DESIGN PROCESS:

Q. How does the design process work?

A. The best way to start the design process is to search our online catalog. There you will be able to search thousands of currently available patterns.
If you would like to tour our studio or have our Interior Design Consultant come to your facility, we would be happy to arrange that. We know that for most customers, this may not be feasible. If you know what project you have in mind, contact our design studio directly and let us know what your parameters are. Be as specific as possible. Let us know your preference for size, substrates, originality, time-frame, etc. Also let us know if you would like us to provide the artwork of if you’d like to provide your own images (restrictions apply).*
We will help you determine which option is best for you: choosing an existing pattern “as is,” a semi-custom project that is recolored/tweaked, or a fully customize design project. Send us some digital images of your fabrics and interior space and your specifications or send us pieces of your other decor selections and interior finishes. We can e-mail some preliminary images of products that might work for you and information about some of the newest options we have available. After this initial consultation, we will assess how long your project will be expected to take and what fees are involved.

Q. How long does the design process take?

A. Design times vary. If it is only a matter of re-coloring an existing pattern and the team’s schedule is light, it should easily take less than five business days. However, if we need to create something brand new, using either traditional or digital media, depending on the complexity of the design, the creative team’s workload, and the medium used, it may take up to several weeks. The best thing to do is to contact QEP’s creative team directly and schedule a consultation. (Customers may expect reasonable additional delays incurred by shipping, travel or other logistical considerations.) Rush orders can sometimes be accommodated.

Q. Custom design and color work sounds expensive. What sort of fees do you charge for design services?

A. Based on the quality and amount of customization we offer, our fee schedule is very affordable. Most design fees will be offset by the first production order. Highly customized, low volume projects may be subject to additional studio fees. High volume customers may have studio fees waived. Please contact us directly for further details.

Q. Are there increased costs for the number of colors used?

A. No. Since we print digitally with process color, colors do not have an “assigned” position. Any number of colors may be represented in a pattern. However, we currently do not print with any metallic or pearlescent inks.

Q. I don’t want anyone else to have a wall border like mine. Do you offer exclusivity?

A. We will be happy to offer patterns exclusive to you. However, QEP cannot guarantee that patterns and color-ways we currently offer in our catalog will be exclusive. Most of our borders offer a certain amount of uniqueness based on your requests and considerations. Please note that requesting an “exclusive” design may add to the creative team’s design time. Rest assured, however, that your exclusive design will NOT be offered in our online catalog.

*It is unlawful to reproduce copyrighted material without express written consent of the copyright holder

FRAME-ABLE ART PRINTS:

Q. What does the design process for frame-able art prints entail?

A. The design process for frame-able art prints is similar to that for wall borders. Design times vary greatly based on size and complexity.

Q. What are your available sizes for frame-able art prints?

A. We can print art prints up to 50” wide on a variety of substrates including photo paper and a canvas material.

Q. Do you offer framing/matting services?

A. Currently QEP does not offer framing or matting services for our artwork, although we can print a faux matte around our prints. We would be happy to refer you to reputable companies who specialize in framing services.

Q. How much do your frame-able art prints cost?

A. Costs are figured per sq. foot and vary by substrate.

Q. Do you offer original artwork for sale?

A. QEP does not currently offer original artwork for sale. However, we offer the option of exclusive design/pattern for art prints. We can also take your own original artwork* and reproduce it as exclusive prints. (*Size restrictions of original artwork work may apply. It is unlawful to reproduce copyrighted material without express written consent of the copyright holder.)

SAMPLES/ON-LINE CATALOG:

Q. I’m having trouble ordering samples online. What am I doing wrong?

A. Make sure that you’ve successfully registered online and that you are currently logged-in. Once you’ve selected your border choices by size and substrate, your order will automatically be e-mailed to our design center. If you still have problems or questions about ordering samples online, please contact webmaster@qepdesign.com or call 574-294-6943 to talk with our design studio.

Q. Why do I have to register to order samples?

A. The registration process allows QEP to better serve design professionals and purchasing agents. Registration also allows you access to services such as current product lists and updates on new products/services. QEP only accesses information necessary for purchasing, shipping, and customer service. We do not share your information with any third party.
You can also call (574-294-6943) or fax (574-295-5123) your border sample request, but your request may not be processed as quickly as an online request. Please be as specific as possible about pattern number, size, and substrate and make sure that we have your correct contact and shipping information so that we can verify your order.

Q. What do I do if I’ve forgotten my password?

A. There is a link on the log-in page where you can enter your e-mail address. Your password will be immediately e-mailed to that address. If you have changed e-mail addresses, you may need to re-register in order to have access to some of our online services.

Q. When I order samples of your decorative border product, how long will it take before I can see those samples?

A. Once you’ve submitted your request for samples, we can usually process your request within five business days.

Q. Do you charge a fee for the wall border samples that I order from your catalog?

A. QEP does not charge a sampling fee to design professionals or purchasing agents. However, we reserve the right to restrict the number and frequency of requests for samples.

Q. There are so many patterns to choose from. Can you just send me some samples of your product?

A. We would be happy to send you a few representative samples some of our patterns. Selection varies.

Q. I looked at your catalog and I didn’t see anything that would work for me? Don’t you have any other patterns?

A. With thousands of patterns and color ways available, chances are you’ll find something you like. We create of new patterns and/or color ways every week, and those patterns may not yet be included in the catalog. Contact the studio directly and we would be happy to e-mail some catalog images of patterns we think might work for you.

