Help Attaching An Acrylic Sign To A Hollow Core Door.

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

If you mean by 'stud mount' that you're putting some sort of projection on the back of the sign and then fitting these projections into holes punched into the surface then fine, the projections take the weight. But if you're not doing something like this then the sign still weighs what it weighs, perhaps more due to any projection you might have added. That being the case there is no way to 'redistribute' the weight of the sign. It still weighs what it weighs and all the weight, no matter how it's distributed is pushing down. To the floor. The only thing defying gravity is the tape.

I have no idea where this strike-through is coming form.Perhaps the typing gods are angry.

I don't think anybody is suggesting that studs magically make something weigh less. They do, however, reduce the forces acting on the adhesive, effectively increasing the tensile strength of said adhesive. By putting a stud into the wall, perpendicular to the sign, you ARE decreasing the effective weight of the sign. That's the ENTIRE point of stud mounts for signs.

If I had more time, I'd make a little drawing to express the concept, but you're turning the downward force of gravity into a diagonal force by adding the perpendicular stud, and reducing the shear weight on the tape. It's like a triangle of force.

(Edit: Also, on the right hand side of the formatting bar is a T with an x on the bottom right. That will remove all formatting from your text, including the strike through.)

 

[Johnny Best]

I use the plan Rick( post#6) suggested. Take a piece of 3mm pvc, a little smaller than the sign and countersink it with some screws to the door. Then tape the sign to the pvc. It gives it a nice floating look, and is fast and simple. Good way to get rid of your drop pieces. No physics, no extra tape, no repaint, no going to find brass screws at hardware store and no lag bolts involved.

 

[Johnny Best]

In responce to studs being used to hang a sign on a hollow core door. The thin material wood door skin is not a lot of surface for the stud to grab on to. And that being said with a heavy sign being mounted and plus the door being swung open and closed many times creates a problem over time. I know this from years back mounting cast name plates on hollow office doors. The plate behind the sign as I described above is what we used and never had a problem after that from small lightweight signs to heavy ones.

Plus making a pattern for a stud sign and getting them level and right on leaves little room for error, because if you have to make the hole a little bigger to tilt the sign makes the stud have no holding power because the door skin is so thin. Nothing is worse than seeing an uneven sign on a door, well, maybe catching your girlfriend sleeping with your best friend ranks high up there too.

 

[visual800]

remove the door, have it sandblasted and repainted with automotive basecoat/clearcoat. After 2 weeks of curing reinstall door and weld steel plate to front and back of door.
Take your sign and drill 1/2" holes in each corner and place 1/2" Stainless Steel bolts all the way to steel plate on other side and use large flat washers, lock washers and teflon inserted locknuts (just in case)

Sounds stupid doesnt it? Please for love of God some of you need to grab reality. The OP sign is about a 12x16. IF the sign VHB pulled paint off door put more VHB where paint pulled off and stick sign back on. I bet you it would stay this time

 

[Johnny Best]

Love the idea of removal of door and repainting! But, how do I weld those steel plates on a hollow wood door. Maybe those stainless steel thru bolts will be enough, what do you think? I also am having a hard time finding those 1/2" teflon locknuts to give it that nice finish look it needs. Should I drill the holes a little larger in the acrylic to compensate for the expansion and contracting of the material in the freezing cold and heat this door endures which made the tape pull the paint off in the first place.

 

[Gino]

Throw away the door and put some drapes up in its place. Make sure the drapes are color coordinated and hang a sign from a chain up above on the wall with the information you want on it in plain sight. Use a decorative screw, so nothing looks outta place.

 

[burgmurk]

Thanks for the help and the laughs guys.
I had thought of the 'screwed in backing plate' solution, but these modern hollow doors are little more than cardboard and sawdust, while i might get a little more grip initially, the sign's just going to end up on the floor again, and the door will have some dirty great holes in it.
The boss told them the problem was with their installation, and we're happy to do it properly for a fee.