Cover-up idea came from kids' bedrooms

Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 09:00

FED up with tatty and dispiriting interior walls? Why not stick up a poster to cover the mess?

Or avoid damaging your pristine wallpaper with posters which can be peeled off, moved and re-used without leaving tears, pinholes or glue marks?

That's the sales hook of Burton Joyce-based Peelable Posters, which reckons its products, claimed to be waterproof, will transform any office or domestic interior.

Working with a local printer, web designer and a digital print expert, the company has come up with a self-adhesive poster which it believes will stick to virtually any surface.

"And it can be removed and re-used without damaging the wall in any way," said director Trevor Lane, whose business is a finalist in the Evening Post's Browne Jacobson-sponsored Business Innovation Award.

With a background mainly in sales, it was being a dad that gave him the idea for his business.

"I became fed up with decorating children's bedrooms, only to find the walls filling up immediately afterwards with pinned and glued-up posters.

"There had to be a way of putting posters up without damaging the wall, and I set out to find it, despite my lack of knowledge of printing, and that the banks would be unwilling to back an unproven idea in the current environment.

"The product had to be unique and exciting, re-usable, and better than more traditional ones."

He spent almost nine months finding a suitable base material, and trawling dozens of printers before finding one – Prime Group Ltd – willing to risk involvement.

Trials took place before the first sales to Derby and Nottingham Chamber of Commerce. Inquiries are now flooding in from councils, sports clubs and industry.

Soon to come launches will feature A3 posters, giant versions capable of filling huge areas of wall space and bespoke temporary signs – with consumer products such as height charts to follow.

Other Peelable advantages include the fact that small print run orders can be done digitally to cut costs, while larger runs can be produced on lithograph presses.

Will the Peelable Poster damage the wall or surface?

If you follow the product guidelines and instructions your wall should not be damaged. As a quick guide the key criteria is that all painted walls must be primed or undercoated; if applying to wallpaper; plaster or plasterboard you should not place your Peelable Poster over tears or cracks or flaky areas.

Will the Peelable Poster stick to any surface?

Peelable Posters sticks best to flat, non porous surfaces such as plaster walls; painted walls; glass; wood; tiles etc. The surface must be clean and dust, grease and dirt free. Make sure you clean and dry the surface it is to be applied to first. They do not stick as well when applied to porous surfaces such as brick; breeze block or concrete; this is because there is not complete adhesion across the whole surface and air gaps appear. We do not recommend their use on porous surfaces.

Do I have to prepare the surface first?

All you have to do is to make sure the surface is clean and dry; it must be dry; dust; dirt and grease free.

Why doesn’t the Peelable Poster damage the surface?

Peelable Posters use a special patented low tack self adhesive which is designed to stick to the surface without leaving any marks or residue.

When I remove the Peelable Poster won’t it leave a mark?

No, not if you have followed our instructions/guidelines. Remove your Peelable Poster by peeling it from one corner slowly and carefully and it won’t leave any marks or residue.

Can I remove and re-use my Peelable Poster?

Yes. However make sure you keep the sticky surface of the Peelable Poster clean, dry, dust and dirt free. If the sticky surface becomes dirty or wet it will reduce its ability to be re-stuck to a surface.

How many times can I re-use my Peelable Poster?

This really depends on how clean you keep the sticky surface of the Peelable Poster. If you keep it clean (and each surface the Peelable Poster is applied to is clean) you should be able to use and re-use your Peelable Poster at least 6 times.

Can I use and then re-store my Peelable Poster?

Yes, but you must keep the backing paper it came on. Store the backing paper in a clean and dry environment; then when you want to store your used Peelable Poster simply re-apply it to the “shiny” surface of the backing paper. Then put it somewhere safe (clean and dry as usual) ready for another day.

Do I need to keep the backing paper?

Yes, if you think you want to store your Peelable Poster once you’ve used it. See the answer to “Can I use and then re-store my Peelable Poster”?

What is a “Wall Transformer”?

This is the name given to one of our products that fills or nearly fills a whole wall. In other words it “transforms the wall” from something plain to something different and exciting.

How do I apply a “Wall Transformer”?

Follow these links to our written instructions.

How do I apply a Peelable Poster to the wall?

Follow these links to our written instructions.

How do I remove the Peelable Poster from the wall?

Follow these links to our written instructions.

Won’t the Wall Transformer tear when I put it up?

As Peelable Posters are made from a Polyester blend fabric and not traditional paper it is much harder to tear and more durable than normal paper. The great thing about it is that if you position it incorrectly you can just peel it off and place it again.

What tools do I need to put up a Wall Transformer?

As they are Peelable, Wall Transformers are much easier to put up than wallpaper. However it is still best to be prepared. We recommend you have a pasting brush (for pushing out air pockets); seam roller (for the joins); craft knife or sharp scissors (to trim excess); and a tapping knife if you are going edge to edge on a wall (to push the Wall Transformer into corners/edges). Also if your Peelable Poster is over 2.0m high (exact height depends on your size) we recommend the use of ladders (make sure you use them safely and follow the manufacturer’s instructions). See our video for a demonstration: video link.

I entered my wall size when I purchased a Wall Transformer. Will it be a perfect fit to the wall?

We often find that walls are rarely straight or the exact measurement noted. So even if they are a couple of millimetres out this will affect the Wall Transformer fit and some trimming may be required.

Will I need help to put up my Peelable Poster?

This depends on size. If you are purchasing or have purchased a Wall Transformer we would recommend getting an assistant. This should speed up and make it easier to install the Wall Transformer (assuming you can work together!). For more standard size posters as long as you follow the instructions (written instructions or video guide) you should have your Peelable Poster up in no time at all.

What do I do if my Peelable Posters folds over and sticks to itself?

Lay your Peelable Poster face down (printed side down) on a flat surface and simply pull apart the areas that are stuck together. You may need someone to help you if your Peelable Poster is large.

Can I print Peelable Posters at home?

Yes. You will need to buy our “A4 Blanks” that come in packs of 5 (the Trial Pack) or 25 (the Business Pack). Please note that they can only be used in inkjet printers.

Can I put my Peelable Poster up outside?

The same rules apply re fixing to a dry, flat, clean and dirt free surface. However, unless you have specifically requested that we use UV inks your Peelable Poster will fade in sunlight (no matter what time of year). Please contact us for a separate quote if you want to use your Peelable Poster outside.

I want to put my Peelable Poster up in my children’s bedroom. Is this ok?

As with any poster they should not be put up over beds or cots. As they are Peelable they can be pulled off when an adult is not present and could be a potential hazard.

Are they fireproof?

Peelable Posters have similar combustibility (will catch fire) as paper. Therefore they should not be put near naked flames; fires or hot surfaces.