whats the minimum thickness i can use on this sign?

[David White]

It depends if you intend to hang the sign with a hanging bar or fix it to a back board
Dave

[Chris Wool]

mort have a look at cherwells framed boards
dont know wheater there the cheepest but every one ine had has been fine

chris

[Paul Goodwin]

Chris that is who i was going to use, but looking at their prices and at Robs demo i’m going to take the plunge and order the materials in and make it myself.

But as it’s going on a corogated metal wall with roughly 6″ between each high spot on the metal should i use exterior ply backboard or not worry (?)

[Chris Wool]

pick a length that finishes on top of the bumps so no overhang tell cherwell where its going and they will surgest any extra fittings
they have always been most helpful to me
i dont think it would need a backing as the board sits in the frame
just some pannel clips to keep the boards from seperating

chris

[Robert Lambie]

I did one this week mort. Different situation but if your worried it is ideal.
“Relating to my demo” instead of running strips of alloy down the back of the panatrim frame. Get 1-1.5 cheap aluminium sheet cut the exact size of the sign.
Then rivette the panatrim to the sheets as if you were fitting the trim. (Damn I knew I should have taken photos last week 😕 ) anyway.. You end up with the panatrim frame fixed to the sheets in one piece. Lift into position, secure with one tech-screw at top. Then sit level on bottom part of trim. Rock it till it sits level and secure in middle at bottom. Work your way out from middle, left and right.
If you don’t have tech-screws rivets will do on the cladding building. Once secure just slide in your panels as normal and fit your end piece.
The trick is.. Because you riveted the sheet of cheap backing of aluminium to the back to keep the frame square the wind cant get up the back to cause a blow-out.

Try aalcan or john Simpson jnr for sheet costs on cheap aluminium sheeting. It’s always handy to ask if you can buy the cover sheet. This is the sheet at the top of a pile that they bin when the pile is finished. It takes all the scratches & protects the sheets below. Because you’re only using it as a backer it doesn’t matter the condition.

[Paul Goodwin]

Cheers Rob sounds like a great idea, but in all honesty do u think it would warent a back board? I’d go with the experiance of u guys here and not me beinga bit OTT. Cherwell recon i don’t but then again they don’t fit the signs.

[Nigel Fraser]

Good idea Rob !
Mort, do you have to use foam ? Why not try dibond/reynobond instead which will save you the bother and give a better longer lasting face panel.
You could just get it out of a 3050x1500mmx4mm sheet which should cost about £96. Just a thought anyway…..

Nigel

Edit- I wouldn’t bother personally at that size with a backing panel but would definately fit top hanging strips and possibly bottom too it its too exposed.

[Paul Goodwin]

Nigel i did try and get the customer to use Alucolour ( Europoints version , trie dit b4 and it is very good) but he didn’t want to go to the extra expense 🙁 I did tell him all the pro’s but he wanted Foam …..in my view when they are spending that much on a sign a few extra quid for a longer lasting sign makes more sence.

but as they say teh customer is always wrong . sorry i meant right

[Andy Gorman]

Another thing to remember is that Cherwell frames come with spring clip thingies in the end sections. These hold the panel nice and tight whilst allowing it to expand and contract. I also would not worry about a sign this size blowing out. A rebated join with a strip on the back should ensure that the panels stay back without any chance of them bowing forwards.

[Phill Fenton]

I wouldn’t bother with a backing board. If you use a hanging rail and a lower position rail you won’t have a problem using a 5mm sheet.

Signs like this don’t get blown out of frames – they get sucked out (the same principal as wind passing over the wing of an airplane causing lift – it’s the differential pressure that pulls the panels out of a frame (wind passing over the front face of a sign causes an area of low pressure, behind the sign where there is little airflow the panel will be experiencing normal pressure, the diffference between the two is the differential pressure that is responsible for pulling the panel out) – not wind blowing behind the panel) so a backing board serves no purpose whatsoever.

Trust me.. I’m a scientist 😉

[Robert Lambie]

if you have to use foamex mate.. do so.. but like nigel has said.. use a hanging strip top and bottom. that should be fine.. try lock joints too or a tongue and groove made join to stop the join opening.

just outline all the possibilities of what can go wrong to the customer. if he is still for the cheap route then get him to sign your layout of sign, listing the materials “as discussed”. if it comes down 3 months later its his problem.

ok not very proffessional but dont waste money, time and risk anything for someone trying to penny pinch.

[Paul Goodwin]

Thanks Guys

Thats been a great help and put my mind at ease

[John Singh]

Theres not a lot of difference in price between dibond and 10mm Foamalux ultra

But I’d say theres a great deal of difference between the two in terms of durability

Dibond is such a pleasure to work with as you can use a circular saw (Skill saw), jigsaw and drill to cut and shape

John