-
Signage with lots of white space.
Hi Everyone,
So a designer friend has sent me artwork for a big shop sign, in all it’s 6.5m x 510mm, split into panels of 2.4, 2.4 and 1.7. My question is the smaller panel is completely blank, and the other two have nothing but some modest sized black writing, one panel has the company name, the other has almost laughably small contact details and the shop number.
Am mounting on 4mm foamex (at their request) my question is, would it be better, ie more durable to print all text onto vinyl, laminate and mount, including the totally blank board which would just be laminated blank vinyl or will the foamex board be perfectly fine left as it Is and just cut out the black letters on the plotter and attach directly.
I’m hoping I can just cut the lettering out and apply direct, as just seems a massive waste of time and effort printing and laminating 6.5m of largely nothing, but equally if by doing so it will increase the signs longevity then perhaps it’s the best thing to do and just be glad at the negligible ink costs!
Hope that makes sense and any thoughts appreciated.
-
7 Replies
-
White space would be defined as negative space, just as important as the wording in good design
foamex for a shop sign is a no no, unless if its going in a frame and the minimum would be 5mm.
Vinyl lettering straight onto the substrate is fine but go for an ACM rather than foamex. -
Hi Matt,
I presume this is exterior? Is the sign suspended within a frame of being fixed?
If it is being suspended in a frame then you could potentially use 4mm foamex, but I would certainly cover it entirely as foamex (especially the generic cheap stuff we tend to buy these days,) will be filthy from road dirt etc within weeks, it won’t clean easily either. I also doubt that foamex, even if hung, will stay flat for too long without locking strips etc at the rear. If you screw it straight to the wall it will warp.
Personally I would go with a good gloss composite panel and just cut letters, of a sufficient quality that they will last 7-10 years without any real shrinkage, either a very good calendared such as oracle 551, or a cast film.
If they scrimp and protest about some extra cost for composite, I fear it will come back to bite you in the ass. Get them to sign off their specifications if it’s foamex they’re insisting on. I haven’t used it for a facia in 10yrs!
-
1 colour, text only… stick it through the plotter.
Agree with Martin & Hugh regarding the foamex.
-
Just had a similar job, client was advised by another company that foamex would do for exterior of her new shop front. (45ft long) I advised otherwise and that the extra cost for using a composite would be money well spent in the long run, plus I said we wouldn’t be interested in quoting if she insisted on using foamex. She came back, job done and all happy.
So sometimes it pays to stick to your guns. -
I rarely order foamex now and when i do its for A4 interior signs most of the time. Use Dilite or better still dibond and fit 8-10 year black gloss vinyl. The Dilite comes with a matt and a gloss side so use the gloss side (easier to keep clean)
-
Foamex will curve. Advice client to use dibond
-
Hi Everyone,
Thanks so much for the prompt and helpful responses, really means a lot and have fed back to the client with various options and will see what they go for!
Matt
Log in to reply.
