Key Takeaways
- Draper has renamed its original Foundation Mount as Foundation Origin under a broader Draper Foundation brand
- The new Foundation ONE system is built for faster, off-the-shelf DVLED installations
- Burke stresses that Z-axis adjustment is critical because real-world walls are rarely flat
- Foundation ONE is designed around common LED cabinet widths, especially the 600 mm to 610 mm range
- A magnetic trim system is meant to improve finished appearance without site modification
- Draper’s Foundation Studio tool generates project configuration documents in minutes
Draper is broadening its approach to videowall mounting with a new umbrella brand aimed at direct-view LED (DVLED) and other display applications. In a recent interview with Commercial Integrator, Joe Burke of Draper outlined how the company has repositioned its original mounting product, introduced a faster off-the-shelf option and built digital tools to help integrators configure projects more quickly.
The discussion centered on the newly launched Foundation brand, but it also reflected broader market pressures around lead times, wall conditions and the need for more predictable DVLED installations. Burke framed the new lineup as a response to both standard projects and more specialized builds. Watch the complete video Q&A below:
What is Draper Foundation?
Draper Foundation is the company’s new brand umbrella for mounting and support solutions across LED, LCD and custom structures. Burke explains that Draper originally entered the DVLED mounting market with a product called the Foundation Mount, but the company later concluded that the name needed to support a wider family of products.
“We really like the name Foundation because it really, as the name suggests, allows a platform for us to build on,” Burke says. As a result, the original Foundation Mount has been renamed Foundation Origin, while Draper Foundation now serves as the broader brand for multiple mounting categories.
That shift matters because it clarifies the company’s product architecture. Instead of tying the Foundation name to one mount, Draper is now using it to cover a wider range of display support products, from standard mounts to custom-engineered structures.
Why did Draper rename Foundation Mount to Foundation Origin?
Draper renamed Foundation Mount to Foundation Origin to make room for a broader brand strategy. Burke notes that as Draper expanded its work in DVLED and related mounting applications, the original naming structure no longer fit the growing portfolio.
The revised naming creates a clearer hierarchy. Foundation Origin identifies the original product, while Draper Foundation signals a platform that can extend to future solutions. For integrators and specifiers, that may reduce confusion as the company adds more SKUs and mounting options over time.
The move also reflects how manufacturers are packaging products for a market that increasingly expects both ready-to-ship solutions and more tailored engineering support. In that sense, the renaming is not just cosmetic. It aligns the brand with a broader product roadmap.
How does Foundation ONE speed up DVLED installations?
Foundation ONE is Draper’s off-the-shelf mounting system designed to make certain DVLED installs faster and easier to execute. Burke says the company saw a need for a product that could be available quickly for projects that do not allow long custom design cycles.
“One of the products that we’ve recently launched is called Foundation ONE,” Burke says. He describes it as a one-to-one system that works with LED cabinets in specific size ranges and provides the adjustment flexibility installers need on-site. He adds that Draper can turn some orders around on a next-day basis if they are received in time.
That positioning targets a common pain point in the field. Not every project can wait for a fully custom mount package, especially when installation conditions change late in the process. An off-the-shelf system with built-in adjustment gives integrators a way to move quickly without giving up critical alignment features.
Why is Z-axis adjustment so important in DVLED mounting?
Z-axis adjustment is important because even new walls are often not perfectly flat and DVLED tolerances leave little room for error. Burke notes that installers routinely encounter warped surfaces, older structures and other field conditions that differ from design assumptions.
“When it comes to installing anything on a wall, even though the builders and the GCs and everybody tells you that it’s going to be a perfectly flat wall, it never always is,” Burke says. He adds that with fine pixel pitches and high-resolution DVLED systems, installers need enough in-and-out adjustment to maintain alignment across the display.
Burke describes full XYZ adjustment as a priority for Draper across its products. In practice, that means the mount must accommodate imperfect site conditions without forcing crews into lengthy workarounds. Cabinet alignment directly affects image quality and seam visibility.
How universal is Foundation ONE across LED panel sizes?
