Laminate or Not To Laminate

[John Childs]

Daz,

If it’s standard cut vinyl, why would you want to laminate it at all?

[Darrell Wootton]

One or two clients have asked the question regarding lamination because they worry that vandals etc will damage the lettering, I always use Oracal 751 on Dibond or PVC sheet.

My thoughts are it does not need it, but I then wondered what the general opinion was in the group.

Daz…..

[John Childs]

Ah, right.

As you are obviously aware, 751 doesn’t need protection for itself, but vandal damage is another thing altogether.

In those circumstances I would look for another way of making the sign, like reverse cut letters fitted to the back of clear acrylic.

If that wasn’t possible, and if I ws going to have to laminate for a different reason, like vandal damage, then I wouldn’t use cut vinyl at all. I would use a digi print and have a better looking sign as there would be no ridges or bumps for the laminate to go over. Nice smooth finish. 😀

[Darrell Wootton]

John,

Assuming customer comes into shop or calls and asks for a wall mounted sign white on black beware of dog as example.

Would you offer digi-print price laminated as standard, vinyl cut or do you qualify what they would expect from the sign etc and advise from there?

Daz….

[John Childs]

Not really my line of work. I’d probably tell them to bugger off. 😀

Seriously, for something like that, which you can’t charge much for, I would want to get the transaction over in the minimum of time. I would offer them cut vinyl on foamex.

I think that you, or your clients, may be worrying unnecessarily. Except in one or two instances in VERY vulnerable places I have never had letters picked off. I wouldn’t anticipate any problems with a beware of the dog fitted on somebody’s garden gate and consequently wouldn’t think to mention it.

[Darrell Wootton]

OK, thanks mate for your feedback.

Daz….

[Andrew John Sawyer]

Our local bodyshop does gel coating to protect the signs – works with vinyl on dibond or digiprints a treat. I assume most bodyshops can offer a similar service, not that expensive either.

[Robert Lambie]

we "never" laminate our cut vinyl signs. no need. we use one of the best vinyls on the go and that’s sufficient. you have to remember vehicles are lettered using the exact same stuff and they come under far more abuse from pressure washers, kids etc
if the customer wants extra protection like a clear coat of vinyl then fine. charge him the extra… if he does stipulate it. forget it, stop worrying.
the "only" cut vinyl signs we actually laminate is the ones we put in fair grounds. e.g. if your not higher than this line you cant get on the ride. (one of my favourites 😕 )
kids stand for ages next to these signs in the que, leaning and picking at the letters to pass the time. that’s the only ones we ever laminate, but do charge a fair bit extra…

[Andrew Boyle]

we only laminated plotter cut vinyl one [on lexan]

they ended up using a blowtorch 😀

[Lynn Normington]

the only ones we laminate are menus we do for the inside of catering vans so they can clean them properly, as they are usually quite small text, outside ones we don’t laminate because they do not come into contact with the food areas.( beware of the dog no parking etc.):No lamination

Lynn