Vinyl printing covers two jobs that often get mixed up. Cut vinyl is coloured film cut by a plotter into shapes and lettering, then weeded and applied. Printed vinyl is printed in full colour, usually laminated, then contour cut into stickers, decals or big panels for windows, walls and vehicles. Sign and print shops use both for shopfronts, office glass, product stickers and safety marking. Tell us what it is for, the size and how many, and we pass your request to local vinyl printers, who quote you directly. It is free, with no obligation.
Cut vinyl, printed vinyl and the other films
- Cut vinyl: one or two solid colours, crisp edges and no background, for shop door hours, window lettering, gate numbers and simple decals.
- Printed vinyl: full colour photos and gradients, laminated and contour cut, for window panels, wall graphics and stickers.
- Frosted (etch) vinyl: privacy bands and patterns on office glass and bathroom windows.
- One-way vision: perforated vinyl that shows a picture outside while you still see out.
- Floor vinyl with an anti-slip laminate for queues and promotions.
- Heat transfer vinyl for names and numbers on T-shirts and kit.
Small stickers on sheets or rolls are covered under sticker printing.
Calendered or cast: choosing the right vinyl
Calendered vinyl suits flat surfaces and short to medium life: windows, walls, flat boards and short promotions. Cast vinyl is thinner and more stable, made for curves, rivets and full vehicle wraps, and costs more. Ask for a matt or gloss laminate over printed vinyl outdoors, because it guards against UV and scratches.
Ask about the adhesive too: removable for promotions and rented premises, permanent for long-term work. Say whether glass vinyl goes on the inside or the outside of the pane, since that changes how it is printed. Under strong Highveld sun, cheap vinyl fades and cracks sooner, so ask for the expected outdoor life.
Artwork and application tips
Cut vinyl needs vector outlines: no photos, no soft shadows, and nothing so thin that it tears when it is weeded. Printed vinyl needs a CMYK PDF with bleed and the cut line on its own layer or as a named spot colour. Measure each glass pane separately, because shopfront panes are rarely the same size.
Vinyl sticks best to clean, dry, smooth surfaces. Fresh paint should cure first, and textured or dusty walls make it lift. Fitting in full sun on a hot day can trap bubbles. Ask whether the price includes fitting and removing old vinyl.
What affects vinyl printing prices
- The area in square metres, and how many pieces
- Cut vinyl colours, or full colour print
- Lamination and the grade of vinyl
- How intricate the cutting and weeding is
- Fitting on site and removing old vinyl
Published South African price lists put printed, contour-cut vinyl at roughly R290 to R450 a square metre, with lower rates on bigger orders. For bakkies and vans, see vehicle branding.
What to include in your request
- What it goes on: glass, wall, board or vehicle
- The size of each piece, and how many
- Cut vinyl colours or full colour print
- Indoor or outdoor, and how long it must last
- Fitting on site or supply only
Vinyl Printing for different clients
- Families and individuals: a frosted strip on a bathroom window, wall decals or a gate number in cut vinyl
- Small businesses and start-ups: opening hours, a phone number and a logo cut in vinyl on the shop door
- Companies and offices: frosted manifestation on glass partitions, safety floor markings and asset stickers for equipment
- Shops, restaurants and salons: seasonal window graphics, one-way vision on shopfronts and printed vinyl on counters and walls
- Events, conferences and clubs: floor stickers, stage and booth graphics and printed decals for sponsor vehicles and gazebos
- Schools, churches and NGOs: classroom window vinyl, hall graphics, trophy cabinet decals and stickers for sports gear
- Government and municipalities: frosting, room numbers and safety marking for clinics, libraries and municipal offices, quoted by RFQ
- Designers, agencies and resellers: printers and sign makers handing large vinyl runs or fitting to a specialist installer
Frequently asked questions
How much does vinyl printing cost per square metre?
What is the difference between cut vinyl and printed vinyl?
Can vinyl stickers go outside?
What file do I send for vinyl printing?
Vinyl Printing by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg