Window graphics look simple, but a few choices decide whether they look sharp for years or peel, fade and bubble after one summer: the type of film, the vinyl grade, which side of the glass it goes on, and how much of the glass you cover. This page explains the options, how long each lasts in Dubai's sun, what the rules allow on a shopfront, what it all costs, and how to plan your windows through the year.
Types of window graphics
The main types of window graphics are printed vinyl decals, cut vinyl lettering, frosted (etched-look) film, one-way vision film and full blockout panels. Each suits a different job: branding, information, privacy, advertising or hiding a space during a fit-out.
| Type | What it is | Best for | See-through? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut vinyl lettering | Letters and logos cut from solid-colour vinyl | Opening hours, logos, phone numbers, door text | Yes, around the letters |
| Printed clear vinyl | Full-colour print on transparent film | Logos and graphics that let light through | Partly |
| Printed white or opaque vinyl | Full-colour print on solid white film | Product images, posters, sale graphics | No |
| Frosted film | Translucent film that looks like etched glass | Privacy in clinics, offices, washrooms, meeting rooms | Light yes, view no |
| One-way vision | Perforated printed film, see-through from inside | Full-window advertising that keeps the view out | From inside only |
| Blockout film | Solid opaque film, often printed | Fit-out hoardings on glass, storerooms, back-of-house | No |
Cut vinyl lettering
Cut vinyl is plain coloured vinyl cut by a plotter into letters, numbers and simple logos, with the background removed so only the design stays on the glass. It's the neatest option for opening hours, phone numbers, website addresses, "Push" and "Pull" on doors, and small logos. It comes in dozens of colours plus metallics and gold. Because nothing is printed, colours don't fade quickly, and good cut vinyl lasts for years. The limit is detail: very thin lines, tiny text under about 10 mm, and photos can't be cut. "Fret cut vinyl" is the same idea used for decorative patterns.
Printed window decals
Printed decals carry full-colour designs: photos, gradients, product shots and complex logos. They're printed on clear film if you want the glass to show through, or white film if you want solid, bright colour. On clear film, light colours look weak against the view behind, so we often print a white layer under the colours for brands that need them to look strong. Printed decals can be cut to shape, so a logo can sit on the glass with no rectangle around it.
Frosted and etched-look film
Frosted film lets light through but blurs the view, like sandblasted glass at a fraction of the cost. It's the standard for clinic and salon windows, office partitions, meeting rooms and ground-floor bathrooms. It can be plain, cut into bands and patterns, or cut with your logo so the logo is the clear part (or the frosted part). Frosted bands also make large glass doors and partitions easier to see, which helps stop people walking into them.
One-way vision film
One-way vision is a perforated vinyl with the graphic printed on the outside face and a black layer behind it. From outside, people see the graphic; from inside, you see out through the holes. The maker Contra Vision explains that the unprinted see-through areas cover up to 50% of the film, and the black backing absorbs light so the view dominates from inside (Contra Vision).
It works best when it's brighter outside than inside, which is true in Dubai for most of the day. At night, with lights on inside, the effect reverses: people outside can see in, and the graphic fades. It also reduces daylight inside noticeably, and it's not ideal for fine text, which the holes break up. One-way vision is very popular for pharmacies, gyms, salons, banks and car windows.
Blockout and privacy panels
Solid opaque film blocks the view completely. We use it for storerooms, back-of-house areas, windows facing a service corridor, and for covering glass during a fit-out, often printed with "Opening soon" graphics. Dark blockout on sun-facing glass needs care, as explained in the section on heat.
3D and raised vinyl effects
"3D vinyl letters" can mean two things: thick foam or acrylic letters fixed on the inside of the glass, facing out, which give depth and a shadow; or layered vinyl that looks raised. Both are good for logos on glass doors and reception partitions. For proper 3D letters on a wall or fascia, see our 3D letter signs.
