Everyone in a building waits at the elevator. That makes elevator doors some of the most viewed surfaces in a lobby. A wrap turns plain steel into a brand wall, a welcome message or an event announcement, and it comes off when the message changes.
In this guide
- Elevator Wraps at a Glance
- Who Uses Elevator Wraps
- The Right Film for Metal Doors
- Get Building Approval First
- What to Keep Clear
- Timing the Install
- Design Tips
- Measuring Elevator Doors
- Inside the Cab
- Matching Lobby Graphics
- How We Handle Elevator Wraps Jobs
- Common Questions About Elevator Door Wraps
- Plan With the Building
Elevator Wraps at a Glance
Who Uses Elevator Wraps
- Office buildings for tenant branding and amenity news.
- Residential buildings for leasing and community events.
- Hotels and venues for conferences and weddings.
- Schools and hospitals for school colors, donors and wayfinding.
The Right Film for Metal Doors
Elevator doors are smooth metal, often stainless steel, that slide all day. Use a conformable cast film with an air release adhesive and a laminate that resists scratches. The film must wrap cleanly to the door edges without bulking up the gap. Films such as Avery Dennison Supreme Wrapping Film and cast wrap films from 3M are common choices.
Get Building Approval First
Elevators are inspected equipment, and building managers usually control what goes on them. Ask management and the elevator service company before you plan a wrap. Some will ask for the film data sheet, including fire rating, and an install schedule.
What to Keep Clear
- Call buttons and their panels.
- Floor indicators and arrival lights.
- Fire service signs and emergency instructions.
- Door edges, sensors and any gap where the doors meet.
Our guide to elevator graphics and fire code explains what must stay visible.
Timing the Install
Elevators cannot be out of service for long in a busy building. Wrapping is usually done one car at a time, early in the morning or on weekends, with the elevator company or building engineer on hand to hold the doors open. A pair of doors often takes an hour or two.
Design Tips
- Treat both doors as one image, with the seam down the middle in mind.
- Keep faces and key words away from the center seam.
- Use bold images; people see the doors from across the lobby.
- Carry the design onto the frame or wall with wall wraps if allowed.
Measuring Elevator Doors
Every elevator is a little different. We measure each door panel, the gap between panels, the frame and the distance to the call buttons, and photograph the controls and signs that must stay clear. Doors that look identical often vary by a fraction of an inch, so each panel is printed to its own size.
Inside the Cab
Cab walls and inside door faces can be wrapped too, with approval. Inspection certificates, capacity plates, emergency phones and controls must stay visible. Interior cab wraps suit hotels and venues that want a full branded ride.
Matching Lobby Graphics
An elevator wrap looks best when the lobby carries the same design: a wall wrap beside the doors, floor decals leading to the elevators and a lobby sign with the building name.
How We Handle Elevator Wraps Jobs
Every elevator wraps job at Gogi Signs follows the same path from our Linden, New Jersey shop. It starts with a site survey or photos of the space, then a scaled layout from our sign design team. We check the town rules through our sign permits service when the graphic counts as a sign, cut or print it in house through our vinyl cutting and print shop, and our own crews handle graphics installation across New Jersey and New York City. When old graphics or signs have to come down first, the sign removal crew does it in the same visit.
Most clients pair elevator wraps with related work such as wall wraps, floor decals and window frosting. See the full range on our vinyl graphics page or browse more guides on the Gogi Signs blog.
Common Questions About Elevator Door Wraps
Will the wrap damage the stainless steel?
Quality films come off cleanly with heat. Removal should be done by a trained installer.
Can you wrap the inside of the cab?
Often yes, with approval. Interior panels and doors can be wrapped too.
How long does an elevator wrap last?
Indoors, cast films last years. Many wraps are swapped long before that.
Can you wrap other lobby doors too?
Yes. Metal and wood doors can be wrapped the same way.
Do wraps affect how the doors close?
Not when the film is thin and kept off the door edges and sensors.
Can you wrap escalator panels?
Some side panels can be wrapped with approval. Moving parts cannot.
Plan With the Building
Get approval, keep controls and safety signs clear, and schedule around traffic. For more lobby graphics see Signs NY wall graphics, and for cast wrap film work see the vehicle wraps from Pixel Wraps, our sister graphics shop. Start on our elevator wraps page.
Sources and further reading
- Avery Dennison: Supreme Wrapping Film
- 3M: Print Wrap Film IJ180mC
- NFPA 101: Life Safety Code
- NJ Department of Community Affairs: codes and standards
- U.S. Access Board: ADA standards
- 3M: graphics and signage films
- Avery Dennison: graphics solutions
- ORAFOL: ORACAL 651 intermediate calendered film
- ORAFOL: ORACAL 751C high performance cast film
- Avery Dennison: perforated window films
- Signs NY: wall graphics
- Pixel Wraps
