-
Mammoth Advice
I think I could possibly, just maybe need a little advice with this one! 😮
I’ve been asked to quote for a 3 1/2 metre x 2 metre sign. The base of the sign is around 2 – 2 1/2 metres above the ground and there is an existing frame up there (albiet a very tatty old wooden one). The customer doesn’t want me to remove the frame, just fit a signboard inside it.
Design-wise its nice and easy, the customer just wants big, bold and bright text saying open 6 days, their logo and their telephone number, my problem is how the devil do I do this?
I’d was thinking of 5mm foamboard, piecing together 2 1/2 sheets and fixing it around the outside with fixings every 18 inchs????? Is this the way to go or am I as far off as outer Mongolia? 😕
Also, the top of this sign could be as high as 5 metres off the ground. As I said, there is a frame up there, so if I used the method of manufacture I outlined above, I thought I could attach the bottom one, then the next on top of that and then the final piece right at the top, but I’m kind of presuming this is a 2 man job 😛 Damn, I sound clueless!! Well, um, I am at this point… no one warned me I’d get a mammoth sign job on my 4th day in business!!! 😮 😉
Cheers, Dewi
-
5 Replies
-
😆 😆 😆 typical mate.. thrown in at the deep end 😉
first thing you have to ask yourself is what is this guys budget? no point giving him what he really needs if he has no intention of paying it.
i would however offer him the alternative higher price to keep things right incase it goes pair shaped on you.what is the existing back? wood, cladding, etc
what do you think you will use for access to fit this? ladders, tressles & catwalk etc
is he looking for something just to get the message across or does he want something pucka that will tie in with his shop front ?
im sure we will all advise you and nothing to worry about by tommorrow 😉
-
😆 😀 It’s dizzying Robert, just came in out of the blue and there was I thinking I’d be waiting ages for my first job of this scale.
He really just wants to fill that space as atm it is just flaky paint on a wooden backboard, looks aweful. Access-wise I’d presume ladders? His budget, knew there was something I forgot!! 😕 He’s already ordered other things off me, so I was so busy getting all the info for those, deposits and all the rest, I missed it 🙁
Message wise, just simply that he’s open 6 days a week. I asked him would he like any other information on, and he said he’d have a think about it, but that was the main thing he wanted to get across. He’s also considering a window splash (or more aptly, a corner of the windows splatter 😉 ) but his shop is covered with logos and product posters atm.
Cheers, Dewi
-
When I mentioned budget I kinda meant what did you think.. like was he giving you the “I want a sign, a good sign and I want it right” or the “im just wanting it to say open 6 days”
You could go a cheapish safe route here and get ¼ inch plywood and paint it white undercoats and then a gloss white. Just screw it to the face. No ill effects other than what you would normaly get from painted wood. Hes had it before so would probably except it fine.
You could get foamex in, saves painting, drying and messing that lovely new shop you got. Cheapish too. it has its draw backs though. Withought a sort of frame you will see it wave/ lift in areas in the heat/sun if not fitted right..
You could go the more exspensive yet possibly the best route all round and that’s rynabond or alucolour/di-bond. You can buy this in 1.5m x 3m sheets if im correct. The down side is cost and how you would manage to fit a sheet that size.
Lets see if anyone else can offer more advise and we can take it from there
-
Me, I’d take the old manky sign down. A new ali frame with a foamex panel shouldn’t be too expensive and if fitted correctly will stay put. Of course people always think that if they can keep something existing it makes for a cheaper job, but as this shows, it raises other issues. Foamex or any other material, simply screwed to an old timber frame will always look nasty. Another thing, always have a good think about how happy you would be working from ladders. It can seem OK until the day comes for fitting and you suddenly feel very unhappy about being 20 feet off the ground holding a 8 foot panel in the wind. Of course, hiring a scaffold tower adds to the cost of the job but makes it a lot more fun.
-
I would suggest you use 5mm white Forrex/Foamalux or similar for this. If the surface is reasonably sound you will be able to screw the sheets straight onto the existing wooden back board. Ideally you want to use a panatrim type of frame but if his budget doesn’t stretch to this you will be able to get away with white boards screwed direct. As rob says these are prone to warping in direct sunlight but as long as you stick to white sheets they shouldn’t warp too much (use plenty of screws). Coloured backgrounds absorb the heat and buckle much more and will not be acceptable to the average customer. Another advantage of this is that the sheets are light enough for a big strong lad like you to hold in position whilst fixing the screws – though ideally you’ll want some help with this one. Cut white vinyl circles to cover the screw heads which you want to countersink into the plastic (screwing up tight should countersink the screw head without the need for any special tools).
If the sign is in direct sunlight and you want to be sure to avoid any warping then you will need to use an alternative such as Dibond/Alucolor or similar. This will cost much more though.
I would begin by suggesting the first option – stress that the background needs to be kept white for the reasons given. This will cost you about 80 pounds + VAT in materials.
Just my thoughts
Log in to reply.