logistics for printing & installing 150 foot long banner?

[pixel_pusher]

I have a customer who wants a 150'x4' banner to hang on the exterior concrete wall of their car dealership. First of all, is this even possible? We print all our banners digitally and typically finish the ends with banner tape, but will that be enough for this size banner? I wonder if the banner's weight alone will cause it to tear off the wall.

Do any of you have experience with banners that large? How thick should the media be? Am I foolish to even attempt this job?

 

[J Hill Designs]

that seems like a heavy banner...

 

[Kevin-shopVOX]

Try outsourcing the print to someone like Georgia Printco or other wholesale shops and print on the wind mesh material. They wrap building with that stuff when the are being constructed. The mesh will allow wind to pass through fairly easily creating less of a sail even when hung flat against the wall.

 

[JoshLoring]

Just a random Idea... But

If you split the banner up on a flat roof into several 10 or 20 ft banners and staggered them.. Essentially you could create the effect of a castle rooftop which would attract more attention and look a lot cooler at the same time.

Just an idea.. I get them about 4738439 times a day

 

[Mosh]

We did a 9'x120' banner. 16 oz material from Fellars, we painted the letters as it was just simply copy. We put a grommet every 12", it was put on the side of a power plant 80 feet in the air. We used metal band ties to attack it to the scafolding. They had it up for the whole three years of construction, no problems.

 

[Circleville Signs]

I agree with a few posts here. The logistics aren't terrible, and the banner will hold up fine, as long as you distribute your anchors(grommets) adequately. Every 12-16" should do the trick.

Now, installation logistics are the interesting issue. Are you a one-man shop? If so, it's going to be a nasty install, although doable.


Gary

 

[MachServTech]

I have done mesh building wraps and museum facade drops with similar dimensions using the HP 10000 and then having them sewn by a company that also produces sail for tallships. the building attachments were mounted in concrete and then the "rigging" was installed.

 

[pixel_pusher]

I am a one man shop in that I run the large format division of a print shop. The customer actually owns two cherry pickers, and has offered to do the installation themselves if I provide them with instructions.

I've never dealt with mesh banner material, so I'll have to do a little more research on it. If I print this in house, I should use 18 oz. media, right?

 

[SeaWriter]

Walk in the park.
However, invest in a high quality rotary hammer drill and I mean high quality. The difference is a top quality drill will cut holes with very little effort, particularly when holding onto the top of a ladder with one hand, or leaning out over a bucket

 

[miguelon.lizarraga]

Just a random Idea... But

If you split the banner up on a flat roof into several 10 or 20 ft banners and staggered them.. Essentially you could create the effect of a castle rooftop which would attract more attention and look a lot cooler at the same time.

Just an idea.. I get them about 4738439 times a day

Can you explain this a little bit more, this sounds fun and cool to do.

 

[ddarlak]

very easy job.

if it's flat mount on the bldg., you don't have much to worry about. i'd use 13oz material, with banner tape. don't worry about printing the banner in one piece, you can vertically tape them together - the tape will hold fine.

good hammerdrill a must, i'd go grommets every 2', with those nail-plastic-rivet things

 

[econolinesigns]

Even though we could print and finish this, we would most likly sub it out to someone like Merritt or Circle Graphics. Once done, not hard to put up, grommet every 16 to 24 inches or look at using something like the Power Tape system. If flat on the side of a building, not sure you need to do a mesh material. If this is a banner that will be changed, you might want to suggest some type of banner frame system for the side of the building.

 

[pixel_pusher]

very easy job.

if it's flat mount on the bldg., you don't have much to worry about. i'd use 13oz material, with banner tape. don't worry about printing the banner in one piece, you can vertically tape them together - the tape will hold fine.

Do you mean using banner tape around all 4 edges? It seems like printing several panels an taping them together will be more of a hassle than doing it all in one piece and using the scroll method to tape/grommet on my 16' of work table.

Also, what exactly are the nail-plastic-rivet things you referred to? I've only used the good old brass ones.

 

[Pat Whatley]

man, sub that sucker out. I know you've got your own printer and all but think about it...that's an awful long print to run without one little hiccup. You get a streak, you get a head strike, you get banner that's not completely dry stuck together and you're screwed...you get to print it all over again.

Then add in the time it's going to tape to finish all four sides....and install grommets every 12" to 18" and you'll see quickly that you're getting in way over your head for nothing.

Sub it out to somebody like Merritt or Georgia PrintCo who deals with this kind of stuff every day. Send them the file, wait a week and have a perfect, ready to go product on your doorstep. Triple the price from Merritt and you're still able to sell it to your customer cheap.

Installation is a no-brainer. Tell them to find the fasteners they want to use, start at one end and stretch the banner as they install it.

 

[ddarlak]

you could sub it out, i would, but if your printers just sitting there, you could save yourself some cash and print it yourself.

you don't have to make it the whole way, seeming it together whereever would not be a problem.

yes banner tape around all 4 edges, and grommets every 2 feet.

i did a 4 x 75' not to long ago, it wasn't a problem, wasn't as fun as going to the movies, but i got paid.....