Experience with removable adhesive media?

[mshea]

Hi All,
I have a stitched landscape image that I want to print at approx. 3' X 10'. Framing cost would be prohibitive and not appropriate for the space. IT Supplies has a number of removable adhesive products that might fill the bill: Epson, Canon, HP, Photo-Tex, GF (General Formulations). I'm wondering which one would offer the best reproduction. Dan Wells mentioned a while ago that he was going to experiment with one of the HP products, but I guess he hasn't gotten around to it yet. Anyone out there who has played around with any/all of these?
Thanks,
Merrill

[Roscolo]

Photo-Tex Opaque is the best I've used.

[mearussi]

I've also used Photo-Tex with good results but you need smooth walls for it to stick properly. On the the textured walls so common today it may not stick very well. It does come in a more adhesive version but with the warning that it may peel the paint off your walls when you remove it.

Also because it is a woven plastic (of some sort) the image quality is not as good as a good canvas or paper, though applying a glossy overcoat on it does help. 

[mshea]

Thanks, guys! Fortunately, the walls are smooth.

[Dnx]

Hi Merrill

I've used Stickytex IJ701 from Colourbyte and it worked well for my application. I found leaving it stuck for a number of weeks on glass resulted in quite a strong adherence with a tendency to leave some of the adhesive behind when peeling off.

On a painted wall for about a week, only had one part peel away the paint, but that was because the paint was already compromised.

[Dan Wells]

Have played with Canon Adhesive Vinyl, and one other thing to note is that it is quite a bit less saturated than most paper media.

[Richard.Wills]

I use the Canon/Oce removable vinyl a fair amount, 95% of the time with a satin matt laminate. Applied to a smooth surface, it is great. I've profiled this to match my other photo papers, and it does a good job. With the laminate, it's easy to hang multiple drops. Unlaminated, it is relatively low saturation and fragile, so squeegee marks may show, and you have to do overlaps, rather than butt joints. It looks more photographic than PhotoTex when viewed close up. 

[azmike]

I'm currently using the HP fabric, and have used PhotoTex in the past.  Very pleased with the HP fabric; think it is a bit finer grain than the PhotoTex and holds images well.  Lots of fun to experiment with.  For example, putting a substantial drop shadow into a border that matches the color of the wall, makes the image stand out from the wall a bit.  Another image of spectacular petroglyphs on a fractured rock formation, I used the fracture in the image to be the "corner" as I mounted the fabric around the actual corner of intersecting walls.

Big panels benefit from having two people to do the "hanging."

Mike Coffey
Prescott Arizona

[mshea]

I've spoken with one of the pro labs here in Boston. They feel LexJet offers the best photo reproduction, with Photo-Tex coming in second. Looking at the LexJet website, it looks like TOUGHcoat may be the product they're referring to. Any thoughts on that?

[Richard.Wills]

That looks like a matt polyprop short term graphic display material, for instore signage. Polyprop materials can be great for inside of windows, and other dead flat surfaces, but not something I'd apply to a wall.