Foundation ONE is designed around the most common DVLED cabinet widths, especially panels in the 600-610 mm range. Burke says Draper reviewed the market and found that this size window accounts for a large share of commonly used cabinets.
He explains that Draper focused on what he characterized as the majority of the market rather than trying to force a single product to cover every panel size. “Foundation ONE caters to that kind of window,” Burke says, adding that the system is intended to work across manufacturers as long as their cabinets fit those dimensions.
Burke also notes that the company still supports projects outside that range through other systems and custom mounting options. That gives Foundation ONE a practical role: it addresses a common standard case, while Draper’s broader engineering capability handles edge cases and more specialized applications.
How does the system support common aspect ratios?
The system supports common aspect ratios by aligning with panel sizes that often result in standard 16:9 display layouts. Burke notes that when installers build equal arrays from the commonly used 600-610 mm cabinet widths, they are frequently left with a familiar display format that fits many mainstream projects.
That matters because many commercial installs still revolve around established visual formats for meeting rooms, reception spaces and presentation environments. A mounting system designed around those dimensions can simplify planning and reduce the need for custom adaptation in routine applications.
At the same time, Burke makes clear that Draper is not limiting itself to those standard layouts. The company’s custom capabilities remain part of the broader Foundation strategy for projects that move beyond conventional aspect ratios or panel dimensions.
What role does the magnetic trim kit play?
The magnetic trim kit is intended to give DVLED walls a cleaner finished appearance while remaining adaptable to different panel depths and wall conditions. Burke says trim is important because the mounting provider’s role should be largely invisible in the final installation.
“When you get to the edge, you end up with just raw aluminum edging,” he says. Burke explains that Draper wants to help customers give the display a more polished finish that meets end-user expectations. For Foundation ONE, the company developed a two-piece adjustable trim system with depth adjustment to account for panel size and wall variation.
Burke adds that when the trim is specified through Draper’s configuration tool, installers do not need to cut it down on-site. The trim attaches using magnets on the brackets and includes clips to keep components in place. That approach is meant to reduce field modification while improving the visual result.
What kinds of projects is Draper Foundation designed for?
Draper Foundation is designed for a wide range of indoor and outdoor display projects, from standard corporate installs to large custom environments. The company’s work spans reception areas, meeting rooms and boardrooms as well as sectors such as themed entertainment, medical, houses of worship and education.
He points to themed entertainment as one of the more demanding categories because projects in that sector often push scale and geometry further than conventional commercial installs. Burke describes one large project as a 100-foot-wide, 55-foot-tall curved videowall that was floor-supported.
That breadth is central to how Draper is defining the Foundation brand. The company is presenting it not only as a solution for straightforward daily work, but also as a framework for more complex engineering challenges.
What is Foundation Studio and how does it work?
Foundation Studio is Draper’s online configuration tool for generating project documents and quotes more quickly. The tool is designed to help integrators enter project details, visualize the wall they are building and download a package of information within minutes.
Users can input factors such as project name, state, mounting style, curvature, panel manufacturer and whether the application is indoors or outdoors. Some locations require seismic review, so geographic details can affect the project setup. As the user enters information, the system builds a visual representation of the display.
Once the configuration is complete, the user can add the wall to a quote and generate the output. Burke says the file appears in the download folder in about five seconds. He describes the market response as strong and says the tool is seeing regular use.
Why does Foundation Studio matter to integrators?
Foundation Studio matters because it compresses early-stage design and quoting time for DVLED projects. Draper wanted to make both pre-sales information and delivered products more accessible, especially for projects that need fast answers.
For integrators, that kind of speed can help with proposal development, internal planning and customer responsiveness. Instead of waiting for back-and-forth on a basic configuration, users can begin building a project directly through the web tool and obtain documentation almost immediately.
However, Burke notes that more complex projects still require deeper engineering review and longer timelines. A large curved display, for example, will naturally involve more design work than a standard wall mount. Even so, the tool appears intended to reduce friction in the front end of the sales and specification process.
