Die cut vinyl has so many great applications including window displays, floor graphics, wall graphics, vehicle wraps and more. Many businesses have been using cut vinyl for years, maybe even yours! But, there’s one key factor about types of vinyl that you may not know. And yes, the distinction really is important. It’s the difference between cast and calendered vinyl.
In this blog post, we will go over the basics of the two material types giving you an understanding of the material and its best uses for application.
Calendared Vinyl
When calendared vinyl is produced, it is extruded or stretched out to produce a sheet that can then be cut or used as a roll. The reason this is important to note is that this material has a “memory.” Over time, and as it’s subjected to the sun, the cold, or changes in humidity, it will slowly start to stretch back to it’s original shape. This means that the window graphic on your office windows or wall will lose it’s shape and even start to crack or peel off the surface.
Cast Vinyl
Unlike calendared vinyl, cast vinyl is not stretched when it is produced. This premium vinyl is spread over a surface so that it is far more durable and not subject to freeze thaw damage that ruins calendar vinyl over time. It’s also slightly thinner in thickness coming in at around 2 mil as opposed to 2.5-3+ on standard intermediate vinyl. The key here is that cast vinyl is a more premium cut vinyl option for long term application of more than 3-5 years.
So which should I use?
Well it’s not just about timeline, but about the specific needs of each individual project. We recommend short term projects use calendared and long term projects use cast, but we would love to meet with you to see which type of vinyl is right for your application.