sample displays and velcro

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G

geperry

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Jul 24, 2004
Posts
142
Location
Round Pond, ME
Business
self
Ok, I've read everything on the grumble about display panels, etc. But I'm still undecided on what to use. I like the idea of the metal flashing, just not too sure on exactly how to make it. I've also been bouncing back and forth between the velcro fabric and carpet. I'm opening up a shop for the first time (coast of Maine, trying to spend as little as possible and want my customer area to be 'fun' and 'inviting'. And, how much of the corner samples already come with velcro? Any tips, ideas, advice?
 
Industry standard on the left coast. As they velcro fails, remove the goo left on sample and super glue the velcro back on.

Don't know nuthin' about flashing. I was playing poker with the guys all night long in another state. Honest officer.

baer
 
gperry, having just finished my build out and opened my store less than 3 weeks ago, I suggest the velcro fabic. I think it looks more professional than carpet, and is not any more, and probably less expensive. Check out United for fabric and glue. Check out the tips forum for building your own spinner for less than $100.

The velcro fabric from United will also meet fire code regulations, some cheaper carpets will not.
 
Originally posted by American Choice:
Is United Velcro F.A.C.T.S. aproved? ;)
Click to expand...
Does it really matter?

shrug.gif
 
I made my boards with 1/4" luan board covered it with velcro and screwed them into the wall. The luan is cheap. The cheapest velcro came from United. I found it locally, but it was nearly double the price from United. I did six 4x8 boards. It still wasn't enough space, but it was easy to do and looked nice.
 
We used to have a velcro fabric...found it got fuzzy over time ..many, many years. We are using a thin outdoor carpet now. It is black and has a groove texture. It is glued to plywood mounted on the wall. We put narrow wood strips (screen moulding) between the rows ( painted black ) to keep the rows straight.
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By the way InLine Ovals is now in the latest version Lifesaver software.
 
J Paul mentioned carpets and fire codes. In case anyone missed that, I'd like to reinforce the importance of checking on that.

In my last location, I had new commercial carpeting installed on the floors and a contrasting version of the same stuff installed on the walls. I wasn't thinking of hanging samples, though it worked great for that. I like the sound insulation and the fact that pictures hang straight and can be moved around without leaving nail holes.

Less than 24 hours before the reopening, a little army of city inspectors marched in and announced that the carpeting on the walls would have to go, because of fire codes. (They also told me I couldn't have a saw in my back room because there was a fire exit back there. The fear, I suppose, is that, in the course of escaping a building fire, someone might hotwire the saw, start it up, and cut off a few digits.)

My landlord, an attorney who loves to fight city hall, intervened and I opened on schedule. I was able to get certification from the carpet installers to verify its fire-retardant properties - an option the inspectors failed to mention.

Check it out ahead of time. Inspectors can be arbitrary and ruthless in the interest of public safety.

BTW, I had a much bigger showroom in that location and an impressive selection of Inline Ovals.
 
We put narrow wood strips (screen moulding) between the rows ( painted black ) to keep the rows straight
Click to expand...
I did this at one location. The next store I just used a matching ribbon between the rows. A whole lot cheaper and easier.
 
As Ron said, check your local regs. I had to provide certificates of flame-spread ratings for my carpeting in order to get an occupancy permit from my local municipality. The requirement for carpet used on walls is stricter than that for floors. You'll have to go to a very professional carpet company, because the people at Buddy's Carpet Barn will not know what you are talking about when you ask about the ratings.
:cool: Rick
 
The best material I've found is Front Runner Fabric. It's used in the trade show industry for portable display booths. I've bought direct from Lockfast Corp. (www.lockfast.com) but I used to be in the portable trade show booth business so I'm not sure if they sell to everyone.

Lot's of colors...very durable...other types of fabric also available.

I've suggested to them that they offer picture hangers on hook & loop and they thought it would be a good accessory to add to their offerings.

I plan to cover several walls with Front Runner Fabric and hang finished work on them along with the "elements" that went into the framing...moulding corner sample, fillets, mat board samples, etc. This will help customers to visualize how the different "elements" (samples) contribute to the finished work.

Also, I'll be forced to constantly change and refresh my displays as customers pick up there work. Some might ask if customers would be upset if their work is on display...I've never had a customer complain as I hang the work in my showroom now. In fact, when a customer walks in and their piece is hanging they are "wowed" to see it up on the wall and are honored to have it chosed to be displayed. Naturally I hang up the best work and quickly put up a customers work when I know they're coming or even happen to see them getting out of the car. They feel special and the work looks better than pulling it out of a "bin".

Dave Makielski

"You can't change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails"

...or should I say "sales"?
 
We just moved the store 50 feet North and instead of glueing the carpet to a substrate and mounting that on the wall... someone here had a brainstorm to ask the carpet store if they could install it directly to the wall and eliminate the middle step. That was the best $200 we ever spent to glue 34 lineal feet of carpet 10 ft floor to ceiling.

Agree with JudyN about the carpet vs velcro fabric, but our outdoor carpet pills up almost as quickly as velcro. We opted for a short loop commercial (39 cent/ft). We originally used screen moulding, but chose to add velcro to all the chevrons and display them on a 45 deg line rather than vertical... that way the sample is in the same relation as it would be in a frame. Lots of work to do that though.
 
Here's the photo of the samples arranged on a 45 deg line rather than vertical chevrons that several asked for in private emails.

Diagonal Corner Sample Display

The panoramic combine of images creates it's own distortion. And, yes that's Banister around the door.
 
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