space it’s essential to use media that has a fire rating too. For outdoor applications in extreme temperatures, product ranges such as Drytac Polar may offer the extra durability you need. There may also be environmental guidelines to follow, so check how used graphics media can be recycled. For advice, get in touch with a Drytac expert.

Get your temporary graphics correct now to retain your customers into the future.

Authored By David Morgan, Technical Assistance, Drytac Europe

Floor graphics are an effective tool in many scenarios and are increasingly used to guide the public around a space safely. By reminding people to keep their distance, often acting as a visual barrier, floor graphics can play a key role in maintaining a safe but efficient flow of shoppers and other groups. However, if the intention is to protect people the last thing anyone wants is to create an injury risk.

To ensure floor graphics are appropriate for their setting, invest in the right product. When public safety is a priority, it’s not enough to use any self-adhesive graphics media that sticks to the floor – only a product designed specifically for this application should be used. This, partly, is because it will have been tested and rated for its slip resistance.

The test standards used to measure slip resistance vary across different geographical regions and even within the same country. In the USA, ANSI/NFSI B101.3 is commonly referenced but you will also see ASTM E303 and ANSI A137.1 /A326.3. In Europe, look for EN 13036-4 or DIN 51130. AS HB198:2014 and AS/NZS 4586 are used in Australia and New Zealand. Comparison between the standards is difficult as each will either differ slightly in test method or by using completely different instruments, but all are essentially measuring the same thing: floor friction.

The tables below go into further detail and give some guidance on the recommended rating required for the intended environment. For example, with DIN 51130, slip resistance is measured with R ratings: an R9-rated product is only suitable for dry indoor areas such as offices; R10 would be suitable for areas that are kept mostly dry but have potential for spillages such as supermarket aisles, hospital corridors and warehouses; while R11 can be used in areas that can get wet like external walkways, bathrooms or serving areas. It is important to carefully consider all the conditions a floor graphic will be subjected to – and not just wet or dry situations. Contaminates like oil will affect floor friction more so than water, floors at a gradient are also different to level floors, and the amount or type of traffic endured by the graphic will impact the durability.

Fire ratings are also applicable to floor graphics. Ensure all products used in a public space have achieved a sufficient fire safety certification. The manufacturer or supplier of your selected floor graphics product will be able to tell you both the slip rating and fire rating – and to help you choose the right media for your specific environment.

Another reason for choosing a specialist floor graphics media is to avoid a trip hazard. These products will have been developed to adhere securely to most typical floor surfaces – but, again, check your intended setting – without tearing or curling at the edges. They may have been engineered to withstand heavy foot traffic, high-heeled shoes and machinery without being damaged.

It’s important to keep floor graphics clean, and crucial if they display safety or directional information. Even with a specifically designed product, special care should be taken to minimise the adhesive’s exposure to water and cleaning products as these can degrade the bond to the floor and create a tripping hazard. You can minimise the risk of lifting by edge-sealing the graphic upon application.

The print itself should withstand cleaning chemicals too – as well as potential fading from UV light – so check that the product is compatible with both your cleaning solutions and the ink technology used to print it. Most specialist floor graphics films are designed for vibrant, long-lasting results with all major digital printing technologies.

Safety is paramount. If you have any questions or concerns, contact your product manufacturer or supplier for expert advice.

Click here for a pdf of the above!

Authored By David Morgan, Technical Assistance, Drytac Europe

For anyone giving their site a deep clean, or simply sprucing things up during downtime, it’s important that disinfectant chemicals don’t cause damage to signage and displays. Museums, photo studios, retailers, schools and many more sites will have a range of graphics materials installed that will need to remain safely intact and in a good visual condition after cleaning.

Wall murals, decals, floor graphics, window displays and signage may all need cleaning, but how to approach this will depend on the graphics material, especially that of its overlaminate product. An overlaminate is used to enhance graphics but is also essential to protect an underlying image or surface from damage caused by UV exposure, scratches, graffiti and indeed cleaning chemicals.

Drytac’s range includes several types of overlaminating films, all of which will withstand cleaning with everyday commercially available cleaning agents and disinfectants, but for more intense cleaning it’s important to check the film’s chemical resistance. The majority of customers will be using a PVC, polyester or polypropylene film – all of which have different levels of chemical resistance.

PVC has good resistance to aliphatic alcohols such as isopropanol, a widely used disinfectant within pharmaceutics and hospitals and dilute acids/bases found in common cleaners like bleach. However, organic solvents such as ketones (for example acetone), aromatics like toluene, and esters should be avoided as they will damage the PVC material.

Polypropylene (PP) has a similar resistance to that of PVC and is also durable against esters. PET can withstand cleaning with all of the above, including organic solvents.

Regardless of your type of film, ensure that you wash your graphic with a soft non-abrasive wipe to avoid surface damage and scratches. Even the toughest overlaminate will suffer from attention with a rough brush. Be sure to take care with exposed edges; chemicals and liquids can detrimentally affect adhesives if given the opportunity to ingress. This is especially crucial on floor graphics, as reduced adhesion could result in a tripping hazard – and of course these are the graphics likely to be cleaned more often.

As always, Drytac can answer any questions you have about applying and maintaining your graphics for a safe and effective project – just get in touch.