That's a (Building) Wrap

You know those building wraps, where a massive promotional campaign is printed digitally and installed on the outside of buildings? Maybe you already know how these giants are produced, but I didn't, so I interviewed Judd Morgan of USA Image in Louisville, KY, to answer basic questions about this specialty.

USA Image specializes in grand format printing. Their web site is www.usaimage.com.

MD: I understand your focus is - and has always been - grand format printing. Can you define grand format?

JM: In the digital printing market for signage, any printer 98" or more in width would be considered "Grand." Widths less than 98" would be considered "Wide" format. Once a printer is 98" or more, it is subject to all other sorts of buzzwords that are popular at any one time. Perhaps you have heard terms like Extra wide, Ultra wide, or Super wide. (All are very large with a maximum width of 16'4".)

We at USA Image are optimized to run consistently huge jobs with no problems, but we absolutely run pieces at smaller sizes based on our clients' demand. It is not uncommon to have a client order of 24" x 48" banners along with orders for 24' x 48' banners, boards, wraps, etc.

MD: What are the main steps in producing a building wrap?

JM: After receiving the client's file, our prepress department proceeds with crucial elements of final color adjustments and file corrections. File corrections could be layout related (almost always the case with vehicle wraps) to optimize best use of space, or to fix visual effects that won't translate well to the overall size of the finished product.

The job will then be proofed to the client for final tweaks and approval. The whole process from approval to finish is usually 3-5 days. Once approval is received, the job is scheduled to run on one of our grand format printers.

The printed material is trimmed and test fit before welding on an RF Seamer. Then the material is welded together by finishing department technicians using various reinforcement materials (mesh tape, weldable nylon webbing, etc.).

MD: Does the designer need to use any special software? How about special prepress requirements?

JM: No proprietary software is necessary. We accept designs in industry standard software like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Quark, Freehand, etc. Designs are created at scale and expanded to print size at the RIP stage.

Other than that, we have "preferred" prepress requirements on our web site to give clients an easy point of reference.

MD: What equipment do you use for producing a building wrap?

JM: It's a multi-faceted operation, so this list gets a bit long. Files are prepped on Mac computers and ripped to the printers. We use two 5300 Vutek CMYK printers (16'4"), one Vutek 3300 (10'), and one Mutoh toucan for vehicle graphics. In the next few months we will be supplementing with two Vutek 5330's (6'4" 8-color).

Once printed, the materials are measured, hand trimmed and test fitted. Panels are then welded using an Fiab RF Welder (RF=Radio Frequency). Other large banners and billboards may be welded using a Leister hot air seamer. Edges and seams of building wrap are reinforced with poly webbing and appropriate installation hardware is installed, such as grommets and D-rings.

MD: Are there certain types of substrates that you use?

JM: We always spec an open weave vinyl poly mesh for building wraps. The benefits of the product are huge:

• It is wind resistant, due to open design, and does not trap water.

• It reduces load on the building surface (weight comparison of mesh vs. solid vinyl).

• Weight reduction is also important to the installation crew.

• Placing the wrap directly over windows will still allow occupants to see outside.

MD: How big can you print before you have to print a job in sections?

JM: 16' 4"

MD: How do you proof such a huge job?

JM: We have multiple options, such as a jpeg proof, hard copy proof, and some clients may require a cross section sample of the wrap at output size.

MD: What potential issues should a client be aware of when considering a building wrap?

JM: Site selection, securing of permits, and consultation with a competent installer. The age, condition, and building material type (stucco, brick, metal) are factors to consider, as they will change the installation requirements. The height of the installation may require a crane, or city permits to close roads, etc. Extra steps in the planning phase will pay off with a smooth overall project.

MD: What's the coolest building wrap you've ever produced? And can you tell us about a job that was particularly challenging for you?

JM: The coolest would be a Maker's Mark building wrap from a few years ago. I've always enjoyed the short and sweet ad message of a Maker's Mark ad campaign, and their colors seem to complement any surrounding well. This particular project was 15 stories tall and partially covered the building's windows.

Louisville's Hometown Heroes is a collection of sepia tone building wraps that have been fantastic as well. Because this is in the Louisville market, we get to enjoy these projects daily, along with the rest of the public. Here's a little background: 11 famous Louisvillians have been proposed for building wraps on local buildings. The series includes figures such as Muhammad Ali, KFC founder Harland Sanders, and Diane Sawyer.

As far as challenging projects go, every building wrap has a unique and new set of challenges. They are easily overcome with a skilled and competent workforce. Creative finishing solutions must be used when wrapping abnormally shaped objects such as round poles, domes, etc.

Have a look at some of these massive masterpieces right here.

I'd like to thank Judd Morgan of USA Image for his interview with me on building wraps. You can contact Judd at 1-800-342-1690 and learn more about the firm at www.usaimage.com.