All About Large Format Print - Part 5: PVC Banners

Howdy! Welcome to the final section of our 5 part guide to Large Format Print. We're going to be looking at one of the most popular and well known printed sign: the humble PVC Banner. 

Let's see why it's stood the test of time so well...

What is a PVC Banner?

After reading our guide to Vinyl in part 1, you'll hopefully remember that PVC simply stands for Polyvinyl Chloride. PVC Banners are known as one of the most widely used marketing tools around, and with good reason too! But more on that shortly. 

The PVC you get in banners is different to that you get in the adhesive vinyl. This particular PVC is made as a weave which is what makes it so resilient and durable, giving it its rubbery feel that you'll no doubt be familiar with. 

The material quality of a PVC banner is measured in a term known as gsm or grammes per square metre. For example, a standard PVC banner might be 440gsm, but with a scratch resistant laminate it will make it 550gsm, the difference is quite noticeable in how it feels in your hands and the weight of it.

There are a few different types of materials to keep in mind too. Aside from the standard banner, you can get a mesh PVC banner that allows the wind to flow through it. Mesh banner have small holes throughout, which when you have ultra large banners stops the problem of your banner acting as a sail and catching the wind!

What are PVC Banners used for?

What aren't they used for would probably be an easier question to answer, such is the variation! The perfect solution for large signage on a budget, banners are widely used. A simple walk around most cities will give you an idea of the diversity and scale of PVC banners, whether it be promoting events, hanging banners, covering a building, seasonal advertising, the list goes on.

The beauty of PVC banners is that they can be used both indoors and outdoors. The thick, glossy material is both waterproof and tear-proof, so is resistant to most weather conditions. Any design can be printed on a banner in fantastic full-colour printing. 

They can be fixed or attached in a variety of ways. The most common is to have eyelets along the side of the banner, they can then be attached simply with cable ties of rope. Other methods include having horizontal or vertical sleeves, leaving a pocket. These make it super easy to slide the banner over a pole, for example when on scaffolding. 

Popular Uses for PVC Banners

What's the difference between Vinyl Banners and PVC Banners?

The age old question! We often get asked this by our customers, and the answer is really quite a simple one. Nothing! Vinyl Banners and PVC Banners are one and the same thing. Unfortunately, it's just the language people use, both are completely valid terms. 

As we know, PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride, which is what vinyl is. 

You might find on our website products called PVC banners or Vinyl banners, we use both to try and help our users find the product they're familiar with.

So that's the final instalment of our 5 part guide to large format print. We hope it was useful, and perhaps given you some ideas for you and your business with what can be done.

We love large format printing here at Creative, it's what we know best. If you have any questions or want to know what else can be done with printing, don't hesitate to ask us and we'll gladly help!

Other Instalments of All About Large Format Print

Part 1: Vinyl

Part 2: Correx

Part 3: Foamex

Part 4: Dibond