Office and partition graphics
Inside offices, clinics and showrooms, the same films are used on glass partitions and doors. A frosted band at about 1 to 1.5 metres high gives meeting rooms privacy while keeping the office bright, and a cut logo or pattern in the band adds the brand. Printed clear film can carry company values, a timeline or a map on glass walls, and white or coloured film can turn a partition into a writable surface. For offices, we usually install in one visit after hours, working from the architect's partition drawings so graphics line up across every pane.
Door, hours and information decals
Every shop needs a few small decals: opening hours, payment logos, "No smoking", phone and WhatsApp numbers, delivery app stickers and QR codes. They look best designed as a set, in the same font and colour as your main sign, rather than collected from suppliers over time.
Vinyl grades and how long they last
Sign vinyl comes in three main grades: monomeric (economy), polymeric (intermediate) and cast (premium). A UK sign supplier's guide gives typical outdoor lives of 2 to 5 years for monomeric, 5 to 7 years for polymeric, and about 8 to 10 years for cast vinyl (Graphic Design Supplies). In Dubai's sun, expect the lower end of each range on south- and west-facing glass.
| Grade | Typical outdoor life | Shrinkage | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monomeric (economy) | 2–5 years | Shrinks more over time | Short promotions, sale graphics, events |
| Polymeric (intermediate) | 5–7 years | Less shrinkage | Opening hours, logos, most shop window graphics |
| Cast (premium) | About 8–10 years | Very little | Long-term branding, curved surfaces, vehicles |
A few practical points:
- Shrinkage shows on glass. Cheaper vinyl shrinks in the heat, leaving a line of dirt and adhesive around the edges. On a long-term logo, polymeric or cast is worth the small extra cost.
- Printed graphics need a laminate. A clear protective layer over the print protects it from UV, scratches and cleaning. Unlaminated prints fade and scuff within months in a sunny window.
- Inks matter. We print with UV-resistant inks made for sign use, so colours last as long as the film.
- Short-term doesn't mean cheap-looking. For a two-week sale, economy vinyl is fine, but it should still be printed and cut well.
Designing a shop window that works
A good shop window tells people who you are, what you sell and why to come in, in the few seconds it takes to walk or drive past. That usually means one strong image or message, clear branding, and enough clear glass for people to see inside.
Keep the glass partly clear. A window covered edge to edge looks closed, blocks daylight, and hides the shop from passers-by and from staff inside. For most shops, covering 20 to 40% of the glass with graphics works well: a band at eye level, the lower part for privacy or product display, and the rest clear. One-way vision is the exception, when you want full coverage and still need to see out.
Put the message at eye level. People read between about 1 and 2 metres above the ground. Opening hours and door information go at about 1.4 to 1.6 metres on the door, logos at eye level beside it.
One message per window. A window with a logo, three offers, a QR code and a list of services is read as clutter. Split them across windows, or rotate them through the year.
Think about distance. Text read from across the road needs to be large; a common rule of thumb is about 25 mm of letter height for every 3 metres of distance for eye-catching text. Opening hours on the door can be small because people read them up close.
Use contrast. White or light vinyl reads best on dark tinted glass; dark colours read best on clear glass with a bright interior. Check how the window looks at night with the lights on inside, too.
Match the brand. Use your brand's font and colours, and keep a consistent look across windows, doors and signs. Our shop signs guide covers how the fascia, windows and doors work together.
Windows after dark
Many Dubai shops do most of their trade in the evening, so check how the window works at night. Printed graphics on the inside of the glass are lit from behind by the shop lighting, which makes light colours glow and dark colours look muddy; white-backed prints stay solid. One-way vision becomes see-through from outside at night, which can be a good thing if your interior looks inviting. A small spotlight or LED strip aimed at a key graphic keeps it readable after sunset, and a lit LED sign or neon in the window adds colour without covering the glass.
Window ideas by business type
- Cafés and restaurants: logo on the door, a band with the menu highlights or a hero dish, delivery app logos, frosted band at seated eye level for privacy.
- Clinics, salons and spas: frosted film with a clear logo, or one-way vision with calm imagery, services list on the side glass.
