Window graphics are the cheapest square footage you will ever brand. The glass is already there, it faces the street, and vinyl goes on in an afternoon.
The five types
Cut vinyl lettering. Hours, logo, phone number. Single color, cut from a roll, no printing. Lasts five years or more outdoors. This is the baseline every storefront should have.
Printed opaque graphics. Full color, blocks the view. Good for privacy, promotions and full window takeovers. Printed on white vinyl with a laminate.
Perforated one-way vision film. Printed on the outside, see-through from the inside. Sixty percent film, forty percent holes is the usual ratio. This is the film for retail that wants a full-color storefront without losing daylight.
Frosted and etched-look film. Translucent, no print or a light print. Privacy for offices, clinics, gyms. Reads as expensive glass rather than a sticker.
Static clings. No adhesive. Come off in seconds, go back on again. Weaker outdoors and short-lived, but the only option in buildings that prohibit adhesive on glass, which includes most convention centers in Florida.
What each one costs installed
| Type | Installed price | Typical lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Cut vinyl lettering | $150 to $400 per door or panel | 5 to 7 years |
| Printed opaque | $8 to $14 per sq ft | 3 to 5 years |
| Perforated one-way | $10 to $16 per sq ft | 2 to 3 years |
| Frosted film | $9 to $15 per sq ft | 5 to 10 years |
| Static cling | $6 to $10 per sq ft | Weeks to months |
Inside or outside the glass
Outside is brighter and more vivid because there’s no glass tint between the viewer and the print. It also gets sun, rain, pressure washers and people picking at corners.
Inside is protected and lasts longer, but the graphic is printed in reverse and viewed through the glass, so colors soften a little. Landlords and malls almost always prefer inside-mounted.
Perforated film only works from the outside. That’s the one exception.
What landlords and malls allow
Read the lease before ordering. The common rules:
- Coverage limits. Many leases cap window coverage at 25 to 50 percent so the store stays visible to security.
- No exterior adhesive. Common in malls and Class A buildings. Inside-mount or static cling solves it.
- Approved installers. Some properties require a certificate of insurance from whoever touches the glass. We carry one.
- City sign permits. Anything permanent that shows a business name on the exterior may need a sign permit in Miami-Dade, Broward and Orange County. Temporary promotions inside the glass generally do not.
Ideas that work
- Hours and phone in cut vinyl on the door, always.
- One large perforated panel with the hero product, changed seasonally.
- Frosted band at eye level for restaurants and clinics, logo cut out of the frost.
- Floor-to-ceiling opaque takeover for openings and sales, up for two weeks, then off.
- Static cling promotions for anything that changes monthly.
Removal
Vinyl on glass comes off cleaner than on any other surface. Heat, pull, and a razor for residue. We include removal in the quote for anything temporary so the glass goes back to the landlord the way it came.