Photo Stick Self Adhesive Wall Decal
Details
Photo Stick is a removable adhesive fabric with a smooth, low gloss finish that can be mounted to any flat surface and re-positioned countless times while still retaining its adhesion without leaving a residue. It is water-resistant, doesn't tear or wrinkle, and is 99% opaque, so it's a great material for making removable wall graphics, wall decals, custom wall murals, borders, and more. Available in widths up to 60".
Approx. longevity of up to 2 years outdoors or 20 years indoors.
Favorite Features
The adhesive is aggressive enought to stick well, even to some uneven surfaces, but as long as the adhesive is kept clean, it can be reapplied as often as necessary. Since it's a fabric, it's much more tear resistant than vinyl, which makes it great for die cut decals with delicate shapes that can tear when removed with normal vinyls. It's eco-friendly.
Drawbacks
It's not easy to remove large wall murals and reuse them because the panels tend to be so large that it's difficult to remove them and replace the release liner on the adhesive without getting it dirty or having it fold over on itself. It's a fabric so it can't be laminated, although laminates are not usually needed for most wall graphics, but it would be for countertop use. Like all self adhesive products, when applying to painted surfaces, if the paint does not have good adhesion to the wall, it can pull the paint off when removed. Not only does this make repainting necessary, but also prevents the decal from being reused, so it's best to test walls before applying the material.
Best Applications
Wall murals and wall graphics that are easy to apply and remove, and are reusable if handled properly. Short-term countertop graphics.
Additional Information
Is a Featured Product | No |
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Is Product Tiled? | Yes |
Price | $9.00 |
Free Ground Shipping | No |
Image Gallery
The images below are links to collection of images available from iStock.com that we have selected in the various themes. There are far more images available than just these examples, but this is a good start in finding an image for your wall mural. If you don't see what you're looking for, contact us and we can help you locate the perfect image.
Ocean, beach and coastal scenes | |
Landscapes | |
Cityscapes | |
Sunrises and Sunsets | |
Animals and Wildlife | |
Waterfalls | |
Landmarks and Travel | |
Desert Images | |
Golf Courses |
Installation Instructions
Removable self adhesive products will adhere to most clean, smooth surfaces. Desired results have been achieved on a variety of surfaces including but not limited to drywall, wood paneling, glass, metal, and composite board constructions. These products may not adhere properly to textured surfaces such as textured paints, textured wallpaper, cinder block or brick, outdoor walls, or any surface that is jagged or rough, so testing is required before installing on those surfaces. For best results we recommend dry wall that has been primed and painted (a white semi-gloss paint will promote the best adhesion and ease of removal). Please follow primer or paint instructions for application and optimal curing time prior to installing media. Painted walls that have not been primed are more likely to have the paint removed with the graphic. Testing of the paint adhesion is recommend prior to installation if this is a concern.
Acclimation
Prior to install, the panels should be rolled out flat and allowed to relax and reach room temperature. Recommended room acclimation time is 2 hours.
Surface Preparation
Make sure the surface is clean, smooth, dry, undamaged, free of mold, mildew, grease or stains, and structurally intact. If moisture is present, immediately identify and eliminate the source(s) of the moisture and verify that all wall surfaces are completely dry before proceeding. Any mold or mildew MUST be removed from walls and hanging surfaces prior to installation. Use a warm damp cloth to wipe off any dirt or dust and allow the surface to completely dry prior to installation. Do not use any chemicals to clean the intended surface. These products have been tested on many surfaces and should stick aggressively. They can be repositioned and re-applied as long as the adhesive surface has not been contaminated with dirt, dust, finger prints, etc. Drywall surfaces should be prepared with primer and paint, for best results we recommend a semi-gloss paint. If newly painted allow to dry for 30 days prior to installation.
Installation
Determine the starting point for the graphic. Small images could start from the right or left side, but we recommend larger graphics begin by installing the center panel first. Note: Use care to make sure the panels will cover full height and width of the project area. Some floors and ceilings are not square, so make sure the graphic covers the widest or tallest areas for the project.
Create a plum line on the wall with a pencil to create an edge guide for each panel.
For ease of handling, roll the first panel into a tight roll with printed image rolled inside. Now unroll 6" and peel back the liner paper 6". Cut away the unrolled portion of lining paper to expose the adhesive backing. Using the plum line, carefully align the top of your panel so that it is square from side to side, and the edge matches with your plumb line. Now the 6" that was exposed can be stuck against the wall surface.
With the top of the panel properly adhered to the wall, slowly peel the next foot or so of backing. Try to expose only a few feet of adhesive at a time to prevent unwanted sticking of the lower parts of your graphic. Work you way down the panel using a felt wrapped squeegee to carefully smooth the material onto the wall. We recommend using slow and even pressured side to side strokes, starting from the middle of the panel and moving outward to the sides. Once a few feet of material has been stuck to the wall, it should be possible to allow the remaining portion of the panel to drop to the floor. Now you can simply continue the procedure to easily progress down the wall.
When the entire panel has been positioned properly and smoothed, be sure to press down on the perimeter edge of each individual panel to assure good adhesion at the seams and edges. Any bubbles under the material should come out during the smoothing process. If necessary you can lift the material to release stubborn bubbles or large wrinkles.
Install remaining panels using the same method as above. Panel seams should overlap 1/2" using care to make sure of proper graphic alignment during installation. After all panels are installed, trim perimeter "bleed" around all edges using a sharp utility knife.
Removal should be as simple as pulling down from one corner. These products were designed to cleanly and easily be removed in complete panels. If the wall surface was prepared properly there will be no damage to drywall.
Maintenance
Ordinary dirt and smudges can be removed with a mild soap and warm water. Clean from bottom of wall upward. Rinse thoroughly with clean water from the top down using a sponge. Dry wallcovering with a soft lint free cloth or towel. For more difficult stains that are only surface deep, the use of a stronger detergent is recommended. Always test an inconspicuous area with the stronger detergent to be sure that the surface and ink are not damaged. DO NOT USE steel wool or powdered abrasive because they can damage the image and textured surface. DO NOT USE solvents, alcohol, pine oil, or cleaners that contain these kinds of products as they can remove the image and damage the textured surface. When cleaning, always take measures to prevent water from dripping behind molding.
FAQ
How wide will each panel of my wall mural be?
Generally we make each panel of a larger wall mural 48 inches wide. If the dimensions of your mural are such that narrower panels are necessary to divide it into equal sections, we may make the panels narrower. For example, if a mural were 80" wide, we might split the mural into two 40" panels, rather than one 48" and one 32" panel. For wallpaper and textured vinyl wallcoverings that require wallpaper paste for installation, we leave a 1"-2" overlap between panels to make alignment and trimming easier. For self adhesive products, we leave a 1/2" overlap since those materials require you leave the overlap between panels rather than double cut and butting the seams.
For smaller murals or graphics, we try to keep the image in one piece if possible.
Should I install my wall mural, or should I hire someone else to do it?
Photo Stick is very easy to work with and is very forgiving of mistakes, since it can be removed and reapplied if necessary. For this reason, it should be safe to install yourself without much fear of damaging the mural. Of course, professional installation is always an option. If you hire a wallpaper installer, be sure to let them know this material is self adhesive, as that requires a different installation technique than wallpaper murals that install with paste.