According to experts， three factors are driving the popularity of glass finish vinyl graphics amongst end-users today—decorative customization， corporate branding， and privacy.
据专家介绍，有三个因素推动了玻璃贴膜在终端用户中的流行——装饰定制、企业品牌和隐私保护。
“Clients are using glass as a surface to communicate with their customers， to create an aesthetic ambiance around their facility， as well as to promote their own brand or services，” explains Tammi Johnson， business development manager at 3M Commercial Solutions Division， manufacturers of 3M™ Fasara™ glass finishes. “Glass finish materials can also be used to help control light in the building and aid overall viewing within an area.”
3M法萨拉玻璃图形制造商（3M™ Fasara™ glass finishes）3M商业解决方案部门的业务开发经理塔米·约翰逊（Tammi Johnson）解释说：“客户使用玻璃作为宣传介质，用广告与他们的客户沟通，也为他们周围的设施创造一种美学氛围，并推广他们自己的品牌或服务。玻璃图形也可以用来控制建筑中的光线，帮助整体观景。”
The good news is that advancements in vinyl materials mean that you don’t have to take classes in etching or sandblasting to achieve these effects. And there are lots of opportunities available for you to pursue the art of applying vinyl films to glass surfaces (doors， windows， partitions， mirrors， etc.).
好消息是，玻璃贴膜的进步意味着你不需要参加蚀刻或喷砂课程来达到这些效果。有很多机会可以让你追求将玻璃贴膜应用于玻璃表面(门、窗、隔板、镜子等)的艺术。
“You might be surprised to learn that many of your clients aren’t necessarily utilizing existing glass surfaces to their fullest advantage，” says Johnson.
约翰逊说：“你可能会惊讶地发现，许多客户并没有充分利用现有的玻璃表面。”
“Glass finishes are another channel for revenue and a chance [for providers] to offer a multipurpose， printable window film solution that is currently being underutilized，” remarks Josh Barnard， product manager at Avery Dennison， manufacturers of the Avery 100 Window Graphics Series.
艾弗里·丹尼森（Avery Dennison）是“艾弗里100 窗口图形系列”的制造商。
艾弗里·丹尼森公司产品经理乔什•巴纳德(Josh Barnard)表示：“玻璃饰面是另一个获得收入的渠道，也是供应商提供一种多功能、可打印的窗口图形解决方案的机会，而这种解决方案目前尚未得到充分利用。”
Even more important in today’s “don’t say ‘no’ to a customer” business atmosphere， “Adding window and glass finish graphics to their portfolios also allows print providers to become a one-stop shop for their clients，” adds Brittany Eppley， marketing communications manager at Mactac， manufacturers of MACmark Glass Décor 700 Series films.
Mactac是MACmark玻璃Décor 700系列薄膜的制造商。Mactac的市场传播经理布列塔尼埃普利（Brittany Eppley）补充说：“更重要的是，在今天的不要对客户说‘不’的商业氛围中，在他们的投资组合中添加窗口和玻璃精加工图形，也可以让印刷供应商成为一站式的商店。”
Depending on the application (branding or privacy)， glass finish media typically consists of clear or perforated see-thru vinyl and specialty vinyls (frosted， crystal， etc.). The material you use will depend on what your customer is trying to accomplish on glass. “You have to figure out how much transparency or opacity is needed in the area to gain the biggest impact for your application，” suggests Johnson.
根据不同的应用(品牌宣传或隐私保护)，玻璃表面处理介质通常由透明或穿孔透明玻璃贴膜和特殊玻璃贴膜(磨砂、水晶等)组成。您使用的材料将取决于您的客户试图在玻璃上完成什么。塔米·约翰逊建议：您必须计算出该区域需要多大的透明度或不透明度才能对应用产生的效果。
A Window Into Your Markets
市场潜力
There are a lot of potential markets for vinyl glass finish projects—commercial， office， retail， small businesses integrating it into their branding， etc. “If they have windows or glass at their home or facility， then graphics can be applied to them，” states Eppley.