- Fashion and retail: seasonal graphics and sale messages, changed every few weeks, with the product display left visible.
- Pharmacies: services and opening hours, green cross and key offers; one-way vision on side windows.
- Offices and showrooms: frosted manifestation bands with the logo, and a reception wall graphic inside.
- Gyms and studios: one-way vision across the glass for privacy while training, with bold imagery outside.
Dubai sun, heat and your glass
Dubai's sun is hard on window graphics and on the glass itself. Films on sun-facing glass fade and shrink faster, adhesives soften in the heat, and dark solid films can raise the glass temperature enough to crack some types of glass. Choosing the right film, colour and side of the glass avoids most problems.
Thermal cracking
Glass can crack when one part heats up much faster than another, typically when the middle of a pane is in the sun and the edges stay cool in the frame. Contra Vision's technical notes list the main risk factors: solid, non-perforated films, dark colours, annealed (non-toughened) glass, double glazing with low-E coatings, large panes, and blinds or displays close behind the glass that trap heat (Contra Vision). Toughened glass, which is common in shopfronts, is described as very resistant to heat stress.
To keep the risk low, we:
- Check the glass type before fitting large dark or solid graphics.
- Prefer light colours and perforated film on sun-facing glass.
- Leave a gap between the film and the frame; Contra Vision suggests about 50 mm.
- Advise against putting dark backdrops or shelving tight against sunny glass.
Inside or outside the glass?
- Inside (facing out) protects the graphic from dust, cleaning and vandalism, and is what we use for most shop windows. Clear or printed decals are printed in reverse and fitted from inside.
- Outside gives the brightest colour and is needed for one-way vision, frosted film you want to feel, and some tinted or reflective glass where a graphic inside wouldn't show. It needs a tougher laminate and is exposed to window cleaning.
- Tinted and reflective glass can make inside graphics hard to see in daylight. We test a sample on your glass if in doubt.
Window graphics and Dubai's shopfront rules
Window graphics showing your products, services, offers and opening hours are a normal part of a Dubai shopfront. What the 2026 shopfront framework restricts is the trade name: each shop may show one trade name only, and signs must be static, so window graphics shouldn't add a second trade name or brand sign.
The Dubai Media Office summary of the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) framework says that "each commercial establishment is permitted to display one trade name only", that signage must be horizontal with Arabic above English, that changing or animated content is not permitted, and that DET issues permits and carries out inspections (Dubai Media Office).
In practice, for windows:
- Don't repeat or add a trade name on the glass as a second shop sign. Your logo on the door as part of the entrance graphics is common, but a big name panel on the glass that competes with the fascia sign can be treated as a second sign. If in doubt, we check with the permit drawings.
- No moving or flashing content in the trade-name sign. A screen showing offers behind the glass is a separate question; see our digital signage guide.
- Malls set their own rules. Most malls control how much glass can be covered, which colours and fonts can be used, and how long promotional graphics can stay up. Send us the mall's fit-out guidelines and we design within them.
- Landlords and communities in some areas also have design guidelines for shopfronts.
Banners on the outside of a building, hoardings on public land and advertising for other brands need their own permits, which we explain in the next section.
Banners, flex and hoardings
Banners and flex prints are the fastest and cheapest way to put a large graphic on a building, a fence or an event space. They're printed on PVC flex or mesh, finished with welded hems and metal eyelets, and last months rather than years in the sun. Fit-out hoardings use rigid panels or printed film on a frame to hide works and announce a new shop.
Flex banners
Flex is a PVC fabric printed with solvent or UV inks. Frontlit flex is for normal banners; backlit flex lets light through for illuminated boxes; blockout flex is printed both sides; and mesh has small holes so wind passes through, which matters on fences and high buildings. A Dubai print shop quotes standard frontlit flex from about AED 15 to 35 per square metre, finished with hems and eyelets every 50 cm, with an outdoor life of about 6 to 18 months depending on sun and wind (Premium Prints).
