Calendered vs cast vinyl

Calendered vinyl is rolled out thicker and is best on flat surfaces. Cast vinyl is poured thin and conforms to curves.

A film applied over a rivet head, seen from the side.

Both are PVC films. The difference is how they are made, and it changes how they behave on a surface.

Calendered vinyl is squeezed and stretched between rollers into a sheet. It is a little thicker and holds a bit of memory of that stretching, so over time it wants to shrink back slightly. On a flat window, wall or sign that does not matter.

Cast vinyl is poured as a liquid and baked into a thin film with no stress in it. It stays put, stretches with heat around curves and rivets, and lasts longer outdoors. It also costs more.

	Calendered	Cast
Thickness	About 3 to 4 mil	About 2 mil
Surfaces	Flat or gentle curves	Compound curves, rivets, corrugation
Outdoor life	Roughly 3 to 6 years	Roughly 7 years and up
Cost	Lower	Higher

For stickers, windows, walls and flat signs, a good calendered film is the right choice. Cast is for wrapping something shaped.

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Sticker materials Window, wall & floor graphics

Permanent, removable and repositionable adhesiveThe glue on the back of a vinyl decides whether it comes off clean later, and how forgiving it is to put on.LaminationA clear film applied over a print to protect it from scratches, moisture and sun fading, in gloss or matte.Wall graphicsPrinted or cut vinyl made for painted walls, from a logo behind a front desk to a full wall mural.

Calendered vs cast vinyl

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