玻璃贴膜项目有很多潜在的市场，包括商业、办公、零售、小型企业等。埃普利说：“如果他们的家里或设施有窗户或玻璃，那么贴膜就可以应用上。”
“Our recommendation for the most successful use of this product would be to work with an artist to bring your ideas and branding to life，” says Barnard， noting that he sees these films transforming the retail industry， offering a unique solution for homeowners， and providing an economical option for corporate spaces looking for a change. (Note： “Economical” is a big selling point， as one of the most valuable uses of vinyl glass finishes is that clients are able to repurpose their space in a cost-effective way.)
巴纳德说：“我们建议请教过设计师之后使用本产品，把你的想法和品牌表现出来。”他认为这些薄膜改变零售业，为业主提供一个独特的解决方案，为企业提供一个经济的选择空间。(注：“经济”是一个很大的卖点，因为玻璃贴膜最有价值的用途之一是，客户能够以一种划算的方式重新利用他们的空间。)
Vinyl graphics on glass
玻璃上的贴膜
Avery-Dennison points out that hotels are a great example of an industry that’s making these films work in outside-the-box ways， particularly when it comes to privacy. In rooms built as a studio concept， the film can be used on glass bathroom walls as a way to create privacy yet still maintain an open space. “And in banquet halls， where clients still want natural light but also some concealment， an architectural window film is a great solution to achieve this，” says Barnard.
艾弗里·丹尼森指出，酒店行业就是一个很好的例子，这个行业让这些贴膜以一种开箱即用的方式运作，尤其是在隐私方面。在作为工作室概念建造的房间中，贴膜可以用在玻璃浴室墙上，作为一种保护隐私的方式，同时仍然保持一个开放的空间。巴纳德说：“在宴会厅里，客户仍然想要自然光，但也想要一些隐蔽性，建筑窗膜是实现这一点的一个很好的解决方案。”
Educational facilities are also choosing glass finish decorations for use in learning areas. “This film allows for an open learning environment while still offering privacy to students，” says Barnard.
教育设施也选择了玻璃装饰用于学习区域。巴纳德说：“玻璃贴膜提供了一个开放的学习环境，同时也为学生提供了隐私。”
3M Commercial Graphics adds that healthcare facilities are also receptive to glass finish graphics. “Patients and providers want a level of privacy， yet facilities don’t want something that completely blocks their view， for security purposes，” says Johnson.
3M商业图形制造公司(3M Commercial Graphics)补充称，医疗设施也使用玻璃图形。约翰逊说：“病人和医疗服务提供者希望有一定程度的隐私，但出于安全考虑，医疗机构不希望看到完全挡住他们视线的东西。”
Interior window applications are becoming more popular thanks to the increasing popularity of open concept layouts in office environments these days. “Many corporate offices have moved towards environments that include glass meeting rooms; however they later realize these spaces lack the privacy needed to conduct business，” says Barnard. “Architectural window films can solve this problem without changing existing construction. These products could be valuable to anyone with glass in their building， such as retail， corporate offices， and even private， residential homes.”
随着开放式概念布局在办公环境中的日益流行，室内窗口应用程序正变得越来越受欢迎。许多公司的办公室已经转向了包括玻璃会议室在内的环境，然而，他们后来意识到，这些空间缺乏开展业务所需的隐私，巴纳德说：“玻璃贴膜可以在不改变现有建筑的前提下解决这一问题。这些产品可能对任何在其建筑中使用玻璃的人都很有价值，比如零售、公司办公室，甚至私人住宅”。
Think of glass finish graphics as something that’s more long-term or even permanent. Because of this， you’re not going to see these types of films utilized as frequently in Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) venues because their campaigns are geared more toward short-term promotional cling materials. “It’s when you get into some of your high-end restaurants with glass partitions or privacy areas between booths or areas of their facilities like a meeting room or a separate eating room where glass finish films tend to be utilized，” says Johnson.
玻璃表面的图形是一种能保持很长时间的装饰。所以，你将不会看到这些类型的贴膜经常使用在快速服务餐厅(QSR)的场所，因为他们的活动更倾向于短期宣传材料。约翰逊说：“当你走进一些高档餐厅时，你会发现它们的隔间之间有玻璃隔断或隐私区，或者它们的一些设施区域，比如会议室或单独的餐厅，那里往往会使用玻璃贴膜。”
Designs on Display
设计展示
When it comes to using glass finish films for branding， Eppley suggests that a plotter-cut design with a frosted media results in a clean， professional， and practical appearance. “Printing an image or design with color onto a clear media can add extra ‘pop’ to the environment，” she says.
