Gino
Premium Subscriber
As mentioned in various posts, those signs have basically seen their time. Many vinyls are rated at 10 years, both cast and calendared, but none of the inks are, regardless what kind of ink you're using. So, you take the digital vinyl, add a chemical to the top of it, let it outgas or not, add another layer of clear and stick it outside, what do you expect to happen after 4 or 5 years ?? You can clearly see on the one closeup, where the acrylic was behind the lip. it was not affected at all, in fact, it even held it's color pretty darned good. Not to mention, if it is all these things y'all are saying, why is the white cooking up, too ?? No ink, there.
Years ago, long before BC (before computers) we would clear our paint, when doing large items, such as murals or billboards. We had our favorites, but Dana, a product we got in from California was by far the best clear you could get. Now, I think most of us here have some knowledge on the subject, but if we were to see which is thicker...... rigid vinyl lam or a coat of clearcoat paint, I think rigid lam would be the thicker. With all clears back in the day, they would do what was called 'Burn the Paint'. It would slowly yellow and start making the layers in back, slowly cook. They would become more and more brittle and even crack, but it looked like a nicotine stained hand of a smoker. That's how yellow or golden it got.
Wonder why.... ?? The clears, back then, the same as the laminates of today, act like miniature magnifying glasses and slowly burn the stuff below it. Outgassing, performance level of vinyl, inks........... they ALL do it. Some more than others, simply due to the direction they face. Some might hold up longer than others, but to tell anyone a digitally printed sign will last more than 5 years is really taking a chance. When painting signs, we had them last 20 and 25 years. Get into the Gerbers and other early computer systems, you had maybe 8 or 10 years if you were lucky. Now, with all the built in obsolesce, you're lucky to get 5 years without any problems.
Years ago, long before BC (before computers) we would clear our paint, when doing large items, such as murals or billboards. We had our favorites, but Dana, a product we got in from California was by far the best clear you could get. Now, I think most of us here have some knowledge on the subject, but if we were to see which is thicker...... rigid vinyl lam or a coat of clearcoat paint, I think rigid lam would be the thicker. With all clears back in the day, they would do what was called 'Burn the Paint'. It would slowly yellow and start making the layers in back, slowly cook. They would become more and more brittle and even crack, but it looked like a nicotine stained hand of a smoker. That's how yellow or golden it got.
Wonder why.... ?? The clears, back then, the same as the laminates of today, act like miniature magnifying glasses and slowly burn the stuff below it. Outgassing, performance level of vinyl, inks........... they ALL do it. Some more than others, simply due to the direction they face. Some might hold up longer than others, but to tell anyone a digitally printed sign will last more than 5 years is really taking a chance. When painting signs, we had them last 20 and 25 years. Get into the Gerbers and other early computer systems, you had maybe 8 or 10 years if you were lucky. Now, with all the built in obsolesce, you're lucky to get 5 years without any problems.
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