PVC has become extremely useful for various industries. For this reason, it is now used in the creation of various things that aid us for construction or decorative purposes.

Basically, PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride. It is created by polymerizing vinyl chloride. The thermoplastic polymer is very versatile, which is what leads to its wide usage in the construction industry. The material is right behind polyethylene and polypropylene when it comes to how popular it is. On top of that, it is cheap, which only makes it more convenient for those who are looking for something good and affordable.

Decorative films are some of the things that use PVC. With these films, you can decorate various parts of your house, including doors, walls, window frames, and more. Let’s find out more about them and their usage.

Vacuum Membrane Machine Application

One of the popular methods of applying PVC membrane foils are by using a vacuum membrane machine, also known as the vacuum membrane press. This is one of the most common ways of applying decorative PVC sheets, especially if we are talking about larger surface applications.

These are heavy-duty machines that are often taking space, although you can also find smaller ones at affordable prices. Using pressure, they can help cover different surfaces in PVC decorative film and make sure it stays fixed there. If you need to laminate high-profile PVC film, then you can rest assured that this machine will do the job just the way you want it to.

Some of these units also use heat to make sure the application is successful and the coating lasts. Not only do they apply heat, but they also apply the right pressure to make sure the film attaches to the workpiece properly. Using heating oil, the machine ensures the heat distribution is uniform, so every inch of the workpiece is wrapped within the film.

What Applications Is It Used for?

The vacuum membrane machine is used for several applications, particularly those that involve larger surfaces that have to be covered.

• Doors:

Doors are usually some of the most common surfaces where PVC decorative film is used. A door is a pretty large surface, so you require a big machine to do the job. What better choice than the vacuum membrane machine, then? With such an application method, the sheets will be attached to the door, and will stay there for a long time.

• Kitchen Cabinets:

PVC membrane foils are also used to decorate kitchen cabinets. If you are tired of the old design or if the cabinets do not look their best anymore, then PVC decorative films can make them look as good as new. You will quickly be able to turn old, dull-looking cabinets into modern ones. So, if you do not want to spend money on completely new cabinets for your kitchen, applying some PVC decorative film will be the way to go. Of course, you can apply the film with the help of the vacuum membrane machine.

• Wardrobe:

Your wardrobe may need to be redesigned, and you may not want to throw away the old one and purchase a new one. In that case, applying PVC decorative film will solve all your issues. It will cover all imperfections and make it seem like you just bought the wardrobe. But a wardrobe is not a mere piece of wood. Given its size, it needs a heavy-duty machine like a vacuum membrane press to give it the redesign it deserves.

• Furniture:

Aside from wardrobes and kitchen cabinets, a vacuum press can work for multiple pieces of furniture in your home. Whether you want to cover damage that was caused to the furniture over time or simply change the look of your house, a vacuum membrane machine will be extremely helpful in this case. It will easily cover furniture surfaces in PVC film and make them look as good as new.

Flat Lamination Machine Application

Flat lamination machines represent an effective way to make sure the PVC sheets are glued to the surfaces and stay there for as long as you want them to. This type of device is great for laminating PVC film to boards and different other surfaces. More often than not, panels are the ones that need lamination.

Some machines are laminating boards with in-line extrusion. Basically, the film will bond directly on the extruded substrate at the die’s exit. Usually, this will require no glue. There will be vacuum/thermos forming used for the laminated sheets. It all depends on the processed materials. Off-line wrapping will also be used, and this will require glue. Glue can be used on different materials such as metal, resins, wood and others to have the sheets attached to them.

In-line transfer is also possible with flat lamination machines. With this method, the decorative film can be printed on your own backing material or onto PET backing film. What makes this great is that you have the option to get water, UV, and light resistance. As a result, you can make sure that your decorative film will last for much longer and maintain its aspect.

Then, a HPL press will come into play and it will help laminate the film into the press. In the end, this will give the film a better resistance for outdoor applications. Once again, this might increase the resistance to light and UV.

What Applications Is It Used For?

This unit is smaller compared to the vacuum press, so it will not have the same capacity. However, it is still useful for laminating, and it will help apply PVC decorative film on a variety of surfaces.

• Panels:

Lamination is mostly used on panels. The great thing when it comes to flat laminated machines is that they can cover different types of flat panels, such as wood panels, aluminum panels, steel panels and PVC panels.

