Sign panel – which material is best?

[Peter Normington]

Depends on a few other factors, where, how long and, to some extent why? and of course budget
Choices are quite wide,

so we would need to know a bit more to advise….

Peter

[Robert Lambie]

i would suggest alucolour, dibond or rynabond. all virtually same product.
they come in 3×2 or 3×1.5m so you will have the sign in one go, no joins.
it can be fixed directly to a wall or given a nice finish using a trim, like panatrim.

[Duncan Wilkie]

Depending on the use and length of service required, you could use anything from Coroplast (Cheapest) to Dibond (High end)
They are both available in Colors, the Coroplast fades quickly and is unstable…it expands a lot in the heat…short term only, but it is perfect for some applications.
Dibond is arguably the best overall substrate and is a 7 – 10 year product.

[JOHN.BOLT]

Thanks for advise so for would say that it has to be at cheaper end on white board and up for 5- to 7 years on looks like plastic type corrugate, industry site

[Martin Cole]

quote JOHN BOLT:

Thanks for advise so for would say that it has to be at cheaper end on white board and up for 5- to 7 years on looks like plastic type corrugate, industry site

John don’t understand a word of that sorry mate!

If it’s got to be up for 5-7 years you can’t go cheap, Allupanel as has been suggested in a panatrim frame is your best bet.
The very least would be a foamex panel hung in a frame, as Rob says it can be in one piece which makes it a sinch 🙂

[JOHN.BOLT]

ok will look up them and price it up thanks

[David Rogers]

I agree with martin – 7 years does not equal cheap!

PVC ‘foamex’ wil probably last that long if hung in a frame, Alupanel (dibond or white coated aluminium) will easily last that long – just use a MINIMUM of 7 year vinyl on it.

The cost of using aluminium (or composite) panel isn’t that much greater than having to frame the PVC. Mind you, I have put up PVC signs directly on fascia boards (customers wanted cheap) and they are still there 7 or 8 years later….

Dave

ps. MOST of the larger signmakers suppliers will sell everything you’ll need.

I estimate a cheap 3m x 1m PVC to be £45 or £50 worth of materials, an alloy one about £85 or £90 and a nice satin silver frame about £30 to £35. Of course these don’t include delivery charges from the suppliers which are usually about £20 a delivery.