If walls could talk: Arlon Graphics

‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ William Morris.

After the birth of mass-production printing technology, wallpaper production in Britain had risen to almost nine million rolls by the mid-19th century. Victorian textile designer, writer and key influencer of the English Arts & Crafts movement, William Morris created intricate floral-patterned wallpaper, ground-breaking at the time and still instantly recognisable today. But by the time of the DIY revolution, at the end of the 20th century, wallpapering meant holding up heavy, soggy paper until, inevitably, it would rip and despairingly slide off the wall, and the product became increasingly unpopular.

Due to the fashionable feature wall and digital printing techniques, the industry has seen something of a revival over the last ten years, with artists and freelance designers flocking to provide more courageous patterns and unique designs for both private and commercial spaces.

Arlon Graphics are an international provider of print-graphics solutions, from vehicle wraps to promotional poster applications and signage. Thanks to modern adhesives and digital print technology Arlon are now joining the global trend for high-quality wallcoverings with a variety of products that add bold colours, patterns and imagery to both interiors and exteriors.

An Inside Job

In private residential spaces, the biggest advantage of vinyl wallcoverings over traditional wallpaper is its ease of application. Arlon’s DPF 4200 product boasts a thick profile with high opacity, so previously painted walls don’t need an undercoat. Pattern matching, possibly the biggest difficulty with pasted paper, is quick and simple with a specially designed adhesive for ‘repositionability’ – it can be nudged around a bit after first sticking, without affecting the ultimate bond performance. So no peeling or fading.

Outside the Box

DPF 4200 is especially suited to smooth-finished interior walls, but sometimes a wall isn’t pre-skimmed and super smooth. Sometimes it’s a little rougher, sometimes it’s outside and sometimes it’s not even a wall. That’s where Arlon’s 8200 series comes in. With the range of an opera singer, DPF 8200X’s High Tack adhesive applies to almost any flat surface, from smooth plastered walls to concrete, brick, plastic, metal, tile and even wooden surfaces, meaning it’s suitable for any location as well as any surface; indoors, outdoors, public or private spaces. The ‘X’ in the title stands for X-Scape, which is a technology that Arlon say minimises the potential for bubbles during application. Because there’s nothing more annoying than smoothing down a huge wall, then finding a tiny bubble hidden right in the centre.

A Touch of Glass

Another option in Arlon’s Architectural Range is Series 5400. The third snappy-named product is a silver-etched glass film, proving it’s not just walls getting a makeover for the new decade. The etched glass effect can add elegance and privacy without blocking out light. Combined with Arlon’s 5200 product, itself simulating an etched glass finish but with colour printed graphics, the range provides creative possibility to all flat surfaces.

Find Your Way

William Morris spoke about the importance of bringing beauty into the home, but it’s the more commercial projects that really come alive when this world of unique, large-scale, adhesive print graphics is unlocked.

In the world of wayfinding, strong, simple and identifiable environmental graphics are vital. Modern public spaces like hospitals, where simple wayfinding really is a matter of life and death, have colour-coded departments and signage. But finding these sometimes small or complex signs can be a common source of anxiety for already nervous patients and visitors. Meanwhile, the all-too-familiar ‘lost in a multi-storey’ story could be lost to history if all those dank, grey concrete walls were put to better use.

In the workplace

Allocating specific images, themes or locations to individual floors, departments, meeting rooms or task areas can create a simpler, more relaxing and coherent space for better interior architecture and a more confident workforce. While as interior branding becomes a more prevalent part of creating a clear and consistent brand, wallcoverings help to reinforce a company’s culture to both visiting clients and energised employees alike.

With so many unfilled and unfulfilled surfaces, the world is a canvas. Why leave it blank?

© Architonic