"Panaflex" is a name still used in the UAE for flex faces in light boxes. The same material stretched over a lit frame is the budget version of a light box sign.
Roll-ups, flags and event print
Roll-up banners, X-banners, feather flags, backdrops and fabric displays are the portable side of printing, for launches, exhibitions and in-store promotions. Fabric (tension) displays look better in photos than PVC and fold small for storage.
Shop banners and temporary signs
A banner above a new shop while the permanent sign is being made, or a "Now open" or sale banner, is common. Outside the shop, check whether the landlord, mall or community allows it and for how long, because permanent signs on the shopfront need approval and a temporary banner isn't a replacement for your permitted trade-name sign.
Choosing banner size and fixing
A banner needs to be big enough to read from where people will see it and fixed firmly enough to survive the wind. For a shop banner read from across a road, letters of 20 to 30 cm are a sensible minimum. On fences, scaffolding and high walls, mesh reduces wind load, and we add extra eyelets or pole pockets where the wind is strong. Banners should be tied or bolted to something solid, never just taped, and checked after a storm. For anything up for longer than a few months, a printed ACP panel or a proper sign usually works out cheaper than replacing faded banners.
Fit-out hoardings
A hoarding hides a unit during fit-out and turns weeks of building work into advertising: "Coming soon", your logo, the opening date and a QR code to follow you. In malls, hoardings are usually required, and the mall sets the size, material and graphics rules. They're typically built from timber or metal frames with printed vinyl on board, or from printed blockout film on the shop's own glass. Outdoor construction hoardings on streets or public land need approval from the relevant authority and are planned with the contractor.
Sale signs, pavement signs and in-store print
Most shops also need a steady supply of smaller printed items: sale signs, pavement boards, posters, shelf and price signs, wall graphics and rigid printed boards. Getting them made to the same design as your window graphics makes the whole shop look more professional.
- Sale and promotional signs. "50% off", "Sale", "New arrivals" and "Last few days" graphics, printed on removable vinyl for the window, or on boards and hanging signs inside. Removable adhesive lets you take them down without residue when the sale ends.
- Pavement signs (A-boards). Double-sided boards with changeable posters, or chalkboard versions for cafés. Check whether the pavement in front of your shop is yours to use: in malls and many communities it isn't.
- Chalkboard signs. Popular with cafés and boutiques for daily specials, in real chalkboard or a chalk-look print that doesn't smudge.
- Rigid boards. Printed PVC foam board, ACP (aluminium composite) and acrylic for indoor signs, menus, directories and outdoor information signs. "PVC sign board" usually means printed foam board, which is light and cheap but not for long outdoor use; ACP is the durable outdoor choice.
- Wall graphics. Printed wallpaper or vinyl for feature walls, photo walls, office values walls and kids' areas.
- Magnetic signs and decals. Removable magnetic panels for vans and cars, and fridge-style magnets for promotions. Full van branding is on our vehicle branding page.
How much do window graphics and printing cost?
Window graphics are usually priced per square metre plus installation, while small decals and signs are priced per piece. Cut vinyl and frosted film are the most affordable per square metre; printed and one-way vision graphics cost more; hoardings and large installations are quoted per project. The ranges below are typical Dubai prices before VAT and are a guide only.
| Item | Guide price | Typical life in Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Cut vinyl lettering (opening hours, logos) | AED 80–300 per door or window | 5+ years with polymeric vinyl |
| Printed window graphics, laminated | AED 70–150 per m² installed | 2–5 years depending on vinyl and sun |
| Frosted film, plain or cut pattern | AED 40–120 per m² installed | 5+ years |
| One-way vision film, printed | AED 80–160 per m² installed | 1–3 years in strong sun |
| Sale graphics, removable | AED 80–350 per window | Weeks to months |
| Flex banner with hems and eyelets | From about AED 15–35 per m² (Premium Prints) | 6–18 months |
| Printed foam board or ACP sign | AED 40–250 per piece | Indoor years; ACP outdoor years |
| Fit-out hoarding | AED 1,800–12,000 per unit | For the fit-out period |
What changes the price
- Area and number of panes. Many small panes take longer to fit than one large window.
