Museums, galleries, graphic and interior designers, sign and exhibition companies use vinyl lettering or rub down transfer sheets to apply crisp professional looking lettering and graphics to walls. Both come in a just about any color imaginable and can be created either from standard fonts and symbols or from custom artwork. Rub down transfers are best suited to smaller type like that used for exhibition labels whereas vinyl works better for larger display letters, words or phrases. Both are easy to apply and remove.
Instructions
Choose Content and Measure the Wall Surface
1. Decide what letters, words or phrases are to be applied to the wall or walls and in what colors and sizes. Try to keep the content simple and avoid the temptation to include more than can be processed visually in a couple of seconds.
2. Measure the width and height of the surface areas where the letters or words will be applied.
3. Determine the curvature of arches by measuring from points along a horizontal line at the base to the top of the arch at right angles.
Produce and Apply Vinyl Lettering
4. Select an online vinyl lettering supplier and use their included design tools to layout the letters, words or phrases to be applied. All have extensive color selections and font and symbol selections available. The layout utilities will make sure the lettering will fit in the space available.
5. Use a graphics software program of choice to create custom layouts if the online design tools are not adequate or if needs are specialized. Check with the supplier first to get specifications and guidelines for their vinyl cutting equipment. Most will prefer files with artwork and type outlined because it will adapt best to the cutting equipment software.
6. Draw reference lines lightly in pencil on the wall. Vinyl will come in strips with the desired lettering perforated into them. Apply the vinyl to the wall by removing the sheet covering the adhesive side and carefully placing it to the surface. Adjust and then burnish securely to the wall. Remove the protective layer from the vinyl surface and Use a craft knife to carefully peel the excess material from around the letters or words. Burnish down any edges that pull up.
Produce and Rub Down Transfer Sheets
7. Create your own artwork for rub-down transfers. They are made in similar fashion to printing plates through a process where a colored coating on a thin plastic carrier is exposed to light and then rinsed chemically so only the desired image remains. Transfer sheets can be very detailed, making them ideal for exhibition and other labels. If image components are too small, however, they will not transfer well to walls because of surface imperfections.
8. Remove the protective sheet covering the sticky adhesive side of the rub down transfer and tape the transfer securely to the wall. Rub gently over the entire surface to pre-release the lettering from the carrier. Go back over the plastic carrier with rounded burnishing tools and transfer the lettering completely to the wall making sure all of it releases completely from the carrier.
9. Remove the carrier and use the protective sheet that was on the adhesive side or a piece of layout paper to cover the entire surface and burnish again.
