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How to apply Acrylic Awning Lettering.
I just completed lettering a couple of acrylic awnings. Vinyl letters do not stick to acrylic awning material at all, but lettering on it can be done very easily if you do what I learned to do and not what I started out doing.
The logo for the place is a very ornate script with very thin line elements. Since lettering on this surface should be done with an ox hair fitch (coarse and designed for water based paint as opposed to enamels) it needed to be masked to get those thin elements to be as crisp as they needed to be.
I was told that the proper masking material was computer-cut frisket.
I can tell you that for this purpose it was not good at all. It did not stick to the acrylic awning well enough to hardly get it down, no matter how hard I burnished it, and when it got wet it curled and pulled away. You can tell by the photos that I did overcome it but it was purely through force of will and it took much longer than it needed to. Due to the fact I ran out of the mask, I used some intermediate grade Oracal vinyl for one of the masks (the one pictured), and it was much, much better. It was also hard to make stick as I was trying to apply it, though it stuck much better and did not want to pull up or curl when it got wet.
After it was masked I put on a coat of Show Stencil Clear (a very flexible clear coating that I think is almost identical to a Liquitex fabric painting medium) made especially for acrylic awnings. It goes on white, and when it goes clear it is ready for paint. It is both a primer and a sealer for the awning, also keeps the paint from bleeding through.
The most widely recommended paint for the lettering is plain latex flat house paint.
To hold the awning rigid I placed a sheet of Masonite behind it held in place with clips.
I’m relaying this in the event anyone gets a request for lettering of this sort, if it’s done by masking it with the intermediate grade vinyl instead of the computer cut frisket, it’s really quite an easy and fast bit of work with very good results.
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3 Replies
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I have just recently been asked to create something on an awning for my friends bar. These tips are fantastic. Thanks for sharing! 😀
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I’m very glad you found it helpful. Be sure to let us see how yours turns out.
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Thanks very much for this post Kimberley, its been on a while and i have never saw it before. 😕
It’s very helpful and holds some great tips.
I often see folk posting asking for help with awnings, so this is a good one to direct them towards.cheers 😉
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