Fire rating, cleaning and floor wear come up on almost every commercial job, and every project is different. This page covers what to ask, how to plan around your spec and who to call. If your project depends on one of these, call the team at 910-632-0320 before you specify it or quote it.
The Wall Printer® assembles, tests and supports direct-to-surface UV printer packages for walls, floors, glass, metal, wood and panels in Wilmington, NC.
What is documented
The ink. UV-curable ink that cures as it prints. The surface is finished when the head reaches the end of the pass.
Safety data sheets. There’s an SDS for every ink. Ask and we’ll send it.
Outdoor print life. Outdoors, ask the team whether a clear coat makes sense for your surface and exposure. The recommendation comes from the ink manufacturer’s guidance and what we’ve seen in the field.
Removal. On a painted surface, a print is removed by painting over it.
The machines. 10 to 20 sq ft an hour, up to 11 feet high on the vertical machines, white ink standard on all three, a hardware warranty of up to five years on new machines, and lifetime support from Wilmington, 9am to 8pm ET, seven days.
What to plan around
Fire rating and flame spread. Building codes can require a flame spread classification for interior finishes in corridors, exits, healthcare, schools and food service. Your architect or building official decides what’s required, and the team will help you plan where printing fits.
Chemical and disinfectant resistance. Hospitals, clinics, kitchens and schools clean hard and often. How a printed surface holds up to specific cleaners and disinfectants has not been tested and published.
Floor wear. Foot traffic, athletic play, carts and forklifts all wear a floor differently. Send photos and how the floor is used, and we’ll recommend the approach.
Slip resistance. Safety managers and insurers will ask, so bring their requirements to the first call and we’ll plan around them.
Floor clear coat. Whether a floor needs a clear coat depends on the floor and its traffic. The support team will recommend it job by job, along with what it adds to the cost.
What that means for your project
A missing document is a planning fact, not a reason to guess. In practice:
Code-driven spaces (corridors, exits, healthcare, education, food service): if a flame spread class is required, a printed surface can’t be specified on our say-so today.
Surfaces cleaned with strong chemicals: ask before you commit, and name the products the facility uses.
Traffic floors: courts, aisles and plant floors run on the Floor Series. Ask for a recommendation before you quote, and share it with the client.
Everything else (feature surfaces, storefronts, signage, glass, panels printed in the shop): the documented facts above are what you plan from.
When a document exists for any of these, it goes on this page and the date at the top changes.
Who to ask
The team in Wilmington. Call 910-632-0320. Tell us the surface, the space and what the spec or the client is asking for, and we’ll get the question to the right person on the support team. Support is open 9am to 8pm ET, seven days.
For the floor job itself, see how a floor job runs, van to finished floor. For everything else people ask, see Answers.
Questions people ask
Is a printed surface fire rated?
Every project and code path is different. If your project needs a classification, call or text 910-632-0320 before you specify it.
Can printed surfaces be cleaned with disinfectants?
Every cleaning routine is different. Name the products the facility uses, and we’ll give you a recommendation before you commit.
Is a printed floor slip resistant?
Floors are planned job by job. Call 910-632-0320 if your job depends on wear, slip resistance or a clear coat.
Have a spec that asks for one of these?
Call the team at 910-632-0320, before the spec goes out or the quote goes in.
Want a recommendation for your space? Every space is different. Tell the team in Wilmington the surface, the space and what you want on it, and we’ll tell you how we’d print it.