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Large format: banners, rigid panels, XXL posters — which medium for which use?

Published 5 July 2026 · Welye products

Large format is unforgiving: at this scale, a wrong material choice shows from afar — literally. Façade, construction site, window, event: here is the right medium for each situation, and the design rules that change everything.

Banners: flexibility at every scale

• ✓Classic PVC banner with eyelets: events, façades, site hoardings. Robust, no length limit (welded panels beyond 5 m).
• ✓Perforated mesh: wherever there's wind — scaffolding, fences, large façades. Air passes through, no sail effect.
• ✓Tension fabric: the premium, glare-free look — backdrop walls, showrooms, photocalls. Light, foldable, reusable.

Rigid panels: built to last

Dibond (two aluminium sheets on a polyethylene core) stays perfectly flat, even in large sizes and outdoors: signage, site boards, professional plaques. Forex PVC, lighter, is the natural indoor choice: point-of-sale displays, exhibition signage, décor. Straight or shaped cutting (letters, logo), drilling for fixing — details on the rigid panels page, and the material comparison in our rigid supports article.

Posters, from A2 to XXL

In a window or a hall, the poster remains the most direct tool. The legibility rule that saves layouts: a headline readable from 5 metres needs letters about 7 cm tall — and that goes for every medium on this page. Beyond standard sizes, the XXL poster dresses an event or an entire wall.

Resolution: large format's classic trap

Good news: a façade banner doesn't need 300 dpi. Useful resolution depends on reading distance — the further away people look from, the fewer pixels you need. That's why we check every large-format file against its real use before printing, free of charge. Send the artwork with the intended location: we'll validate together.

Designing for distance

• ✓One message, not ten: large format is read in motion — one strong promise and a contact are enough.
• ✓Bold contrast: dark on light or the reverse, and colours that cut through the surroundings.
• ✓Generous margins: on an eyeleted banner, keep information away from edges and tension zones.
• ✓Think about night-time: a lit or backlit medium isn't designed like a daytime one.

And to last outdoors?

Outdoors combines UV, rain and temperature swings. The right reflexes: UV lamination for colours that stay, materials rated for exposure (we advise based on the façade's orientation), and wind-appropriate fixing. A well-chosen, well-fixed medium crosses the seasons without fading.

Overview on the large format page — and for vinyl shop windows, our dedicated guide.