• MDF Boards:

Flat lamination machines also do great when it comes to MDF boards. MDF boards, aka medium-density fireboard, are often used as a building material, and they can be utilized for different outdoor projects, as well as indoor applications. A PVC decorative film can make this material look much better so that it fits the other elements in a room/area. Since it is commonly used for furniture as well, it may require some decoration.

Profile Wrapping Machine Application

During profile wrapping a decorative film is laminated on an area that is linear. In order to make this possible, a profile-wrapping device is used. As such, PVC decorative film can be wrapped on the profile of wood, aluminum, and plastic material, as well as froth material.

This type of process has been around for several decades. Basically, when people started being more and more interested in buying furniture when the 60’s started, profile-wrapping units became necessary, which is what led to their development. Before a machine like this was readily available, people used to manually laminate decorative surfaces onto a substrate. Usually, this surface was wood veneer.

Considering that people were searching for furniture, they also wanted it to look good, and have a smooth and modern surface. So, the demand for a profile wrapping machine was growing, which is what led to its development. Mr. Reinhard Duspohl was the one who built one of the first profile wrapping machines.

Vinyl films, or PVC decorative films are only some of the overlay materials that can be wrapped over different surfaces using profile wrapping. PVC films are some of the most commonly used when it comes to the types of vinyl available.

So, using profile wrapping can be very useful if you want to apply PVC decorative film. This type of material can be used on both indoor and outdoor surfaces. But when it comes to outdoor usage, you need to make sure the vinyl surface will not be damaged by exterior factors. This includes the sun, weather and temperature. With PVC decorative film being so widely used for windows, for example, it is important to make sure the surface resists when it comes to elements that could affect it.

Profile wrapping machines will ensure that you apply vinyl sheets in such a way that they will resist even in higher temperatures and harsher climates. The color and gloss will be maintained, so you can enjoy impeccable-looking surfaces.

When it comes to profile wrapping, there are different adhesive types used with the machines. Depending on the result you want to achieve or how effectively you want the decorative film to attach to a surface, some types of glues will be better than others.

Some of the glues used with profile wrapping include:

• Hot Melt Glue:

This is one of the most common glue types in the profile wrapping industry, mostly because it has higher transport speed, as well as high combination potential between materials. There is filled and unfilled hot melt glue, and the weight is the one dictating the difference between the two. Still, visibly, there is not any difference.

• Humidity-Reactive Glue:

There are different types of humidity-reactive glue used with profile wrapping machines. For example, water-based glue is an option, although it has some disadvantages compared to hot melt glue. Other such glues used in the industry include solvent-based glue, APAO-R (Amorphous-Poly-Alpha-Olefin-Reactive) and PUR (Polyurethane-Reactive).

• Non-humidity-reactive glue:

APAO and PO are some glues that are commonly used with profile wrapping machines. There is also EVA (Ethylen-Vinyl-Acetat) which has a great cost/performance ratio. Sadly, it does not have the best resistance to humidity and heat. Because of this, it is not the best choice for exterior use.

Of course, every glue will be used in a certain amount that is right for the profile wrapping machine, as well as for the particular application. This amount will be calculated using a special formula.

What Applications Is It Used for?

Profile wrapping machines are used to apply PVC decorative films on a wide range of surfaces. Some of these include:

• Photo Frames:

Photo frame applications are common with profile wrapping machines. So, if you have a special project involving photo frames, you can rest assured that a profile wrapping machine will be of help.

• Skirtings:

Skirtings are essential in different flooring constructions, so you will often see them in people’s homes. But in some cases, they may not look too attractive. On the other hand, you cannot give up on them, as they protect the wall. On top of that, they help cover the gaps between the wall and the flooring. Luckily, you can make them look better if you wrap them with PVC decorative film. A profile wrapping machine will be able to do this job impeccably.

• Door Frames:

Door frames can also be decorated with PVC decorative film. While your door will require a different method, your door frame can go through the profile wrapping process to have a nice decorative PVC film applied on its surface. This way, both the door and the door frame will look their best.

• Window Frames:

Your window frames need to look good too, both on the inside and the outside. Wrapping some PVC decorative film on them may be the way to go. In this regard, a profile wrapping machine will help you achieve the look you desire for your windows.

Final Thoughts

It is important to know how different types of surfaces can get the PVC membrane fiol covering that you need. As you can see, there are various machines that will perform different types of actions to apply the sheets on your doors, furniture, kitchen cabinets, window frames, panels and so on. You just need to find out the right method for each type of application. Applying the film properly will ensure a long-lasting effect on all surfaces, no matter if you use them indoor or outdoor.