- Film type. One-way vision, printed and laminated graphics, and cast vinyl cost more than plain cut vinyl or economy film.
- Access. High glass, glass over stairs or outdoor work at height may need towers or a lift, and malls often require night installation.
- Removal of old graphics. Taking off old film and adhesive can take as long as fitting the new.
- Design. A simple set of opening hours is quick; a full window campaign with photos and several sizes takes more design time.
- Rush jobs. Same-day or overnight printing for a sale or opening can often be done at a premium.
What's included in our quote
A site survey and measurement, design and a mockup on a photo of your shopfront, printing on the vinyl grade we agree, lamination for printed graphics, cleaning the glass, installation, and removal of your old graphics if you ask. We'll tell you the expected life of each graphic so you can plan replacements.
A year of shop windows in Dubai
Changing window graphics with the seasons keeps a shopfront looking active and gives people a reason to look again. Most Dubai retailers plan around the same few moments, and removable vinyl makes it affordable to change every few weeks.
| When | Occasion | Window ideas |
|---|---|---|
| December–January | Dubai Shopping Festival | Sale graphics, DSF offers, bold colours |
| Varies (moves each year) | Ramadan | Crescent and lantern motifs, iftar timings for restaurants, gift ideas |
| After Ramadan, and two months later | Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha | Eid greetings, gift and fashion promotions |
| Late June–August | Summer sales, Dubai Summer Surprises | Sale graphics, summer ranges |
| Late August–September | Back to school | School supplies, uniforms, electronics offers |
| 2 December | UAE National Day | Flag colours, national day greetings |
| All year | New arrivals, launches | Product images, "New in", QR codes |
We keep your artwork and window measurements on file, so seasonal changes are quick: send the offer, and we send a mockup, print and fit, often overnight so the shop isn't disrupted.
Installation, removal and care
Window graphics are applied to clean glass with a squeegee, either dry or with an application fluid, and trimmed in place. Removal is usually quick for removable vinyl and slower for permanent adhesives and old, sun-baked film.
Installation. We clean the glass, mark positions with a level so graphics line up across panes, apply, and trim neatly at frames and joints. Large panels are applied in overlapping strips. Tiny bubbles in new film often disappear in a few days in the sun; larger ones we fix on the spot.
Removable or permanent adhesive. Removable adhesive is right for anything you'll change within a year or two, such as sale graphics and seasonal campaigns. Permanent adhesive holds better for long-term logos and frosted film. Both come off, but permanent adhesive takes longer and may leave residue.
Removal. Old film, especially film that has been in the sun for years, becomes brittle and comes off in small pieces. We use heat, scrapers suitable for glass and adhesive remover, then clean the glass. Removal is quoted separately so it doesn't surprise you.
Care. Clean window graphics with a soft cloth or sponge and mild soapy water. Avoid ammonia-based glass cleaners, abrasive pads and scrapers on the film, and don't pressure-wash the edges of outside graphics. Ask your window cleaner to work around cut lettering rather than over its edges.
How we work
- Photo or survey. Send photos of your windows with rough sizes for a quick price, or we visit to measure every pane and check the glass type and access.
- Design and mockup. We design the graphics to your brand and place them on a photo of your shopfront, so you can see the coverage, sizes and colours before anything is printed.
- Approval. For malls, we prepare the drawings for the mall's design team. For street shops, we check the design against your permitted signage.
- Printing and cutting. We print with UV-resistant inks on the agreed vinyl grade, laminate printed graphics, and cut and weed lettering in our workshop.
- Installation. We remove old graphics if needed, clean the glass, fit and trim everything, and leave the shop clean, often before opening or after closing.
- Changes. We keep your measurements and files on record, so the next campaign or seasonal change is a quick reprint.
Typical turnaround is 1–3 working days for standard graphics after approval, and longer for large hoardings or full-shop rebrands.