Winter is Coming: How Should You Prepare for Cold Weather Installations

With the chill of winter now very much in the air, the minds of print service providers, sign-makers, and specialist installers begin to turn to how they are going to cope with installing graphics in cold conditions.

While keeping themselves warm in often-sub-zero temperatures is one thing, ensuring that graphics are installed properly and do not fail is a different matter altogether. After all, the last thing you want is a graphic installation failure that could have been avoided with proper research.

Traditionally, pressure-sensitive print media has a minimum application temperature of 5˚C (41˚F), which in cooler climates only allows for graphic installation for half of the year. When choosing a print media, it is important to select one that has an application temperature to match your climate.

Drytac has several solutions that are cold weather install rated down to as cold as -20˚C (-4˚F). In fact, the aptly named Polar range features products that are all designed with low temperatures in mind, from installation, throughout the life of the graphic, to its removal.

The Drytac Polar range comprises a full selection of media for almost any graphics project need, including:

• Polar Grip
• Polar Premium Removable (North America)
• Polar Premium Clear
• Polar Premium Air
• Polar Dynamic Clear R
• Polar Blockout
• Polar Street FX
• Polar Smooth 150
• Polar Smooth 150 Air
• Polar Transit
• Polar Transit Air

Polar Transit, for example, is often used for NHL rink board advertising across the US and Canada, demonstrating its durability in low temperatures during action-packed ice hockey games, just as much as for bus graphic applications.

The entire Polar range is extremely versatile; Polar Smooth 150, Polar Smooth 150 Air, and Polar Grip also fit the bill for the lifespan required and ease of application for rink boards, as well as multiple other cold weather applications.

Then there is the Drytac Air range of products – Polar Premium Air, Polar Smooth 150 Air, and Polar Transit Air – all of which have an air egress release liner with bubble-free technology, allowing for easy-to-apply graphics without the need for wet installation. This is absolutely key in cold weather environments as it eliminates the need for messy or frozen wet graphic installations, making the whole process much easier for installers.

Crucial to the success of a cold weather application project is selecting the perfect combination of film, laminate (if necessary), and adhesive. If you’ve got any queries, Drytac’s knowledgeable experts are able to advise which products will best suit the application you are working on.