Durability of printed banners

[scarface]

Hey guys, I have a customer wanting a banner made up and i've done alot of banners but most have been for indoor use.

I'm printing on a 30" Versacamm with eco-inks and using 13oz jetflex banner material.

The colors being printed are a royal blue, black and silver (grey)

Do you guys think the colors will hold up alright outdoors?

I know they should but i guess i'm just nervous since i haven't done many outdoors that were printed.

Banner is 2.5x15'

Also, how far in from the edges should i put the grommets for best durability when hanging? I use hem tape on all banners.

 

[gabagoo]

Banners for outdoor use are technically not long term, although I see many for years and years. I would suspect with no liquid lamination the banner has to be good for at least 2 years...again depending on how much sun is hitting it

 

[scarface]

Going directly on a building side, I have clear shield and have hear people use it and water it down for banners...

 

[Gino]

Like gab said, banners are considered temporary signs and without doing anything to them, you should get at least two years out of it. Reds will fade by far the fastest.

I've never thinned down water based clear. Oil based, yes, but not water.

Directly on the building has nothing to do with the fading.... which side is the banner going to be facing ?? East, west, south or north ?? That's what will determine the life of your banner and just about anything else in the sign world today now that everything is made with solvent type inks.

 

[Pat Whatley]

We tell customers two years on outdoor banners.

If you're using 1" banner hem tape and folding over 1.25" or so we usually place the grommet so that the hole hits the raw edge. If they're going to do like most customers, regardless of what you tell them to do, and hang it from just the corners you might want to look at reinforcing the corners. We usually cover 6" squares of banner material with banner tape, cut them diagonally in both directions, then add one of the resulting triangles to each corner. We very rarely have one fail.

 

[ddubia]

Pat, I like that corner thing you're doing. I'm starting that on my next banner.

Gino's right about which way it's facing. In my part of the world, the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is always in the Southern sky. Anything, sign or otherwise facing South is going to take the harshest beating.

And I agree with those who say two years for an outdoor banner.