How to store banners
Cleaning and drying before storage, rolling PVC and mesh print side out, where not to keep banners, and storing boards, roller banners and flags for reuse.
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How to store banners so they come out ready for the next event: clean them, dry them completely, roll them loosely print side out, and keep them somewhere dry at room temperature, ideally in a tube. Never fold a PVC banner hard or store it damp. Rigid boards live flat, roller banners stay in their bases, and flags go away clean and dry. Done properly, the same banner can go up again and again.
Before you put anything away #
Most storage damage is done in the ten minutes after a banner comes down. Three checks first:
- Clean. Mud, bird mess and traffic film bake on in storage and are much harder to remove later. See our guide on how to clean a PVC banner.
- Dry. A banner rolled even slightly damp can grow mould, stick to itself and smell. Hang it or lay it out until both sides are fully dry.
- Tidy. Snip off every cable tie and pull out any cord. Hard tie ends pressed into a roll leave dents across every layer.
How to store banners made of PVC and mesh #
PVC banners (440gsm) and mesh banners (260gsm) are both flexible, but a sharp fold leaves a permanent crease in the print. Rolling is always better than folding, and it is the heart of how to store banners that stay crease-free.
How to store banners: what you need
- A clean floor or large table to lay the banner out.
- A cardboard tube a little longer than the banner is high.
- Soft ties, string or wide elastic bands (not tape on the print).
- A marker pen and label.
- Lay it flat, print side down. Spread the clean, dry banner on a clean surface with the printed side facing the floor.
- Start at a short edge. Roll from one of the shorter ends so the roll is as long as the banner is tall, which keeps it loose and even.
- Roll print side out, loosely. Roll with the print on the outside of the roll, keeping the edges lined up. A loose roll the thickness of a drainpipe is better than a tight one the size of a broom handle.
- Tie it gently. Hold the roll with two soft ties or elastic bands near the ends. Do not tape onto the print; tape can lift ink when it comes off.
- Tube it and label it. Slide the roll into a tube, or wrap it in clean paper, and write the event name, size and date on the outside so you can find it without unrolling everything.
- Store it lying down. Put the tube on a shelf or rack horizontally, somewhere dry, away from radiators and direct sun. Nothing heavy on top.
If space forces a fold, make it one or two loose folds with a rolled towel in each fold, never flattened, and only for a short time. Banners over 9 ft 10 in (3000 mm) on a side are easier to roll with two people.
Where not to keep banners #
| Place | Problem |
|---|---|
| Van or car boot | Heat builds up in summer and softens PVC; heavy kit gets thrown on top. |
| Garden shed or damp garage | Damp and cold can mean mould and stiff, cracked PVC. |
| Loft | Very hot in summer, cold in winter, and hard to reach. |
| Standing on end in a corner | The bottom edge crushes and the roll can bend or slump. |
A dry cupboard, an office store room or under a bed in a heated building is better than any of these. If you remember one rule about how to store banners, make it this: dry, cool and lying flat or rolled, never damp, hot or crushed.
Rigid boards, roller banners and flags #
Foamex, Dibond and Correx boards
Store rigid signs flat, stacked face to face with a sheet of clean paper or card between each one, or upright in a rack where they are fully supported. Leaning a Foamex board against a wall for months can make it bow. Keep boards away from heat, which can warp them, and away from sharp tools that can gouge the print.
Roller banners
A roller banner stores itself: the graphic stays rolled inside its base. Wipe it clean before it goes in, keep the base lying flat, and store it indoors. Our guide on how to set up a roller banner explains how to pack it down without damaging the graphic.
Flags
Flags must be fully dry before they are rolled or folded. Store the sleeve, the pole sections and the base together, and empty any water base before it goes away. Our guide to putting up a feather flag covers packing down.
Reusing banners between events #
Knowing how to store banners well is what makes reuse work. A few habits help:
- Design for reuse. Leave dates and prices off a banner you want to use every year; put them on a smaller sign or sticker instead.
- Keep a list. A simple note of what you own, its size and where it is saves reordering something that is already in the cupboard.
- Check before the event, not on the day. Unroll it a few days ahead to look for damage, missing eyelets or marks you need to clean.
Reuse is also the best thing you can do for a banner at the end of its life; Recycle Now has general advice on reducing waste, and our article asking can PVC banners be recycled gives the honest answer.
Still not sure? #
If a banner has been damaged in storage, or you want a size that fits your storage space better next time, call 0161 315 1151 or use the contact form.
