Choosing Sign Vinyl: A Buyer's Guide

Vinyl is a flexible, adhesive-backed film that goes onto windows, walls, vehicles and floors -- the material behind most of the signage and wraps you see day to day. Getting the right type for the job affects how long it lasts and how well it installs.

Monomeric -- for shorter runs

Monomeric vinyl has fewer additives, so it's less flexible and less durable than polymeric -- but that's not a downside if the job doesn't need either. It suits flat signage, stickers, temporary indoor displays and short-term promotional graphics, where cost matters more than lifespan. It's easy to install and suits anything you'll want to change again within a year or two.

Polymeric -- built for the long term

Polymeric vinyl is made with additives that give it more flexibility and durability, which makes it the better choice for anything that needs to last outdoors or wrap around a curved surface -- vehicle wraps, fleet graphics, and long-term outdoor signage. Our ColyerPure Polymeric range includes gloss and matte options and an air-free gloss vinyl with bubble-free release technology for a cleaner install.

PVC free

PVC free vinyl contains no chlorine or plasticisers and comes in matte or gloss finishes. It works indoors and outdoors, and it's the vinyl to specify where a customer wants a lower-impact material without giving up finish quality.

What to check before you choose

• Where it's going -- outdoor and curved surfaces call for polymeric; flat and indoor jobs can use monomeric.
• How long it needs to last -- polymeric for long-term installs, monomeric for short-term or temporary work.
• What you're printing on -- check the vinyl is approved for your printer and ink type before you commit to a run.

Our ColyerPure range is manufactured in Europe and approved for HP Latex and eco-solvent printing. Tell us about the job and we'll help you pick the right vinyl for it, or send over a sample first if you want to see it for yourself. Call 01483 596 200.