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Need Help In mounting acrylic letters to concrete wall

T

TrimSignz

New Member
Hi

I need to mount 1/8" black acrylic letters (12" height) to painted concrete wall. I need to install the letters in such way that there will be no space between letters and wall. Any help will be appreciated !!!!

I am thinking to apply double sided tape and clear silicone. Is that right way to do that?
 
HIGHSPEEDGRAPHIX

HIGHSPEEDGRAPHIX

Rog
are these provided? Did you order these in? You need to drill and stud mount these. Double sided tape my work depending on the texture and paint of the wall but would fail over time.
 
C

CanuckSigns

Active Member
I don't think you can get 1/8" thick acrylic letters drilled & tapped for studs, I think they have to use a pad mount, which will raise your letters off the wall. d/s tape and a good quality silicone should last a good long time indoors or outdoors. the only consideration I would have is if it is in an area they are likley to be stolen, mind you I have had acrylic letters snap in half before the silicone lets go!
 
Moze

Moze

Active Member
VHB tape and silicone will work just fine. If you use silicone, use GE Silicone II or upgrade to Lexel - both available at Home Depot.

I would just add a clause in my quote that you are not responsible if the paint fails to adhere to the wall. If painted correctly, the paint should be a non-issue.

And, as mentioned, you can't drill & tap .125" acrylic.
 
G

GVP

New Member
watsons signs said:
I don't think you can get 1/8" thick acrylic letters drilled & tapped for studs, I think they have to use a pad mount, which will raise your letters off the wall. d/s tape and a good quality silicone should last a good long time indoors or outdoors. the only consideration I would have is if it is in an area they are likley to be stolen, mind you I have had acrylic letters snap in half before the silicone lets go!
Click to expand...

+1 d/s tape & silicone.

I'm curious as to why only 1/8" acrylic for 12" letters - seems too thin IMO ?
 
visual800

visual800

Active Member
Silicone as moze said and let me tell you whats going to happen to these letters if they are outside in sun, not good choice of thickness for acrylic
 
T

ThePrinter

New Member
Understanding VHB tape and silicone

I know this might be a noob question. When using VHB tape and silicone, how much silicone do you use and do you run it the length of the tape or do you just use nickle size spots of it evenly spaced? Also do you use silicone for indoor installations as well? I see VHB tape and silicone brought up a lot, I just haven't seen any one expand on it and the purposes.
 
Moze

Moze

Active Member
ThePrinter said:
I know this might be a noob question. When using VHB tape and silicone, how much silicone do you use and do you run it the length of the tape or do you just use nickle size spots of it evenly spaced? Also do you use silicone for indoor installations as well? I see VHB tape and silicone brought up a lot, I just haven't seen any one expand on it and the purposes.
Click to expand...

The tape and adhesive are used together in case one of them fails.

A heads-up: silicone doesn't adhere well to acrylic. It isn't recommended for use on acrylic. You should really consider picking up a tube of Lexel. It's about $8 but it will do its job.
 
nwsigns

nwsigns

New Member
silicone sucks on acrylic, it will eventually fail and you will have a nice lump of silicone on the wall and a perfectly clean letter on the ground that looks like you never touched it with silicone - it just does not stick well. BUT there is any easy solution - we prime any acrylic we adhere with silicone with Matthews Tiebond or if we want to get serious Lords Adhesive makes a 200 series epoxy and primer for acrylic which is bullet proof. Still, we use mechanical fasteners wherever possible - I sleep better that way.
 
T

TrimSignz

New Member
Acrylic

Actually, my customer saw some signs in his plaza, where he bought his place for business. And he want the same signs like that. I checked those signs, and they are white acrylic letters covered with dark blue vinyl, mounted to concrete wall and their thickness is almost 1/8". i think, they are mounted with double sided tape or something else. I don't think, we can use studs with this thickness. I am installing these letters on almost 10 feet height. its outside. And only thing i am worried , is in cold temperature, how these letters will behave? Sometimes in winter, temperature drop to -35 degree or below. So need some good suggestion to mount these letters, so that these will last. Thanks for all suggestions
 
T

TrimSignz

New Member
Moze said:
The tape and adhesive are used together in case one of them fails.

A heads-up: silicone doesn't adhere well to acrylic. It isn't recommended for use on acrylic. You should really consider picking up a tube of Lexel. It's about $8 but it will do its job.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the suggestion, I think Lexel and double sided tape, both will work with my signs.
 
S

shoresigns

New Member
I would be a bit worried about black 1/8" letters warping in the sun, but acrylic I think would be less prone to warping than say, PVC letters.
 
SignManiac

SignManiac

New Member
Acrylic is to smooth and the silicone doesn't bite well unless you scuff up the back with some really course sandpaper. I've had it fail when unsanded.
 
T

TrimSignz

New Member
i am thinking to go with double sided tape and lexel. As i dont see i have much options. I am now looking for some good double sided tape that can go on tough and rough surfaces well and very aggresive.
 
Moze

Moze

Active Member
I don't know how rough the concrete is, but typically you'd be fine with the 3M tape sold at Home Depot. That will hold it up long enough for the Lexel to set up. Once the Lexel sets up, it's not going to come down.

If you don't have VHB tape kicking around, expect to shell out around $100 for a roll.
 
John Butto

John Butto

New Member
Fellers has it

Have been a big fan of 3M 4941 VHB tape for years. Just purchased some Oramount UHB 3600 which says it is comparable. It is half the price as 3M, smells the same and so far seems to work just as well. Of course time will tell, .5"x36 yards is $28.99.
 
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