The roll up is one of the most popular exhibition systems in the world. Not without reason, because it is light, portable, quick to set up and relatively inexpensive. It works everywhere: at trade fairs, in company receptions, during conferences, at points of service and sale, and at outdoor events.
In this article we take you through everything worth knowing about roll ups: from size standards, through types of cassette and material, to the rules of designing the graphic and the advantages of latex printing, in which we specialise.
What a roll up actually is
A roll up (also written rollup or roll-up) is a portable presentation system made of two parts: an aluminium cassette with a roll mechanism, and a printed banner which once unrolled is held taut between the cassette and a top rail supported by a telescopic pole.
The whole thing fits in a carry bag and weighs usually from 3 to 7 kilograms, depending on the type of cassette. Setting it up needs no tools and takes little time.
Standard roll up sizes
The market offers several standard cassette widths. The ones met most often are:
| Width | Graphic height | Use | How often ordered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85 cm | from 200 to 215 cm | the standard: fairs, receptions, events | the most frequent choice |
| 100 cm | from 200 to 215 cm | larger displays, a wall | often |
| 120 cm | from 200 to 215 cm | large stands, composite walls | less often |
| 150 cm | from 200 to 215 cm | premium exhibition work | a niche |
| 60 cm | from 160 to 200 cm | mini roll up: counters, points of sale | often at points of sale |
By far the most popular format is 85 by 200 cm. If you are ordering a roll up for the first time and have no special requirements, choose that size.
Types of roll up
Standard roll up (economy)
- An aluminium cassette with a spring mechanism.
- Weight about 3 to 4 kilograms, life counted in a few dozen deployments.
- Good for one off events, short campaigns or a permanent display.
- The lowest price.
Premium roll up
- A reinforced cassette, a wider aluminium profile.
- Weight about 5 to 7 kilograms, life counted in hundreds of deployments.
- A steadier pole, often with height adjustment.
- Easier replacement of the graphic.
- Recommended for companies that go to fairs regularly.
Double sided roll up
- Two banners mounted on both sides of the cassette.
- Good as a free standing element, visible from every side.
- It works in shopping centres, at exhibitions and conferences.
- Heavier, from 6 to 9 kilograms, but still fully portable.
Outdoor roll up
- A hardened cassette with a water or sand filling for stability.
- Intended for outdoor use: in front of buildings, at open air events.
- A higher price, but durability beyond comparison with the standard.
Types compared
| Feature | Standard | Premium | Double sided | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | the lowest | medium | higher | the highest |
| Durability | low | high | depends on the cassette it is built on | very high |
| Weight | from 3 to 4 kg | from 5 to 7 kg | from 6 to 9 kg | from 8 to 12 kg |
| Changing the graphic | difficult | easy | possible | possible |
| Outdoor use | no | limited | no | yes |
Materials for printing roll up banners
The choice of material has a direct effect on print quality, durability and the way the roll up is used. These are the substrates used most often:
PP material (polypropylene)
- A smooth, satin surface and good colour reproduction.
- Light and flexible, it rolls easily inside the cassette.
- Available in matt and semi matt versions.
- Our recommended solution for most applications.
PET material (polyester)
- Higher stiffness and resistance to scratching.
- A longer life in intensive use.
- A good choice for premium cassettes with interchangeable graphics.
Blockout for double sided and backlit roll ups
- An opaque material, so the graphic from one side does not show through on the other.
- Necessary for double sided roll ups.
- Heavier than ordinary PP material, but it gives a clean result.
Why latex printing suits roll ups
We print roll ups in latex technology and it is a deliberate choice, not an accident. We write more about the technology itself in a separate article on latex printing, and here we list what matters specifically for exhibition systems.
No smell
Latex inks are water based. Once it leaves the machine the banner has no smell, so it can be carried into a closed room without airing: to a fair, an office, a hotel or a school.
Resistance to scratching and abrasion
The latex ink is sealed by a protective layer applied in the machine, the so called overcoat, and it is this that gives resistance to mechanical damage. It matters with roll ups, which are rolled up and unrolled many times.
Saturated colours
The technology gives a wide colour space and good reproduction of photographs and gradients. The print looks equally good on matt and on satin materials.
High print quality
We work on a new generation machine that holds high resolution, sharp edges of the graphic and even fills, with no banding or steps.
Low emission
Latex inks have a far lower emission of volatile organic compounds than solvent inks and need no airing of the print before it is carried into a room. That is the most frequent reason why they end up in interiors used by people.
Ready at once
A banner printed with this technology is ready to use straight away, with no drying and no airing. Lamination is not necessary, although it does extend the life of the print.
