Backpainting 2nd Surface Vinyl

[nikdoobs]

My company does a lot of box signs that are embossed and internally illuminated. We always paint mask each color 2nd surface. I suggested using translucent vinyl 2nd surface and then back painting the vinyl with translucent white paint. A couple of guys at our shop say that the Louisiana heat shrinks the vinyl after a few years and causes the back-paint to crack. They said the only way to avoid this is to use UV protected plastic. We buy the plastic for the faces on large rolls and don't stock the UV protected plastic (apparently it is much more expensive).

Does anyone here have experience doing this? I don't know much about paints so I was wondering if there is any special type of paint that would not crack when the vinyl shrinks. Or is there a UV protective spray that could be applied to the face of our panels?

I'm trying to save time and $ by not having to mask and paint each color.

Any advice is appreciated.

TIA
-Nick

 

[TammieH]

I may be wrong, actually I probably am wrong....But I thought translucent vinyls had minimal if no shrinkage,

I haven't noticed any shrinkage on the signs that we have changed over,

but we are in the NW so the sun is sort of a myth around here LOL,

"as I look out the window on a bright sunny 50 degree day"

 

[nikdoobs]

I had the same thought when they told me that. I questioned it a couple of times but they swear up and down that it wont work. I'm the new guy here so my input/ opinions get shot down pretty fast.

 

[TammieH]

I had the same thought when they told me that. I questioned it a couple of times but they swear up and down that it wont work. I'm the new guy here so my input/ opinions get shot down pretty fast.

We DO IT THIS WAY BECAUSE THATS THE WAY WE"VE ALWAYS DONE IT!! :ROFLMAO:

We back paint on vinyl for interior signs, even using promo vinyls,

I don't know, I am sure someone will chime in who might be more helpful.

 

[Moze]

UV coated poly, 2nd surface vinyl, backsprayed.... Good to go.

 

[Milo]

When you spray white over the vinyl, yes it will shrink from the edge slightly, but the "white light" from the bulbs in that hairline shrinkage and the white translucent paint will not be visually discerned.

However for your peace of mind, do you own test with accelerated aging using a hot cheap calendered film, mounted on plex, spray it, then place it in the cold (or freezer). The temperature difference should shrink the film from the paint edge.

And also bear in mind all visual quality decisions are made on a distance in feet from the sign. H ft x W ft . Stand this distance from the sign with a 15 second viewing time.

Hope this helps with your production.