Wall printing, also called direct to wall printing or vertical wall printing, is printing an image straight onto a wall with a machine that moves across the surface. Instead of printing wallpaper or vinyl and installing it, the printer puts the ink right on the wall.
How wall printers work
A wall printer sets up in front of the wall on a vertical frame or track. The print head travels across the surface in passes, laying down ink while the machine works its way along the wall. Many machines use UV curable ink, which is cured by UV light as it prints so it sets almost instantly. Before any of that, the operator levels the machine, cleans the wall, and maps its surface so the print lands clean.
Where wall printing is used
- Offices and lobbies that want branding and personality on their walls
- Restaurants, bars, and retail stores
- Hospitals, clinics, and schools
- Gyms, churches, and event spaces
- Homes, for feature walls and kids rooms
Wall printing vs murals, wallpaper, and vinyl
Compared to a hand painted mural, a wall printer is faster and can reproduce photographic detail, although a talented painter can do things no printer can. Compared to wallpaper and vinyl, a printed wall has no seams and no edges to peel, and there's nothing to install.
The brands you'll hear about
As you research, you'll run into names like wallPen, TWP, VP-G6, Friankor, DXonJet, Tanyu, and plenty of others. Each comes with tradeoffs in cost, support, software, and workflow. Nearly all the information out there comes from the companies selling the machines, which is exactly why this site exists.
Thinking about starting a wall printing business?
The printer is only part of the picture. Sales, art, installs, and running the business matter just as much. Read Is this business for you? next, or talk it through with someone who prints walls for a living.
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