Roller Banner Design Tips: Size, Layout and Content

Getting the Basics Right

A roller banner is one of the most versatile pieces of print you can own. It packs down into a carry case, sets up in thirty seconds, and gives you a large, eye-catching display wherever you need it. But the design needs to be right, because a poorly laid-out banner is worse than no banner at all.

Here is what you need to know before you start designing.

Standard Dimensions

The most common roller banner size in the UK is 850mm wide x 2000mm tall. This is the size most venues and exhibition organisers expect, and it is what we print most often at Belfast Print.

Other sizes exist (1000mm, 1200mm, and even 2000mm wide for larger displays), but 850 x 2000mm is the standard for good reason. It is wide enough to be readable, narrow enough to fit in tight spaces, and tall enough to be seen over people's heads in a busy room.

The Hidden Zone: Bottom 150mm

This catches a lot of people out. The bottom 150mm of your banner artwork tucks into the base unit when the banner is retracted. That means anything printed in that area will not be visible when the banner is standing up.

Do not put any important content (logos, text, contact details) in the bottom 150mm. Treat your visible area as 850mm x 1850mm, and keep the bottom strip as a simple colour bleed or background continuation.

Content Layout: The Three-Zone Approach

People read roller banners from top to bottom, usually from a few metres away. Your layout should follow that natural reading order.

Top Zone: Your Logo and Branding

Place your logo at the very top. This is the part most visible above crowds and furniture. Keep it clean, with space around it. If you have a tagline, it can sit just below the logo.

Middle Zone: Your Main Message

This is the largest section and the most important. It should contain your key message, headline, or main image. Think about what you want someone to understand from three metres away. One strong statement or image works far better than a wall of text.

Good examples: "Handmade in Belfast Since 1998," a hero image of your product, or a single statistic that grabs attention.

Bottom Zone: Contact Details and Call to Action

Your website, phone number, email, social media handles, and physical address go here. Keep this section above the 150mm hidden zone. A QR code linking to your website or a specific landing page is a useful addition.

Font Sizes and Readability

A roller banner is not a flyer. People will be reading it from one to five metres away, not holding it in their hands. Your text needs to be large enough to read at distance.

• Main headline: 100pt minimum. Bigger if you can manage it.
• Subheadings: 48pt to 72pt.
• Body text: 28pt to 36pt. Anything smaller than 28pt will be difficult to read from more than a metre away.
• Contact details: 24pt to 32pt.

Stick to one or two typefaces maximum. Sans-serif fonts (like Helvetica, Arial, or Montserrat) tend to read more clearly at distance than serif fonts.

Image Resolution

Because roller banners are viewed from a distance, you do not need the same resolution as a business card. A resolution of 150dpi at full size is the standard for large-format print. 300dpi is welcome but often results in unnecessarily large files.

What you should avoid is stretching a small image to fill a large area. A 500px-wide photo pulled to 850mm will look blocky and unprofessional. If your images are coming from a phone, make sure you are using the original high-resolution files, not thumbnails downloaded from social media.

Common Design Mistakes

• Too much text. A roller banner is not a brochure. Keep it to a headline, a few bullet points, and your contact details. If you have a lot to say, hand out flyers alongside the banner.
• Ignoring the hidden zone. Putting your phone number or website in the bottom 150mm means no one will ever see it.
• Low-contrast colours. Light text on a medium background, or yellow on white, will wash out under exhibition lighting. Use strong contrast between text and background.
• Cluttered layout. White space is your friend. Give each element room to breathe. A banner with three key pieces of information beats one with fifteen every time.
• Forgetting the bleed. Extend your background colour or image 3mm beyond the trim line on all sides. This prevents white edges on the finished banner.

Setting Up Your Artwork

Set your document size to 853mm x 2003mm (that is 850 x 2000mm plus 1.5mm bleed on each side). Work in CMYK colour mode, and export as a high-resolution PDF. Our full artwork guidelines cover file setup, bleeds, and safe zones in more detail.

If you do not have a designer, many of our customers use Canva to create their banner artwork. Just make sure you set a custom size in millimetres rather than using one of Canva's preset templates, which may not match the correct dimensions.

Order Your Roller Banner

We print roller banners on premium 440gsm PVC with a satin finish, and every order comes with a free carry case for transport and storage. Browse our roller banner options to get started.