Q. Do you have a printed catalog?

A. We currently have over 38,000 patterns in our border collection and are adding more every week. It is not feasible for us to keep an updated catalog of all of our patterns and color ways of those patterns. We are currently working on a less comprehensive thumbnail book of many of our pattern choices. Check with our design studio for availability.

PURCHASING/ORDERS:

Q. What is the size of a minimum order? How much material do I have to order at once?

A. We offer some of the lowest minimums around.

• Our minimum order for pressure-sensitive seam tape comes in 50 yard rolls and varies by width.
• Our minimum order for wall border is four 50-yard (45.72m) rolls of decorative wall border (200 yds. or roughly 183m) per pattern.
• Minimum orders for artwork vary by size. Contact us directly for details.

Q. What are your lead times for production?

A. Once you’ve finalized a pattern, we can usually process your border or seam tape order withing five working days. Artwork lead times are somewhat longer and vary by project. Shipping times may vary.

Q. What if I don’t want/need 200 yds. of each pattern?

A. Our minimum order is 200 yards per pattern, which is a very reasonable commercial order. Requests for smaller orders may not be granted and additional lead time and fees may apply.

Q. What wall border widths do you offer?

A. Any QEP wall border pattern may be printed from 2” up to 11 1/2” wide. However, we offer price breaks at 3.75” and 5.75” and 9” widths. Our most popular widths are 3.75”, 5.75” and 7” wide.

Q. What wall border substrates do you offer?

A. Although we print on a variety of substrates, the most common peel-and-stick substrates are: clear, opaque white vinyl, and paper-based. We can also print on plain, unpasted paper.

Q: What if I want to add my own/someone else’s adhesive to your border?

A: QEP cannot warrantee any adhesive other than our own and you must make considerations for additional lead time and fees not associated with QEP.

Q. Do you stock any finished goods?

A. The short answer is “no.” Because virtually all of our work is custom, we print-to-order by size, substrate, pattern, and color. We have literally tens of thousands of patterns available through our online catalog. It would not be feasible for us to keep significant yardage of each pattern in all of the sizes and substrates we offer. Our lead time is still among the shortest in the business. By not stocking patterns, we reduce waste and storage costs, and are, therefore, able to pass those savings along to our customers. Also, with our digital system, we eliminate pattern obsolescence. That means our patterns do not become “unavailable” due to printing constraints.

APPLICATION & STORAGE:

Q. What is the temperature range of adhesive on wall borders and seam tape?

A. Our adhesive has been tested from -20° F p to 130° F (-28°-54°C)

Q. What temperature should border tape be applied?

A. The optimal temperature range to apply border to a wall surface is between 50° F and 110° (16°-43°C)

Q. What is the shelf-life of your border?

A. Unused border, packaged correctly on its original core, has a shelf-life of about two years. It must be kept dry, dust-free and away from extremes in temperature. In other words, don’t store the border next to the furnace nor in freezing temperatures for best results.

Q. How durable are your borders?

A. All of our borders are treated to resistant to marring and sun fade. Our clear and white vinyl substrates resist tearing very well.

Q. What is the best way for me to prep the wall before applying wall border or seam tape?

A. For detailed instructions on how to apply our border you can download instructions from our website or call our facility at 574-294-6943 to request a copy.
It’s best to use 90% alcohol to wipe down vinyl surfaces. Citrus cleaners, industrial cleaning solvents (i.e. acetone.) will cause the peel-and-stick adhesive to fail. Dust, dirt or other residue left on the walls can also cause the adhesive to fail. Wipe the walls with 90% alcohol and a clean, lint-free cloth for best results.

Q. Can I use cleaners on my border once its been applied to the wall?

A. Most household cleaners are okay for use on our wall borders, but test the cleaner on a small area first. Wipe gently and do not over saturate. Use at your own discretion.

Q. What if I need to reposition the border on the wall?

A. Repositioning MUST be done in the first few minutes after application and may not be successful in all cases.

Q. Can I use your peel-and-stick wall border product on painted drywall or paper-based wall paper?

A. Due to the aggressive nature of our adhesive, the adhesive of our peel-and-stick will likely cause damage to the wall if the border is removed or repositioned. Use at your own discretion.

MISC.:

Q. I heard QEP prints indoor/outdoor banners. Is this true?

A. We print banners up to 5’ (1.52 m) wide. You can supply us with the graphics or we can come up with something new for you. Contact QEP directly at info@qepdesign.com or 574-294-6943 for details.

Q. The wall border I want from your catalog looks good on my computer screen, can’t I just order production without seeing a sample first?

A. You are certainly welcome to order production without first seeing a a physical sample or a border. However, we cannot guarantee that what you see on your computer screen will look exactly like you expect once printed on our press. We highly recommend that you request a free physical sample of a border in the exact size and on the specific substrate you will be using in production. The color represented on individual computer screens can vary greatly. Also, changes in size of the border or the substrate it’s printed on may slightly alter the appearance of a pattern. We want to make sure that you are going to be completely satisfied with our product before you submit an order for production.

Q. Do you offer any other products or services?

A. QEP is always researching new products and technologies. We welcome your ideas about potential new products and services that might complement our current product lines.

*It is unlawful to reproduce copyrighted material without express written consent of the copyright holder