Flex Face vs Polycarb

[Wesley Powell]

Had a potential customer call in wanting to replace the panels on their existing illuminated sign cabinet. They currently are flex faces but talked about going to polycarbonate panels. They have talked to two other companies and one told them to go back to flex face and the other told them to switch to polycarbonate panels. Can anyone share some past experiences they have had with both materials other than the polycarb panels yellowing.

 

[bannertime]

In my opinion, the three biggest factors to determine polycarbonate vs flex face: budget, size, artwork.

 

[Wesley Powell]

In my opinion, the three biggest factors to determine polycarbonate vs flex face: budget, size, artwork.

They didn't give me a budget (it is a large corporation), the size is roughly 2' tall by 12' wide, and the artwork would just be their logo. Which would be about 90 percent coverage of the panel in a dark blue with their company logo reverse weeded.

 

[bannertime]

If you're familiar with the existing installation (i.e. signcomp, 3m wedge clamp, etc) and can produce the flex face, then it may be worth it to just do it out of flex face. If their is a trim that can support the polycarbonate, then it may be easier to put in some polycarbonate.

 

[ddarlak]

poly all day, can't find a reason why a sign so small would be flex to begin with, IMHO

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I agree, just use poly if it fits, that size is really small for flex

 

[LED Signs & Designs Texas]

Unless you can manufacture a “stretch frame” or know enough to be able to engineer a good way to to stretch it on the current cabinet, poly is just to easy for this size of face.
Follow all the above advise, charge enough and then pat yourself on the back for asking great questions like this.

 

[Bobby H]

2' X 12' is tiny cabinet for flex faces. They must be using something kind of hinky stretch and attach the faces to the frame.

Meanwhile, I would even question the use of polycarbonate (aka Lexan) at that size. Is the face going to be pan-formed or flat? If the face is going to be flat then I would use acrylic instead. My big gripe with polycarbonate is that the material starts turning into a dingy yellow after a certain amount of time. That time frame will be accelerated in climates that get a lot of sun and heat. OTOH, Lexan is more flexible and impact resistant. If the sign cabinet is well out of reach from vandals I'm going to go with acrylic for flat faces. Most suppliers can provide 4' X 12' sheets of acrylic. So if this is a double sided cabinet you can literally cut one 4' X 12' sheet in half and be good to go.

I like flex faces for a lot of large sign cabinets. I start leaning in the direction of flex face for cabinets larger than 5' X 12'.

 

[ams]

Polycarbonate