You have decided that it is time for a new non-illuminated sign to advertise your business or organization, but now must decide what type of sign material to use. There are many popular choices, but all have their own unique characteristics such as appearance, strength, weight, life expectancy, and cost. Here is a listing of sign materials that are common to the sign industry to help with your decision making: Let our stickers Sydney printing experts create your custom stickers for your business.
Aluminum – Aluminum is a metal typically coated with a baked on high gloss enamel. Aluminum will not rust like steel and can be used for both indoor and outdoor signage. Parking, real estate, and traffic control signs are common signs made from aluminum. Standard aluminum thicknesses for the sign industry are.040,.063,.080. and.090.
Aluma-Lite – Aluma-lite is a good choice for large rigid signs. It is lightweight, strong, and will not rust. Aluma-lite consists of a thin aluminum sheet affixed to a plastic CPA core. Typical thicknesses are 6mm (1/4″) and 10mm (25/64″). Colors are available in 6mm. AlumaCorr is another popular brand name for this type of material.
Banner Material – Banners are constructed with lightweight flexible background materials such as Vinyl, Nylon, & Cloth and can last for many years indoors. Trade show backdrops, table covers, and pop-up displays are all some of the indoor uses. Outdoors, banners are often used for short term events, such as grand openings and sales, or hung from light poles to decorate city streets or the sidewalks around a college or business campus. Typically, banners are the lowest cost option per square foot.
Coroplast – Coroplast is a twin walled plastic sheet separated by regularly spaced flutes. It is lightweight and waterproof and is available in several different colors. It is often used for yard signs, lawn signs, and temporary wall and event signs. Coroplast can be lettered with vinyl or screenprinted. Full color images are also available.
Dibond – Dibond consists of two sheets of thin.012″ aluminum affixed to a solid plastic core. Dibond panels are lightweight and rigid and are an excellent choice for exterior signs. Common thicknesses are 3mm (1/8″) and 6mm (1/4″). Some colors are available in addition to white in 3mm. Another brand of this type of material is Poly-Metal.
Magnetic Sheeting – Magnetic Sheeting consists of a vinyl skin affixed to a thermoplastic magnetic material. Magnetic sheeting adheres without sticky adhesives to ferrous metal surfaces, such as steel. This makes it an ideal material for removable car and truck signs. Magnetic sheeting can be detailed with vinyl lettering or can be screen printed. Thicknesses range from 12 mil to 30 mil, with the 30 mil material having the strongest holding power.
MDO Plywood – Medium Density Overlay panels feature a resin impregnated fiber overlay fused to an exterior type plywood. The smooth surface of the faces which is free of knots or voids is painted with your choice of colors. They are rigid and are a good choice for mounting on or between 4″ x 4″ wooden posts. Thicknesses available are 1/2″ and 3/4″.
PVC (expanded rigid) – PVC plastic is a lightweight, tough, rigid, U.L. certified material with a satin finish. It will not rust, rot, peel, or absorb water. It is available in many colors and is suitable for display, exhibit, and interior signs. White is also good for exterior applications. Common thicknesses are 3mm (1/8″) for colors and 3mm (1/8″), 6mm (1/4″), 12mm (1/2″) and 19mm (3/4″) for white. PVC plastic posts are also available.
Redwood – This is what is commonly used for sandblasted signs. It is naturally resistant to insect damage, decay, and rot, making it ideal for long term exterior signs. Typically, the background is blasted away to allow for raised letters and border. The background can be left as a natural wood color or be stained or painted to contrast with the color of the letters. Common thicknesses are 1.5″ and 2.5″. Redwood signs are the “Cadillac” of wooden signs and are often used for apartment complexes and by professionals, such as dentists and doctors.
Vinyl – This is what is used to create the lettering for most signs. It is a thin pigmented film with an adhesive back that is usually cut on a computer operated plotter and then transferred to the substrate of choice. Choose from either standard calendared or premium cast vinyl for non-reflective applications and reflective vinyl, such as 3M Scotchlite Reflective, for signs requiring night time visibility. There are a wide selection of standard colors. Full color graphics can also be printed on vinyl with a digital printer.
Vinyl Choices Include:
- Premium Cast Vinyl is 2 mil. thick and has a life expectancy of 7 to 10 years.
- Standard Calendared Vinyl is 3.0 mil. thick and has a life expectancy of 3 to 5 years.
- 3M Scotchlite Reflective Vinyl is 7.0 mil. thick and has a life expectancy of up to 9 years.
The author, Dan Royer, is the owner of a Sign-A-Rama franchise in Lexington, KY and has been in the sign business since 1991. His company designs and manufactures signs everyday using the materials discussed in this article. For more information, visit their web site http://www.signarama-lexington.com
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