How It Works
Our Retail Hoarding Graphics Process — Survey, Design, Print & Install
Our retail hoarding graphics are designed, printed and installed within 10 business days — covering up to 2,000 sqft per project. Here's exactly what happens between your first brief and a live hoarding on the mall floor at Rapid Retail Graphics.
Most projects run 8–14 business days end-to-end depending on store type and substrate. Below is the full step-by-step workflow, the timelines we hold ourselves to, and the questions we get asked most often.
Start Your ProjectThe Hoarding Graphics Process by the Numbers
- 1–5 days
- Print and install turnaround after artwork approval
- 24–48 hrs
- Rush option when artwork and survey are ready
- ~$6/sq ft
- Typical installed price benchmark for printed vinyl
- ~70%
- Share of mall hoardings we wrap in matte-laminated vinyl
Source: Rapid Retail Graphics project data across US and Canadian malls. See our pricing for details.
Watch the process
Survey → Artwork → Print → Install
A 45-second walkthrough of how a retail hoarding graphics project moves from a measured site to a finished, installed wall — typically in 10 business days. See the process applied on real mall rollouts.
Retail hoarding graphics · Full process · 0:45
Days 1–2
Step 1: Site Survey & Measurements
We visit the location to measure wall dimensions and assess surface conditions. Every project starts with a laser-measured site survey so artwork fits the first time, every time.
What we measure and why it matters
We capture wall heights, panel widths, door positions, fire equipment, columns, and any utility access points — anything the install crew or the mall will care about. Skipping this step is the #1 cause of reprints, missed openings, and budget overruns. A 60-linear-foot hoarding measured wrong costs $3,000+ to reprint; a survey costs us a half day.
Days 3–5
Step 2: Custom Design & Proofing
Brand files are adapted to hoarding dimensions and submitted for client sign-off. Our design team works directly from your existing brand kit so nothing is reinvented or watered down.
Working with your existing brand files
Send us your logo files (.ai, .eps, .svg), brand fonts, and any approved campaign visuals. We adapt them to the hoarding template at full scale (1:1) with bleed zones, panel breaks, and obstruction cut-outs marked. You get a print-ready PDF proof and a photorealistic mockup of how it will look on site. Most clients approve in one round; we plan for up to two.
Days 5–8
Step 3: Large-Format Printing
Graphics are printed on commercial-grade vinyl or fabric substrates using solvent or latex inks rated for indoor mall conditions. Every panel is laminated, trimmed, and labelled before it leaves the shop.
Materials: vinyl, fabric, and rigid substrates
Adhesive vinyl with matte laminate is the workhorse — used on roughly 70% of mall hoardings. For premium flagships and luxury brands, we print on tension fabric or rigid Sintra/PVC for a flatter, more finished look. Coroplast is available for short-term or budget builds. We confirm the substrate during quoting so the price you see covers exactly what gets installed.
Days 8–10
Step 4: Professional Installation
Our install team coordinates with mall management for access and permit compliance. Most installs happen overnight or before mall open so there's zero impact on adjacent retailers.
Permit coordination and mall compliance
We handle COIs, mall hoarding permits, after-hours access requests, and crew sign-in. Our installers carry mall-approved equipment and follow each centre's hoarding standards (ICSC, Cadillac Fairview, Simon, Brookfield, Westfield). You get photo documentation of the finished install the same night, ready to forward to your landlord or leasing team.
Typical project timeline by store type
Timelines vary by store size, substrate, and approval cycles. These ranges reflect our actual delivery data across hundreds of mall hoarding projects in North America. See retail hoarding graphics pricing for cost estimates by project size.
| Store Type | Survey to Install | Typical Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion Retail | 8–10 days | 400–800 sqft |
| Food & Beverage | 6–8 days | 200–400 sqft |
| Luxury Flagship | 10–14 days | 800–2,000 sqft |
| Electronics | 8–10 days | 400–700 sqft |
| Health & Beauty | 7–9 days | 300–600 sqft |
Frequently asked questions about hoarding timelines
The questions retail construction managers, leasing coordinators, and brand teams ask us most often. Read the full hoarding graphics FAQ for more answers.
Dive deeper into each phase
About the author
Bryce Westlund is the founder of Rapid Retail Graphics. He has spent more than a decade in large-format retail graphics and personally coordinates every hoarding project — from the first site survey through printing and after-hours installation — for brands and mall landlords across the United States and Canada. Read more about how we work, or talk to Bryce about your project.
Ready to start your hoarding project?
Tell us the mall, the unit number, and your handover date — we'll come back with a survey window and a fixed quote within one business day.
Get a Quote