Exhibition stand graphics: what to order for a 3 × 3 m stand

Exhibition stand graphics for a typical 3 × 3 m stand come down to three things: a back wall that carries your name and message at head height, something branded at the front where people approach, and a tidy table or counter. You can build that from a single pop up display, a fabric wall, a backdrop banner or a row of roller banners; the right choice depends on budget, how often you exhibit and how much you want to carry.

This guide goes through the options for exhibition stand graphics in the order you would plan them.

Start with the exhibitor manual #

Before you design anything, read the organiser’s exhibitor manual. It tells you:

• Stand type. A shell scheme comes with walls, often with a fascia board carrying your name. A space-only stand is bare floor, and you bring everything.
• Height limits. Most halls limit how tall your graphics can be, especially at the edges of the stand.
• Fixing rules. Shell scheme walls usually cannot be drilled or painted; organisers often allow hook-and-loop pads or clips only.
• Material rules. Some venues ask for fire-rated or PVC-free materials. If you need a material certificate for a venue, ask us before you order.

The HSE’s event safety guidance sets out the responsibilities organisers work to, which is why these rules exist.

Back wall options for exhibition stand graphics #

Option	Covers	Good if
Pop up display 3×3	A curved wall for a stand about 3 m wide	You exhibit several times a year and want one continuous wall
Stretch fabric wall, 3 m wide	A straight, curved or wave wall	You want a crisp modern look, single or double sided
Trade show backdrop	A large printed banner, such as 9 ft 10 in × 6 ft 7 in (3000 × 2000 mm)	You have a frame or shell scheme wall to hang it on
Three roller banners	Three 850 mm banners side by side	You want flexibility and one-person set-up

For a shell scheme, a pop up display or fabric wall stands in front of the shell walls and hides them. A backdrop banner can hang from the shell scheme frame if the organiser allows it. On a space-only stand, the pop up or fabric wall is your wall.

Shell scheme walls without a frame

If you do not want a back wall system at all, printed panels or a backdrop banner can be fixed directly to the shell scheme walls with the organiser’s approved fixings. It is the lightest way to dress a shell scheme, and the exhibition stand graphics can be rolled up and posted to the venue. Measure the inside of the shell walls from the organiser’s floor plan, not from a generic 3 m figure, because panel sizes vary between venues.

The front of the stand #

The back wall tells people who you are from across the hall; the front is where they decide whether to stop.

• A counter. A rectangle exhibition counter gives you a branded front and a surface for leaflets and a laptop.
• A table with a printed cloth. If the venue supplies a table, a printed tablecloth turns it into part of the stand and hides the boxes underneath.
• A roller banner at the aisle corner. Angled towards the busiest direction of footfall, it catches people before they reach you.

Designing exhibition stand graphics as one set #

Visitors see your stand as a whole, so design it as a whole:

1. Logo and headline high on the back wall. Above the heads of the people standing on your stand, because they will block the lower half.
2. One message per surface. The back wall says what you do; the counter repeats your name; the roller banner carries an offer or a question.
3. Nothing important below 1 m. Tables, people and boxes hide it.
4. Consistent colours and fonts across every piece.
5. Fewer words than you think. People walk past at a steady pace. They should get your message in a few seconds.

Our trade show stand checklist covers the rest of the kit to pack, from cable ties to spare leaflets.

Artwork for fabric and pop up graphics #

Fabric graphics wrap around frames, so the artwork template matters more than on a flat banner. Always start from the template for the exact frame, keep text and logos inside the marked safe area, and extend backgrounds into the bleed. On curved and wave walls, keep the headline on the flattest part of the curve, where it faces the aisle. On a pop up display, the ends of the curve are seen at an angle, so use them for colour or a photo rather than text.

Every uploaded file gets a free file check by a person for size, resolution and bleed before printing. If you would rather not wrestle with templates, our artwork service can set the whole stand out from your brief.

On the day #

Allow more build-up time than you think for the first show. Unpack everything the day it arrives and do a trial build in your office or warehouse, so you know how the frames go together and which graphic goes where. Pack cable ties, scissors, a small step, a cloth for fingerprints and spare hook-and-loop pads. Take photos of the finished stand; they show you what to change for the next show and are useful for your website.

Budgeting over several shows #

Think about how many shows you will do with the same exhibition stand graphics. A pop up display or fabric wall costs more up front than roller banners, but if you exhibit several times a year it gives a better stand every time. Frames last far longer than one campaign: when your message changes, you can order replacement graphics for pop up and fabric frames rather than a whole new kit.

If you only exhibit once, three roller banners are the flexible choice: afterwards they can go to your reception, a branch or another event.

Timing #

Exhibition products take longer than simple banners. Fabric pop up stands are around a week to dispatch on the standard option and fabric walls a little longer, so order well before the show, allow for delivery, and check the live days on each product page. If you are sending graphics to the venue rather than your office, check the organiser’s delivery windows; many halls only accept deliveries on build-up days.

UK mainland delivery is £7.95 per order and free when your goods total is £99 or more after discount codes. Browse our full range of exhibition displays to compare every option for your exhibition stand graphics.