I have much experience. Spent quite a lot of time working for a sign shop in highschool.

PS. Its spelled Vinyl.

And I have a close friend that owns another sign company/chain, if you need a recomendation.

Vinyl is definitely the least expensive option but, unless it's a very, very, smooth surface (brushed metal/marble or polished stone,) it won't work. It will peel off pretty soon.

Some stores sell indoor vinyl accessories that are supposed to last longer but, I would go with the vinyl to create a template for painting over the wall. It will look better and will last longer...

Vynil, vinyl, it's all the same! ;-P

Actually it's for my new appartment I will be taking over in July (got lots of plans for that). So it's all standard painted walls. Can it be taken off and reused?

Kyle, where's the company? I saw in your profile you're in Arizona. I'm up in Montreal so it would probably make things expensive for nothing.

My vinyl-cutting experience is from years ago, but:

>Can it be taken off and reused?

Nope. Not unless the substrates have changed quite a lot in the past 8-10 years.

>it would probably make things expensive for nothing.

My guess is that the only 'added' expense would be shipping (minimal in my experience). Although make-ready and operation rates would probably be cheaper - as far as currecy conversion goes - in or around Montreal.

That said, I don't know anyone who does C&C vinyl cutting in Montreal. Perhaps in Winnipeg, but I don't know if that would save you very much in the end...

As an alternative, perhaps you could paint the walls with a magnetic paint (contains ground iron, I believe) (available at Ikea although that could be wrong), cover it with paint that you like the look of (the magnetic paint is dark grey) and produce letters with something like this
link
rather like the fridge magnet poetry. One good party and your walls are covered with obscenity.
Tim

Emilie -

As mentioned, the vinyl cannot be removed with success but
it does however stick to many surfaces. I'm guessing you'll
be sticking it to plaster or sheetrock walls - which it will do
with ease. In fact, we used to have it on the walls of our
old apartment. White on white walls can look nice.

We used Fast Signs. Basically the Kinkos of vinyl. There are two
main grades - normal and heavy duty. The heavy duty will
work outdoors and they claim it even sticks to cement.
I wouldn't suggest that, but the museum I used to work for
has had the same vinyl on sheetrock walls for years.

Usually you can just send an Illustrator eps of your artwork.
Be mindful of the sizes the shop has as it can dramatically alter the price.

There are many grades and suppliers of vinyl for signage.
There are removable or low tack vinyl and vinyl that that is extremely permanent that it is used for identification on jet airliners.
I would suggest that you talk to a number of sign companies that specialize in vinyl cut signage about the cost and your application use.

Depending on the amount of copy an alternate would be to print out the copy on your printer and use that as a template for cutting or tracing to the walls. You can purchase low tack vinyl from office supply stores that can be pre cut by you and affixed to the wall as a template for painting the copy.

gln

If painting, and using vinyl as a stencil, make sure there is NO texture to the wall, otherwise it will bleed quite easy.

I love the way a handcut cardboard stencil looks when not completely perfectly sprayed/painted (bleeds, overspray and/or underspray.)
And that's probably the cheapest way to apply type to your walls without being really good at
drawing ...
You can also cut a stencil in an overhead transparency and apply removable spray adhessive on the back. Stick that on the wall and you will be more likely to get a clean result.

magnus