Sunboard printing for Ganpati decoration means printing your backdrop, arch and border pieces on vinyl and mounting them on light PVC foam board, so each panel stands flat without a frame. It suits home mandaps and covered mandals because the panels are light, crisp at the edges and easy to cut into shapes. Sunboard is an indoor material, though, so rain is the main risk, and every size should come from the finished mandap frame.
Ganeshotsav falls in August or September, while Pune’s monsoon is still going, and that shapes most of the choices below.
How does sunboard printing for Ganpati decoration work?
Sunboard is PVC foam sheet, light enough for one person to carry and stiff enough to stay flat. Sheets are commonly 8 x 4 ft, which is 32 sq ft. The design is printed on vinyl, stuck on the board and cut square or to an outline, so a temple dome, a peacock or a floral border can be a separate piece instead of a rectangle.
A sunboard panel does not ripple the way a flex backdrop does on a loose frame, and a matt laminate stops tube lights and camera flash from bouncing back at the idol. Layered cut-outs set an inch or two apart on spacers throw small shadows, which is how most 3D Ganpati backgrounds get their depth.
Which Ganpati decoration pieces are printed: backdrop, arch, panels?
- Main backdrop: the large panel behind the idol, made of joined sheets, with the joins kept clear of the face and the crown.
- Arch or border: a cut-out frame around the idol. Thin tips and narrow necks break first, so ask for a slightly bolder outline.
- Side wings: narrow panels angled forward to add depth.
- Small boards: aarti timings, a welcome line, sponsor names or the year.
A home set may be one backdrop and a small board. A mandal adds the arch, the wings and a sponsor board.
How big should a Ganpati backdrop be for a home or a mandal?
Build the frame first and measure inside it, width and height, because a print made to a guess never fits. Then count the sheets.
| Backdrop | Area | Sheets of 8 x 4 ft |
|---|---|---|
| Home, 4 x 6 ft | 24 sq ft | 1 |
| Larger home, 6 x 8 ft | 48 sq ft | 2, with half a sheet left over |
| Mandal, 12 x 8 ft | 96 sq ft | 3, side by side |
Sizes that divide into 4 ft strips waste the least board. Stand a stool as tall as the idol where it will sit and check how much wall shows above and beside it before you fix the size. Keep the busiest part of the picture behind and above the idol, where nothing hides it.
Sunboard or flex for Ganpati decoration: which should I choose?
| Point | Sunboard | Flex |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Flat, crisp edges, no ripples | Slightly wavy unless stretched tight |
| Shapes | Cut to any outline | Rectangles only |
| Rain | Weak; keep under cover | Waterproof; wind is the problem |
| Storage | Rigid, stored flat or upright | Rolls up and folds away |
Pick by where the piece stands. A covered, closed mandap or a living-room corner suits sunboard. An open side or a very wide stage suits flex, which the festival banner page covers for mandal backdrops, with stage sizes under event backdrop printing.
How do I protect sunboard decoration from rain during Ganeshotsav?
Rain reaches sunboard three ways: splash at the base, damp air, and wind-driven drops at an open side.
- Keep every panel under a roof or tarpaulin, with no open side facing the road.
- Lift panels off the floor on a plank or block, since ground damp wicks into the lower edge.
- Choose a matt laminate, which wipes clean of splash marks, and 5 mm board for tall panels so they do not bow in damp air.
- Cover the set with plastic sheet overnight and in heavy showers, and wipe any wet panel dry with a soft cloth.
Any board or arch that stands on or faces a public road needs the ward office’s say first, as the banner permission guide explains.
How early should mandals plan the printing?
Work backwards from the day the frame goes up. Once the structure is built, the measurements are final. Sponsor logos, spellings and the committee’s approval usually take the longest, so collect them early. Then come the proof, printing and mounting, and delivery before installation day. The ready time is confirmed once the size and the queue are known, and printers fill up before Ganeshotsav.
The best moment to plan next year’s decoration is right after the festival, while the mandap is still standing and everyone remembers what to change.
Can Ganpati decoration prints be reused next year?
Yes, if the design carries no date and the boards stay flat and dry. Number the backs and note the order of the joins. Store the panels upright, or flat with paper between the faces, away from damp walls, and stack nothing on top because foam dents. Print the year and edition on a small separate board so that only it needs reprinting. A faded edge or a dented corner can usually be reprinted as a single piece.
3 Red Media prints vinyl and mounts it on sunboard at its Chandni Chowk unit in Pune, cut square or to shape, and the sunboard printing page lists the thicknesses. Send the frame size, a photo of the mandap and the theme through the quote form for a proof.
