40' x 13' banner suggestions

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

We have a customer (flooring company) located off of a busy interstate. They have a nice building with large visible signage but they also have a semi trailer that they use as a storage container, I believe for remnants. They are asking me for a quote on a 13' x 40' banner to be attached to the trailer. We have never done a banner this large before and would be outsourcing to our contract printer. My question is would a 13 oz. banner work on this scale, or would an 18 oz. banner be the best suggestion for this size of banner? To be honest, I don't know how they intend to attach it so for the time being, I'm going to assume they want it stretched with cord, bungees, zip ties, or something like that and will want standard 2-3' grommet pattern around the outside. Thanks for any input.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

I'd go with mesh

 

[ddarlak]

13oz will be fine, i'd tell them to screw it right to the trailer, your not going to want tie a banner that large to anything.

basically it's a flat mount, no need for 18oz.


IMHO

 

[ddarlak]

I'd go with mesh

why, wind is not going thru it?

waste in my mind.

 

[SignManiac]

Sounds like they want it to go from the ground to the top roof of the trailer. Most trailers aren't more than 8'h. You will need to, or they will need to, build some kind of structural support from the ground up to the bottom of the trailer to attach it to.

 

[Mosh]

I would stay on the box only (8') some places will make you get a sign permit unless the trailer is moved every so often....If you go all the way to the ground it would be kinda hard to move.

 

[boxerbay]

if you go solid attach it every 1 foot with screw and a roofing flat washer. no "zip ties or bungees" if wind gets under it it will rip it right off the trailer. reinforce the edges with webbing.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

again I'd go with mesh

 

[SignLogic]

+1

again I'd go with mesh

 

[Signed Out]

Or vinyl wrap it?

 

[custom sign center]

A couple of years ago I did a 10' x 40' 2 sided banner with just text on it for a client that attached to the side of a concrete building up near the roof-top. I used 18oz. material and had my banner supplier sew reinforced corners and hem with rope. I can't remember what the spacing was on the grommets but I think it was the usual 24" or whatever it came out close to that.

Here's what I learned on that job.

1) It was heavy!

2) Wind made the banner rub on the surface of the building and it developed some tears and holes in it in a years time. The client installed it so he could flip the top of the banner down when he wanted the second side to show. I don't know if he then secured the bottom after that. If it was dangling freely then that may be why it rubbed and tore. He understood I wasn't responsible for the banner after it left my shop so there wasn't any issue from him when it began to develop the rips, etc.

3) He ordered another but this time I did two banners 10' x 20' with the same reinforced corners, etc. It was easier for me to letter especially being 2 sided and easier for him to install. So far it's held up.

I think since your banner is closer to the ground and I'm assuming single sided I think 13oz. is fine. Especially up against a smoother surface than a concrete building. If it's just text like mine was and you can divide the banner in two I would suggest it to your customer for ease of installation if nothing else.

Hope this helps in some way. Good luck on your project.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

At this point the clients request for a quote is very vague. It sounds like I should go discuss it with them to pick up on more details, examine this trailer, and see how they intend to make it work.

Now here's what I would do and what I will recommend to the client...

I would go with a Sign Comp, or similar banner tension frame mounted to the trailer. I would line the trailer inside that frame with pink foam insulation. Then I would mount a 13 oz. banner measuring more like 7.5' x 40' in the frame.

However, the reason I ask is because we have done upwards of $15,000 worth of work for these guys in the last year and a half. The business has been in operation for years, but recently moved to this much larger facility, remodeled, bought brand new signage, etc. and they are kinda tight on the budget now. I know this because I have a solid relationship with the manager and cost is definitely an issue. This is still a small, family owned, local business so they don't have a ton of capital to work with until this new location starts paying for itself so I completely understand. They have another sign left behind from the business that used to be there and after almost two years in this new building they still haven't removed the old sign, had it replaced, refaced or anything and it has nothing to do with their business as the sign says "Antiques". They also have a high dollar order of presentation folders on hold temporarily until they get enough money in the advertising budget to afford them.

So as much as I want to entertain the idea of just letting them strap a giant banner to the side of this trailer, I know the right way to do it would be a nice tension frame, but if they insist on the giant banner I will mention the mesh and not the scrim. If they find out the mesh is right for the job due to weight, but realize that it will have less visual impact from the highway, then maybe I can steer them toward the tension frame.

 

[thmooch]

first question to customer...do you want the flexibility to changes this out? if so how often? stay on the Trailer, the extra sq ft below is not worth having to go mesh or additional framing, windslits, etc. Or contract local welder, if you can not do in house, to weld framing brackets(steel angle) that extend beyond the trailer to accept banner size requested.

 

[Pat Whatley]

13 oz banner, do it slightly smaller than the actual trailer (running it to the ground is a mistake). Screw it directly into the trailer with lath screws through the grommets. It will last for years.

Based on what you've said in your two posts it sounds like they're trying to do big, cheap, and temporary. Adding in a tension frame on a project like this is just tossing $1000 away (IMO). They're wanting something people can read from the interstate....a few waves and a pucker or two isn't going to hurt legibility. Sure, the frame would look better but who is really going to notice the difference and care? Even with the frame it's still just a banner on a trailer.