Applications
Stage graphics live hard lives. They are built quickly, lit intensely, handled nightly by crew and cast, then struck, stored or sent on tour. A clear liquid coating and the right printed materials help scenery, props and front-of-house graphics hold up through the run, and sometimes beyond it.
Theatre moves fast, and printed surfaces have to keep pace. Landor’s page on graphics for theatres and shows describes Phototex self-adhesive fabric being used for set designs, stages and venues because spaces can be transformed quickly. It can be removed and reused multiple times, is easy to apply and remove, and is suitable for most wall types.
Typical uses include room refreshes and covering damage in foyers and bars, seasonal events and promotions, temporary branding for hires, and temporary art installations. For a venue that changes its look with every production, that removability is as important as durability.
Scenic prints are often bigger than any laminating film width. Liquid lamination has no size limit when applied by hand: Landor notes that superwide prints can be coated at any size you can lay out on the floor or hang from a wall, using hand rollers, paint pads, brushes or spray. For production volumes, Landor supplies 1.6m and 3.3m liquid laminators as standard, with 5m machines available to special order.
When hand-coating large areas, work in a ventilated space, apply even, thin coats rather than one heavy coat, and keep the coating wet at the edges as you go to avoid lap marks. Landor’s ClearShield is described as highly flexible, but test a coated offcut with the folding or rolling your scenery will actually see.
Stage lighting will find any reflective surface. Landor’s matt coatings are designed to reduce reflection and glare while still protecting the print, which is often the safer choice for scenery seen from many angles. Gloss and satin enhance colour depth, which can suit props or foyer displays that are lit more softly.
Before committing, coat a sample panel and look at it under the actual rig and from the auditorium sightlines. A finish that looks right on the workbench can behave very differently under a followspot.
Sets combine many substrates. Landor’s water-based coatings can be used on wood, metal, plastic, fibreglass, vinyl, banners and water-resistant canvas, over solvent, eco-solvent, UV and latex inks. For small props or shapes that are awkward to roll, ClearJet aerosol spray is compatible with a similar range of materials and needs no clean-up.
Aerosols and solvent coatings need good ventilation, and Landor advises keeping them away from anyone with respiratory sensitivities, so spray away from rehearsal spaces. Water-based coatings are the gentler option inside a working building and clean up with soap and water.
Every get-in and get-out puts scenery at risk of scuffs. Make sure coatings are fully cured before pieces are stacked or rolled, as a coating can feel dry before it has reached its full resistance. Interleave flat pieces and protect edges in transit. Phototex graphics can be peeled off at the end of a run and, if stored on a non-porous roll, reapplied for a revival or transfer.
Front-of-house graphics deserve the same thought. Foyer walls, bar fronts and box office displays are touched by audiences every night and cleaned every morning. A satin or gloss coating copes best with that contact. If a venue changes its foyer branding with each season, removable Phototex with a protective coat lets the old scheme come down cleanly without redecorating. Keep a note of the coating and finish used on each piece so that touch-ups and replacements match.
Yes. Hand application with rollers, pads, brushes or spray has no size limit beyond the space you can lay the print out in.
Matt coatings reduce reflection and glare, which usually suits scenery. Always check a coated sample under the production’s own lighting.
Phototex graphics are designed to be removed and reapplied multiple times without residue. Coated rigid pieces can be reused if they are cured, packed and stored with care.
Call +44 1252 624411 or email info@liquid-lamination.co.uk for advice, samples and pricing.
