Lusterboard signs from 07 are failing.

[Joe Diaz]

We had yet another customer call in about a failing sign. Sure enough it too was made with Lusterboard, a Laminators Inc product. Since we first started finding out about this problem early last year we have completely halted our use of this product and have fixed the problem signs on our own dime.
http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77522&highlight=delaminating

The problem is the signs are delaminating. In most cases from the center out. The signs are properly sealed.

Strangely enough these signs all seem to have Lusterbboard purchased from 06 to 07. (hopefully it won't be 07 and on too) Signs built before then using the same methods and products are outlasting these failing signs.

I just want to give people a heads up. If you used this product in that time period, you may want to check up on those signs. Our distributors sold us on this brand many years ago as a long lasting 10 year product. We were having good luck with lusterboard but now we aren't getting half of that.

Us sign makers have to look out for each other, we can't rely on the distributors/suppliers or manufactures to tell us when their products start going bad.

 

[Jane Diaz]

Also we are curious if any other sign shops are having this experience. It has been NO fun at ALL replacing bad products that are not being supported by these producers. Their response is to send us a letter on how they are not to fault.... THANKS! That helps alot! Their product held up great for years (in fact the older stuff is fine) but in that time period it all fails....what's up!?

 

[signage]

I would contact them and ask them what has changed in the manufacturing or supplier of their materials in that time frame. I would also let them know that you have been using this product prior to these issues and if they do not want to stand behind it you will let all your Sign Company Friends know how they stand behind the product now!

 

[2B]

I would contact them and ask them what has changed in the manufacturing or supplier of their materials in that time frame. I would also let them know that you have been using this product prior to these issues and if they do not want to stand behind it you will let all your Sign Company Friends know how they stand behind the product now!

+1 For us, we have had great success with Dibond/Polymetal and if the rigidity is a must increase to the 6mm.

 

[Gino]

Also we are curious if any other sign shops are having this experience. It has been NO fun at ALL replacing bad products that are not being supported by these producers. Their response is to send us a letter on how they are not to fault.... THANKS! That helps alot! Their product held up great for years (in fact the older stuff is fine) but in that time period it all fails....what's up!?

As before, we stopped using this stuff quite a long time ago for the same reasons. I don't believe how many coats of epoxy, caulk, wood filler, paint or whatever your normal procedure is on this substrate.... it's bound to fail sooner than most products on the market.

When dissecting this stuff [for my own satisfaction], this stuff is riddled with voids throughout its insides and then has a thin aluminum skin laminated to it. In my opinion, the manufacturer figures they've used exterior products... therefore warrants the label of being for exterior use, but with so many voids, footballs and other inconsistencies.... you're bound for failure with this product. Besides, it weighs so danged much.

I had some where a pinhole was found at the top, but at the bottom, it was completely rotted away almost a foot wide and in two places. I believe the water follows whatever path it needs to due to gravity and then does it's rotting deeds to the inside, until it just oozes with rotten wood and then it delaminates. Not one of our failures were at the top. They were always at the bottom.

I showed my supplier how the top of the sign was basically flawless, but the bottom was rotted away completely and delaminated. He said I did something wrong. I took a picture of it and asked.... when have you ever seen rot work from the bottom up... and get smaller as it rises ??

Anyway, I replaced all the signs that failed with MDO and did away with the entire problem. It's far easier and quicker to use MDO and it lasts about 15 years. However, we paint them ourselves. We don't use much of the pre-painted unless we're in a hurry and the placement doesn't warrant a good paint job..... like under a roof, in a breezeway or some similar location.

I doubt you'll get much satisfaction from your supplier after 4 or so years. I'd physically go out in the field and see which ones are failing and be prepared to get some calls.

Good Luck.........
​

 

[visual800]

Hello Diaz' let me tell you what they will say

"your the only ones having an issue with our products"

It must have been the way you attached vinyl"

"We gurantee our product but we wont stand behind it"

One Shot, PVC, Omega board....they are all doomed to fail because IMO they start out good and then flip to lesser quality without informing US the endusers. Im terrible sorry this happened BUT Im glad you guys nipped it and stopped using it. Maybe they will see this listed and do whats right

 

[UFB Fabrication]

Anything done in any type of wood is a temporary sign......

 

[signage]

Anything done in any type of wood is a temporary sign......

What about redwood, teque(sp), Ceader(sp)? to name a few acceptable outdoor woods.

 

[Pro Image]

I stopped using Laminators back around 2001.....I had 10 Alumalite panels de-laminate and they told me it was my fault on the install.....I tap-coned them to a brick wall with washer and the centers came apart first and then the core completely separated from the aluminum.....but it was all my fault.....to hell with them....

 

[Letterbox Mike]

We've had the same experiences with Laminator's products, we've stopped using them as much as possible now too, and refuse to use any wood product (short of for a sandblasted sign). Go composite, it'll last much much longer.

 

[visual800]

I stopped using Laminators back around 2001.....I had 10 Alumalite panels de-laminate and they told me it was my fault on the install.....I tap-coned them to a brick wall with washer and the centers came apart first and then the core completely separated from the aluminum.....but it was all my fault.....to hell with them....

EXACTLY! this pi$$es me off when they dont take some of the blame

 

[Jillbeans]

I have not had any failures, and I used Lustreboard on a HUGE park sign project 06-07.
Over 100 signs.
Knocking wood here. I don't see anything wrong and I pass these signs on a weekly basis.
But that doesn't mean they are not rotting from the inside out.
But then again, they are at least 5 years old now...how long was this stuff supposed to last? I think it's unreasonable to have to replace a five year old sign at your cost.
But I have been burned badly by Avery and 1-Shot, so I totally understand what you are facing.
Love....Jill

 

[k.a.s.]

I tend to use more MDO vs Lusterboard, but I have used it a few times with no know failures that I know of. I love composite material to but wood materials are still the most rigid type of material to use. Overall though, I agree with Jill, I tell people that any wood product should look good for 3-5 years and maybe longer. But I'm not going to be replacing any 5 year old wood sign for free.

Kevin

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Lusterboard only has a 5 to 7 year life to it, you might want to re think about doing these signs over without a charge.

 

[Billct2]

I seen what I consider premature failures too. If an alumninum faced material has a sealed edge it should last 5 years BEFORE it starts to fall apart. Some of them look like they rotted from the inside out, like the wood was contaminated with dry rot. Back when MDO was king I had signs last 5-10 years, no problem.

 

[Joe Diaz]

The types of signs we WERE using lusterboard on we told our clients would be a 7 year product. But when we said that it was mainly because we were worried our paints wouldn't surpass the 7 year mark. Just to be safe you know. We've really started to get a handle on our paint system and have been able to get some great longevity as far as that goes. But we never thought Lusterboard would be the problem especially since our signs built prior to 07 were doing fine and lasting longer than 7 years... In a lot of cases longer than 10 even.

We are constantly seeking out the best way to make our signs 10 plus years, but we normally say 7 on those signs that are meant to last longer.

Sooo. Our arrangement with our clients has been to discount the replacement sign. So if the old sign goes 4 years and we say 7, than the cost of those 3 years would be discounted from a new sign. Our customers seem to approve of this arrangement.

Now we are building the majority of our long lasting signs in just aluminum.