Printing technologies compared
| Feature | Latex | Eco solvent | UV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smell | none | strong, from 2 to 3 days | slight |
| Use indoors | at once | after airing | at once |
| Mechanical resistance | high | medium | very high |
| Colours | very good | good | good |
| Emission into the room | low | high | low |
| Price | medium | low | high |
How to design a roll up graphic? Practical guidance
A good roll up is not only a sharp print, it is above all a well designed graphic. These are the rules we follow ourselves and recommend to every client:
Content hierarchy by the rule of three zones
- The top zone, from 120 to 200 cm. The main line, the key message or the image. This is where the eye lands first, because that height matches the eye level of a standing person.
- The middle zone, from 60 to 120 cm. The elaboration of the offer, the distinguishing points, icons with benefits.
- The lower zone, from 40 to 60 cm. The logo, the web address and a QR code, at a size legible from a few metres. Do not go lower: the bottom strip of the graphic disappears inside the cassette, and what remains near the floor is hidden by people standing around.
Legibility at a distance
- The main line should be legible from 3 to 5 metres.
- Type size for the heading: from 100 to 150 points, counted in a design at 1:1.
- Avoid long texts. A roll up is not a leaflet, it is a billboard.
- At most 5 to 7 lines of text on the whole banner.
Technical parameters of the file
- Resolution: from 100 to 150 dpi at 1:1. A roll up is viewed from a metre and more, so a density of 300 dpi adds nothing, while a file of 85 by 200 cm would grow beyond 200 megapixels. You can work out the right value for your format in the DPI calculator.
- Colour space: CMYK. It is worth checking brand colours beforehand in the CMYK simulation, because saturated blues and greens from the screen change once they move to printing inks.
- File format: PDF, TIFF or a vector file with type converted to curves.
- An allowance for the cassette. The bottom strip of the graphic hides inside the cassette, usually about 10 cm, and that value is added to the height of the file. The exact figure depends on the type of cassette and we will give it with the order.
Frequent mistakes in designs
- Too much text. Nobody will read paragraphs on a roll up.
- A logo at the bottom in miniature. It is meant to be visible, not hidden.
- Photographs at too low a resolution. On a large format every pixel shows.
- No hierarchy. If everything is equally important, nothing draws the eye.
- Colours from the screen space instead of the print space. Neon shades from a monitor do not exist in print.
Where roll ups work? Business applications
Trade fairs and exhibitions
This is the natural environment for a roll up. Quick setup, a professional look, easy transport, in other words a good complement to a fair stand. Put two roll ups on either side of a table and you have a ready display wall.
Receptions and company lobbies
A roll up with the company mission, the current offer or a seasonal campaign is a cheap and effective piece of interior decoration. It can be changed every season, with no investment in permanent fittings.
Conferences and training
As a piece of scenery, a backdrop for photographs or a carrier of logistical information: the agenda, the partners, network access. Increasingly roll ups also serve as a backdrop for the networking area.
Points of sale
Mini roll ups 60 cm wide work on shop counters, at tills and in windows. They promote current offers, new lines or loyalty schemes.
Events and open air occasions
Outdoor roll ups with a weighted base cope with wind and changeable weather. They work at entrances, in sponsor areas and at participant registration.
Consulting rooms, law offices, public offices
Thanks to odourless latex printing, roll ups suit consulting rooms, waiting rooms and public spaces: the print needs no airing and gives off no smell into the room.
Why order a roll up from us
We are not an online print shop that prints „whatever you upload”. We are a creative agency with our own production facilities and that changes everything:
- Latex printing, odourless and with saturated colours. Prints ready at once, with no airing.
- Graphic design. Our team will make sure your roll up looks professional rather than like a free template.
- Quality control at every stage.
- Fast turnaround. Normally from 2 to 3 working days, express in 24 hours.
- Complete service. A roll up is often part of a larger whole. Do you also need business cards, leaflets, a vehicle wrap? We will do it all in one place.
- We look after the printheads and use original inks, without the savings that lower print quality.
- Local service with delivery. We work out of Cieszyn and serve clients across Silesia and the whole of Poland.
What does a roll up cost?
The price depends on the type of cassette, the size, the material and the quantity, so we quote individually. Write or call and we will answer quickly. Roll ups are also in our online shop.
Summary
A roll up is one of the most versatile advertising tools: cheap to produce, easy to transport and effective in use. Three things decide the result: a well designed graphic, the right choice of cassette and material, and the printing technology.
We combine all of these: from the design, through latex printing, to a finished exhibition system in a carry bag. Planning a fair, an event or an office opening? Take a look at our offer of large format printing and tell us what is to appear on the roll up.
