How to renovate a premises or restaurant without work with vinyl covering

Any entrepreneur in the hospitality or retail sector knows the dilemma: the premises need renovation, but a traditional job involves closing for weeks, obtaining licenses, enduring dust and debris, and facing an investment of €30,000 or more. Vinyl coverings are the solution that more and more venues, hotels and restaurants are adopting to transform their image without any of those problems. They are a high-end adhesive film that is applied directly to existing surfaces: walls, floors, ceilings, furniture and appliances. The result is virtually indistinguishable from a new surface, with the advantage that the entire process takes days rather than weeks, does not require a building permit and can be done with the premises up and running (or with minimal disruption).

High-end vinyl coverings (3M DI-NOC, Cover Styl, Belbien) can be applied to virtually any smooth or semi-smooth surface: Walls: The most common application. It allows you to completely change the appearance of a wall without painting, tiling or covering. Available finishes include wood, stone, marble, concrete, metal, textile, microcement and plain colors. Columns and pillars: They transform structural elements into design points. A column covered with marble or wood vinyl provides a level of finish that would cost a lot with real materials. Counters and bar counters: Vinyl adheres perfectly to MDF, wood, melamine and lacquered surfaces. Renovating a bar counter with white marble vinyl or dark wood costs 3-5 times less than replacing it. Floors: With special non-slip and high-resistance vinyls, ceramic, tile or stoneware floors can be renewed without having to remove them. Furniture: Tables, chairs, cabinets, doors and any premises furniture can be renewed without replacing it. Appliances and equipment: Refrigerators, extractor hoods, industrial dishwashers. Vinyl makes them look new or integrates them into the general design of the premises.

The premium covering vinyl catalogs have hundreds of references that perfectly imitate natural and technical materials: Woods: Oak, walnut, pine, bamboo, wenge, teak, in natural, bleached and dark tones. The level of detail in the grain and tactile texture is amazing. Stones and marbles: White Carrara marble, black Marquina, Emperador gray, granite, slate, travertine. They are the most demanded finishes in medium-high level hospitality. Metals: Brushed stainless steel, gold, bronze, copper, aluminum. Widely used in decorative elements and in bar and kitchen areas. Concrete and cement: Industrial cement or vinyl microcement offers the industrial or Nordic look without the complications of the real material. Textile: Velvet, leather, linen and other vinyl fabrics for living areas or headboards. Solid and fancy colors: For those looking for exact corporate colors or custom printed designs.

The cost of renovating with vinyl covering varies depending on the quality of the material, the surface to be covered and the complexity of the installation. As a general reference: - Cover Styl / mid-range: €50 – €80/m² installed - 3M DI-NOC / high range: €80 – €130/m² installed - Belbien / premium range: €100 – €150/m² installed For a typical 100 m² restaurant that needs to renovate walls, bar and columns (about 60 m² of applicable surface), the total cost is around €5,000 – €9,000. Compared to a traditional renovation of the same premises (€20,000 – €40,000 with demolition, new tiling, licenses and closing time), the savings are 60-70%. In addition, we must add the value of the avoided closing time: if your establishment invoices €2,000/day and a project lasts 3 weeks, the real cost of the renovation is much higher than the budget for the project.

A common question is whether vinyl coverings can withstand the intensive use of hospitality. The answer is yes, as long as certified quality materials are used. Durability: 3M DI-NOC, Cover Styl and Belbien vinyls have a guaranteed useful life of 10-15 years indoors under normal conditions of use. Resistance: They are resistant to abrasion, humidity (not recommended in areas of direct immersion), common cleaning products and moderate temperature variations. Maintenance: They are cleaned with the same products that you use for the rest of the surfaces in your premises. They do not require special treatments. Repair: If an area suffers spot damage (a deep scratch or a strong impact), that section can be replaced without having to renew the entire surface. The key is in the quality of the material and professional installation. A properly installed vinyl on a well-prepared surface lasts as long as stated in the manufacturer's specifications.

At Unical Graphic we have been transforming hospitality premises, offices and commercial spaces in Barcelona and throughout Spain with vinyl coverings for years. Some projects that illustrate the possibilities: McDonald's Spain: We have renewed the interior image of multiple McDonald's restaurants with large-format photographic murals and decorative vinyls, without interrupting the restaurant's activity during the installation. Max Fiber Cabrera de Mar: Complete renovation of the premises with vinyl covering on walls, bar and furniture. Total image change in 4 days without works. Barcelona Boutique Hotel: Transformation of rooms and common areas with high-end wood and stone vinyls. The result was a level of finish equivalent to natural materials at a fraction of the cost. Five Guys Barcelona: Interior design and corporate signage for a restaurant. If you want to see more projects, visit our interior design portfolio.