当谈到使用玻璃饰面膜进行品牌推广时，埃普利建议使用带有磨砂的媒体的情节设计，以实现干净、专业和实用的外观。她说：“在清晰的媒体上打印图像或带有颜色的设计可以为环境增添流行感。”
White inks are also allowing print providers the ability to create multi-layered effects with graphics on glass. “This allows you to have one image on the exterior to draw somebody in and a different image or message on the interior side as they’re leaving or moving through that facility，” explains Johnson.
白色墨水还能够实现打印供应商在玻璃上创建多层图形效果。约翰逊解释说：“你可以在一个外部的图像上画出一个人，而在他们离开或经过那个设施时，在内部的图像或信息则是不同的。”
There is also the capability of mixing and matching printed graphics with a static design on glass. “There are two layers of the glass that are transparent， you have two separate surfaces to install graphics or glass finishes on. You could apply a color-shifting material on one side and another patterned or intricate design on the other layer，” says Johnson. “This can create dual-layer effects or even a 3D effect.”
还有混合和匹配印刷图形与静态设计玻璃上的能力。玻璃有两层是透明的，你有两个单独的表面来安装图形或玻璃饰面。约翰逊说：“你可以在一面使用变色材料，在另一面使用图案或复杂的设计。这可以创建双层效果，甚至3D效果。”
Johnson points out that crystal films can be cut to very intricate designs and finds that sign shops are being very creative with this technique， citing beautiful window graphics installed throughout U.S. Bank Stadium， home of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. The team’s Viking logo is reproduced onto vinyl and applied to interior windows and glass surfaces throughout the complex. “So if you apply portions of your cut design to both surfaces of the glass and slightly offset the ../images， you can create 3D effects，” she explains. “The beauty of a dusted or frosted film is that you can replicate a sandblasted or etched glass effect at a fraction of the cost.
约翰逊指出，水晶薄膜可以被切割成非常复杂的设计，并发现标识店在使用这种技术时非常有创意，比如全美橄榄球联盟(NFL)明尼苏达维京人队(Minnesota Vikings)主场美国银行体育场(U.S. Bank Stadium)各处都安装了漂亮的窗口图形。团队的维京标识被复制到玻璃贴膜上，并应用于整个综合体的室内窗户和玻璃表面。她解释说：“如果你把切割设计应用到玻璃的两个表面，并稍微偏移图像，就可以实现3D效果。喷砂或磨砂贴膜的美妙之处在于，你可以用很低的成本复制喷砂或蚀刻玻璃效果。”
“A lot of times， people think it’s custom glass when it’s actually a film that has been applied to the surface.”
“很多时候，人们认为这是定制玻璃，但实际上它是一层薄膜，只是贴在了玻璃表面。”
A Clean， Clear Beginning
一个干净的，清晰的开始
The absolute first rule of applying graphics to glass is that its surface must be clean of any dirt， debris， or wax; if not， the film’s adhesive won’t adhere as well to it.
将图形应用到玻璃上的绝对首要原则是，玻璃表面必须没有任何污垢、碎片或蜡，否则，如果有，贴膜的粘着剂就不能很好地附着在上面。
“This can be accomplished first by using a razor scraper， then by washing with a solution of 4cc baby shampoo and a liter of fresh water，” explains Barnard. “Next squeegee the window， then repeat cleaning and squeegeeing until it’s completely clean. Lastly thoroughly dry the edges of window area using lint-free paper towels.”
巴纳德解释说：“这可以先用刮胡刀刮，然后用婴儿洗发水和一升水清洗。接下来用橡皮清洁窗户，然后重复清洁，直到完全清洁。最后，用无绒纸巾彻底擦干窗户边缘。”
Josh Culverhouse， graphic innovations market manager at ORAFOL Americas， manufacturers of various window graphics films， adds， “Never prepare the glass with cleaning solutions that leave behind a residue. If possible， clean both sides of the glass to ensure there’s no contaminants remaining that will appear through the window graphic. Once the window surface is cleaned， wipe down the surface with an isopropyl alcohol and distilled water mixture for good measure.”
