What exactly is vinyl?
Vinyl is a plastic film with a self-adhesive backing. It comes in a roll, like wallpaper. It also comes in a fantastic range of colours and finishes: gloss, matt, transparent, metallic and so on. You can use it to add graphic designs, words and colour to virtually any smooth surface you like, indoors and outdoors: from walls, windows, cupboard doors and shop fronts to the exteriors of cars and trains. It is normally 1220mm or 610mm wide and 30 metres long and the colours are very thin, like paint and we cut it to suit.

How long does vinyl last?
Most vinyls and the glue on their backing have a life of at least 3-5 years when used outdoors. Indoors they can last much longer than that. They’re tested by their manufacturers to extremes of temperature – everything from Sahara heat to Arctic cold – and to extreme weather conditions. On a car or van, they can be tough enough to go through car washes. On a boat, they can survive salt water and storms.

How do I look after vinyl?
Your vinyl will last even longer if you treat it nicely and keep it clean. If it’s on a wall or a window inside, dust it off now and again with a dusting stick. If it’s outside, wipe it gently with a damp cloth to keep it spruced up. And if it’s on the outside of a window, it’s strong enough to survive regular cleaning by your window cleaner as long as they take a little extra care with their squeegee. It’s best to use pure water, rather than any cleaning products.

How do you produce vinyl graphics?
There are two main ways. Firstly, we can cut your graphics out of vinyl using a tiny blade on a computer-based plotting machine. Secondly, we can print your graphics onto vinyl using an inkjet printing machine. The inks we use for this are latex-based, very eco-friendly and designed for long life.

'Cut' vinyl graphics are literally cut out of the film with a blade and if you are cutting say blue, the colour blue is the same on the reverse of the film, which is ideal if you are cutting lettering back to front to put on the inside of glass. The adhesive is very transparent and can't be seen when applied to the reverse of glass.

'Printed' vinyl graphics are mainly printed onto white vinyl or clear vinyl films on our very large inkjet printers. You are not confined to single colours but as many as you like and the printed colours and quality are amazing - as long as your image is sharp you get a really good long lasting result.

What is lamination?
We generally add lamination to all the vinyl graphics we produce to give them extra protection. It’s a clear film, with a matt, satin or gloss finish, that goes on top of the vinyl to keep the colours fresh, protect against fading by sunlight and stop dust and dirt getting ingrained in the surface.

How do I avoid air bubbles under my vinyl?
If you do get an air bubble under the film, it may be because you’ve lowered your vinyl onto the surface of your wall or window too quickly, before you’ve ‘pushed' the air out evenly in front of it. You can deal with a bubble by gently pricking it at an edge using a pin and squeezing the air out with your finger. Sooner or later these bubbles settle down and disappear, depending on the vinyl used.

What file formats do you accept?
If we’re cutting out vinyl lettering or logos for you, we ideally need an Adobe Illustrator.eps file from you, with all fonts and strokes converted to outline and making sure that no paths cross each other.

If we’re printing graphics, photos or words onto vinyl, please send us an illustrator.EPS file with inked CMYK images saved at 150 DPI or a TIFF file. And if you want your printed graphics, photos or words cut out as well, then we’ll also need a ‘cutting file’ on a separate layer. Remember to include any essential ‘bleeds’ on your image too.

How long will my order take?
We can produce most simple orders within 2 working days and get them into the post for you shortly after. We may need more time if your order is more complicated in detail or a special size. We’ll let you know about timescales when you ask for a quote or place your order.

Do you keep my artwork on file for another time?
We will archive your file for at least 3 years from the date of your order, but sometimes for longer, so please don’t hesitate to check with us.

Do you charge for postage and packing?
Yes, we do. We’ll agree the best delivery method and the cost with you when you place your order. We generally use Royal Mail for reliability for our standard deliveries. If you need your order urgently, we can arrange a courier. Or you’re welcome to collect your order in person from our studio in Shoreditch, East London. We’re a few minutes’ walk from Old Street Tube Station and Liverpool Street mainline station.

What payment options do you offer?
You can pay for your order by credit or debit card if you’re placing orders by phone or in person. If you visit our studio, we can also accept cash and cheques. If you’re placing regular or large orders, you can also open an account with us and pay on invoice, subject to credit checks.