Big Picture - January/February 2015 - (Page 10)

NEWS BIG PICTURE January/February 2015 Working with Wallcoverings Installers 10 Last September, the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers (NGPP), now the Wallcovering Installers Association (WIA, wallcoveringinstallers.org), held its National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. As more and more projects bring printers and installers together, more attention is being paid to avoiding costly miscommunications between them. How can you as a print provider form a great working relationship with your wallcovering installer? The first step is to understand the challenges wallcovering craftsmen and women face in today's constantly evolving industry. As media changes, wall preparation products have and will continue to change. In their class "Digitally Printed Un-Pasted Installation," Phil Reinhard, Reinhard Wallcovering, Millville, New Jersey, and Cliff Hayes, Cliff Hayes Paperhanging Co., Beaver, Pennsylvania, noted terminology differences between digitally printed products and commercial wallcoverings. Printers' terms, like "bleed" and "overlap," may be unfamiliar to installers, so it's important to work together to avoid ambiguities in communication. The planning process may also prove unfamiliar and more work-intensive for the installer. To smooth things out in the beginning, first obtain substrate specification and installation instruction guide sheets with useful information about wall preparation, adhesive selection, wet expansion rate, etc., all of which can affect the placement of the image. Then, provide a panel map that will help the installer identify the printed panels and the progress of their installation. Finally, have the installer confirm measurements, panel sizes, and the overall fit of the image. The planning process should also take the workspace into consideration. Will other trades need access to the general area of installation? Will scaffolding or lifts be used, and what are the safety concerns? Don't forget to protect elements that cannot be removed from the work area. Reinhard also notes that porosity and wall integrity are important factors, remembering that double cutting will be done. The introduction of wall- and paint-sealing primers, like Gardz, Draw Tite, or Rx-35, is essential. The type of substrate will typically determine the degree of smoothness necessary on the wall surface, as well as adhesive selection. Generally speaking, a drier adhesive, like strippable clay, can achieve optimum adhesion. Note that some substrates need to soak for a long time in order to relax and expand; these might require a clear, non-staining premixed adhesive. - Jack Egan, owner, Egan Painting and Wallcovering; education committee chair, WIA http://www.wallcoveringinstallers.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Picture - January/February 2015

Big Picture - January/February 2015
Contents
Insight
Wide Angle
Upfront
Dynamic Signage
Inside Job
Focus
R+D
Explorer

Big Picture - January/February 2015