ORAFOL Americas图形创新市场经理乔什•卡尔弗豪斯(Josh Culverhouse)补充称，永远不要在准备玻璃时使用会留下残留物的清洁解决方案。如果可能的话，清洁玻璃的两面，以确保没有污染物残留，将出现在窗口图形。一旦窗户表面清洁干净，用异丙醇和蒸馏水混合物擦拭窗户表面。
It’s important to know your environment and plan accordingly. “Most exterior applications to glass require a wet application， and should be completed when the exterior temperature stays above 50°F for 24 hours，” says Culverhouse. “You want to ensure that the application fluid has adequate time to dry out， allowing the adhesive to effectively setup and anchor to the glass surface.”
了解你所处的环境并做出相应的计划是很重要的。卡尔弗豪斯说：“大多数玻璃的外部应用都需要湿敷，应该在外部温度保持在50华氏度以上24小时后完成。你要确保涂敷液有足够的时间干燥，使粘合剂能够有效地固定在玻璃表面。”
While you don’t have to use gloves to apply vinyl graphics to glass and windows， be careful not to leave any fingerprints on the surface. “As messy as it is， the best method for a glass finish install is a wet installation because then you don’t have any trapped air between the graphic and the glass surface， which can create streaks or hazing，” confirms Johnson. “So if you’re being cautious with your fingers where you’re touching things and you’ve got [the material] wet and sprayed down as you’re working on it， you should be okay.”
虽然你不必戴手套在玻璃和窗户上涂玻璃贴膜，但要小心不要在表面留下任何指纹。约翰逊证实，尽管玻璃表面很凌乱，但最好的方法是湿式安装，因为这样你就不会有任何滞留在图形和玻璃表面之间的空气，这可能会造成条纹或气泡。所以，如果你在安装时要小心，避免把指纹弄在玻璃上。
Maintenance is crucial for protecting exterior window films. “Outdoor glass and window films should be cleaned at least four times a year to maintain its appearance and clarity，” says Barnard. “This is particularly important on sloped or horizontal installations， since the accumulation of dirt and water is more likely.”
保护外窗膜至关重要。巴纳德说：“室外玻璃和窗膜每年至少要清洗四次，以保持其外观和清晰度。所以安装时注意不要留下缝隙，因为有可能积聚污垢和水。”
Culverhouse suggests routinely cleaning the graphics with a mild detergent and water mixture. “Doing so removes environmental contaminants that can degrade the film over time and cause permanent discoloration， staining， or deterioration，” he says.
卡尔弗豪斯建议用温和的清洁剂和水混合物定期清洗图形。他说，这样做可以去除环境污染物，随着时间的推移，这些污染物会降解贴膜，导致永久变色、染色或变质。
If you’re using a perforated window film， Johnson says， “An overlaminate can help keep any dirt and debris from building up especially if it’s on the exterior in the holes.”
约翰逊说：“如果你使用的是有孔的窗膜，一层厚贴膜可以防止灰尘和碎片堆积，尤其是当灰尘和碎片堆积在玻璃贴膜的孔时。”
Johnson stresses that using an overlaminate will also help your inks (which are， a lot of times， the weakest link of the graphic design process). “Installation on the second surface away from traffic also helps protect it，” she says.
约翰逊强调，使用过层压板也将有助于你的油墨(这是，在很多时候，平面设计过程中最薄弱的环节)。安装在远离交通的位置也有助于保护它。
Consider UV exposure and direct sunlight， as heat and glass are not necessarily a good combination. “You wouldn’t necessarily want to have a graphic that is really dark color in color where it would absorb high levels of heat，” says Johnson， “as this may compromise your glass surface itself.”
考虑紫外线照射和阳光直射，因为热量和玻璃不一定是很好的组合。约翰逊说：“你不一定想要一张颜色很暗的图片，因为它会吸收很高的热量，因为这可能会损害你的玻璃表面。”
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