Barber shop graphics
Your customer spends the whole cut looking into a mirror. Whatever you put on the wall behind the chair, they see it the wrong way round.
Design for the mirror.
This is what separates a barber's wall from any other shop wall. The customer in the chair faces a mirror, so the wall behind them is read in reverse. A slogan there becomes gibberish. A logo flips. So the most-viewed wall in the shop should carry images and pattern with no words: a large photograph, a tiled or wood effect, or a skyline. Save your words for the walls a customer faces directly, such as the waiting bench or the side wall.
Take a look in your mirrors from the chair before you design anything. Note what shows, and at what size. That is your real layout.
The window does the selling
Most barbers rely on people walking past and deciding to come in. Your window has to answer three questions at a glance: is this a barber, how much, and can I just walk in?
- Trade name. Gold or white cut vinyl on glass suits the traditional look, and it leaves the window open.
- Walk-ins welcome. For a shop that takes walk-ins, this is often the most useful line on the glass.
- Hours. Keep these low on the door, in a separate piece, since they are the part that changes.
- Privacy. A band of frosted vinyl at seated height lets in light while sparing customers from being stared at mid-cut.
If you share a parade with salons, our page on hair salon window graphics covers softer approaches.
Hair is the enemy of fabric
Fine clippings cling to anything woven or textured, and talc and spray settle on every surface. That rules out fabric wall coverings near the chairs. Choose smooth, wipeable materials, and consider whether a basin nearby brings splashes too.
| Spot | Good choice | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Behind the chairs | Laminated self-adhesive vinyl | Fabric or text |
| By the wash basin | Sealed Dibond or Foamex panel | Unlaminated paper |
| Waiting area wall | Vinyl, a mounted print or a canvas | Anything that sits low enough to get knocked by bags |
| Price list | A board at eye level, in view of the waiting bench | Tiny type behind the till |
Price lists that change
Prices go up, and reprinting a big sign every time is wasteful. Keep the service list on a board and put the prices on a smaller replaceable strip, or use cut vinyl that can be peeled and replaced figure by figure.
| Letter height | Price |
|---|---|
| 15mm to 40mm | £0.65 |
| 41mm to 80mm | £0.99 |
| 81mm to 120mm | £1.40 |
| 121mm to 180mm | £2.70 |
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Lettering and shop interiors.
Your questions.
Could we print mirrored text so it reads correctly in the mirror?
It can be done, and it makes a fun talking point. Remember it will read backwards to everyone facing that wall directly, including anyone waiting.
Does gold vinyl look as good as gilding?
It does not have the depth of hand gilding, but it gives a similar feel for far less, and it is much easier to change. Ask us about the colours we can supply.
Will window vinyl block too much light?
Cut lettering barely affects light. A frosted band still lets daylight through while hiding the detail behind it.