A roll-up banner is the cheapest way to look professional at an event — but only if the artwork is built to the right size and rules. Get the dimensions, the base zone and the resolution right, and one file serves you for years; get them wrong and your message is cut off at the bottom or pixelated from across the room. This guide covers every sizing decision, and sits under our large-format printing guide.

Standard roll-up sizes

The most common pull-up width is 85cm, with 100cm and 120cm for a wider, more commanding presence; the printed height is usually around 2 metres. Our standard roll-up covers the everyday case, the premium roll-up uses a sturdier base and an anti-curl film for repeated use, and the mini roll-up is sized for tabletops and reception counters. Choose the width by how much wall you want to own and how far away your audience stands.

Mind the base zone

The single most common roll-up mistake is letting important content disappear into the base. The bottom 8–10cm of the artwork rolls into the cassette and is never seen once the banner is standing. Keep logos, text and anything you need read well above that zone — and remember that a website or call to action sitting too low will be invisible to everyone standing up.

The visible window: design top-down

People read a roll-up from about 2–3 metres away, scanning top to bottom, so design in that order:

  • Top third: logo and headline — the part that carries across a hall and pulls people over.
  • Middle: one supporting message, a key benefit or a single product shot.
  • Lower (above the base): website, QR code and a short call to action.

One message per banner. A roll-up that tries to say three things says nothing; if you have three messages, you need three banners.

Bleed, safe area and resolution

  • Bleed: extend the background 10–20mm beyond the trim on all sides so no white edge shows.
  • Safe area: keep text 15–20mm inside the edges, and well above the base zone.
  • Resolution: 100–150 DPI at full printed size is plenty — but it must be at full size, not a small image stretched up. Vector logos stay crisp at any scale; export photos at their full dimensions.

Colour and contrast

Supply CMYK artwork; bright RGB blues and greens often shift on print, and a banner that looked vivid on screen can disappoint in the hall. Avoid pure 100% black for large fills — a rich black (around C40 M30 Y30 K100) looks deeper and more even. Keep strong contrast between text and background so the message reads from a distance; pale text on a busy photo is the fastest way to make a banner unreadable.

File format and supply

Supply a print-ready PDF with fonts embedded or outlined and images at full resolution. One clean, flattened PDF avoids the back-and-forth that delays a job, and means the same file re-prints onto fresh hardware whenever you need it. The full per-product requirements are on our output specs page, and the wider artwork rules are in print-ready file setup.

Choosing the right roll-up for the job

  • Occasional use, tight budget: a standard roll-up does the job.
  • Frequent shows and travel: a premium roll-up with a heavier base and anti-curl film lasts far longer.
  • Tabletop or reception: a mini roll-up.
  • Cheapest possible single banner: an X-stand holds a banner for less, though it is less sturdy than a cassette base.

Single vs double-sided

Most roll-ups are single-sided, designed to stand against a wall or at the edge of a stand. If your banner will be seen from both directions — in the middle of a walkway or a double-sided island stand — order a double-sided roll-up so the message reads correctly whichever way a visitor approaches.

Caring for your roll-up

A roll-up is built to be reused, and a little care makes it last:

  • Retract the graphic fully and store it in its base or tube; never leave it standing for weeks.
  • Roll the film print-side out to avoid creases.
  • Transport the base upright to protect the mechanism.
  • Keep your print-ready file so a damaged graphic is a quick reprint onto the same base, not a new purchase.

Common roll-up design mistakes

  • Content in the base zone. The bottom 8–10cm vanishes into the cassette.
  • Too much text. From 3 metres, one clear message beats a paragraph.
  • Low-resolution logo. A web logo looks fine on screen and fuzzy at full size.
  • RGB colour. Bright screen colours shift in CMYK printing.
  • No contrast. Pale text on a busy background is unreadable across a hall.

A pre-order checklist

  • Width chosen for the space (85 / 100 / 120cm).
  • Key content above the base zone.
  • Top-down hierarchy: logo, message, call to action.
  • Bleed, safe area and full-size resolution set.
  • CMYK colour, rich black, fonts embedded.
  • Single or double-sided decided.

Where to place a roll-up

A roll-up only works where people see it. At a stand, put one at each open edge facing the aisle; in a shop or reception, place it where the eye lands on entry, not tucked beside a doorway. Keep it out of high-traffic knock zones where it gets bumped, and never block a fire exit or walkway. The right position is often worth more than the design — a brilliant banner in a dead corner reaches nobody.

Lighting and visibility

A roll-up in shadow disappears. Indoors, place it where existing light falls on the face, or add a clip light for a dim corner. Avoid standing it against a window, where backlight turns the graphic into a silhouette. A well-lit banner in a visible spot does more than a bigger, darker one — visibility beats size every time.

Roll-up vs other display stands

A roll-up is self-contained: graphic and base in one, up in seconds. An X-stand is cheaper and lighter but less stable, better for low-traffic indoor spots. For a full back wall you want a backdrop, not a row of roll-ups — compare the options in pop-up vs pull-up displays. Match the stand to the job and the budget rather than defaulting to whatever you used last time.

Reprinting and rebranding

The base and mechanism of a roll-up usually outlast several graphics, so when your design or offer changes, you often only need a new printed film, not new hardware. Keep your print-ready file and note the exact model, and a rebrand or a new campaign is a quick, cheap reprint onto the base you already own. This is the quiet economy of buying a quality base once.

Getting the most from one banner

A single well-designed roll-up can work harder than several rushed ones. Make it generic enough to reuse — lead with your brand and core message rather than a dated offer — and it serves event after event without a reprint. Save the time-sensitive "show-only price" messaging for a second, cheaper banner you can replace, and keep the main roll-up as your evergreen brand piece. One evergreen banner plus one swappable offer banner covers most situations for years.

A quick design checklist

  • One message, top-down hierarchy.
  • Logo and headline in the top third.
  • Nothing important in the bottom 8–10cm.
  • High contrast, big readable type.
  • CMYK, rich black, embedded fonts, full-size images.
  • Bleed and safe area set, file supplied as a print-ready PDF.

How long does a roll-up last?

With care, the base and mechanism last for years and many shows; the printed film is the part that wears, fading slowly in strong light and creasing if folded. Treat the graphic gently — retract it between uses, store it rolled — and a quality roll-up easily survives dozens of events. When the film finally tires or the design changes, reprint just the graphic onto the same base.

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard roll-up size? 85cm wide is the most common, with 100cm and 120cm for a bigger presence; height is around 2 metres.

Why is my text cut off at the bottom? It sits in the base zone — the bottom 8–10cm that rolls into the cassette. Keep content above it.

Can I reuse a roll-up? Yes — retract and store it carefully, and reprint just the graphic onto the same base when the design changes.

Is a roll-up suitable for outdoors? Briefly and in calm conditions only — it is an indoor display. For outdoors, use a feather flag or an outdoor-rated banner instead.

What weight of base should I choose? A heavier base stands more steadily and survives travel better; a premium roll-up's base is worth it if the banner moves between events.

Compare roll-ups with backdrops in pop-up vs pull-up displays, and order from the banner range.