On garbage cans, print or cut lettering?

[depps74]

I got a job to letter the tops of 120 garbage cans. The tops are contour cut for paper, cans, and trash. They are also aluminum coated with some sort of smooth poly perfect for adhesion.

My thinking is cut lettering will get dirty and hard to clean on the edges of the letters once they start getting used. On the other hand a print could scratch easily which mean I should laminate it, or maybe not if there is a material that is super scratch resistant.

Any advice on best approach and methods for this type of job is much appreciated.

 

[eahicks]

If you are going to do prints, and laminate, I would suggest Polycarbonate laminate. Works great for things getting used and abused like that.

 

[phototec]

I got a job to letter the tops of 120 garbage cans. The tops are contour cut for paper, cans, and trash. They are also aluminum coated with some sort of smooth poly perfect for adhesion.

My thinking is cut lettering will get dirty and hard to clean on the edges of the letters once they start getting used. On the other hand a print could scratch easily which mean I should laminate it, or maybe not if there is a material that is super scratch resistant.

Any advice on best approach and methods for this type of job is much appreciated.

Dude, everything that is print & cut and goes outside should be laminated - Always.

I would use the very thick laminate they use for dirt bike graphics, that stuff takes a lot of abuse.

 

[equippaint]

Dude, everything that is print & cut and goes outside should be laminated - Always.

I would use the very thick laminate they use for dirt bike graphics, that stuff takes a lot of abuse.

Why? We have had 12" long un-laminated full color labels on all of our trash cans for about 2 years now and they're fine, . They get drug out and emptied into a dumpster everyday. I didn't think they would make it a week.
Isn't the right way to do this with a hot stamp or something like they do with mudflaps?

 

[Terry01]

Question 1..are they plastic bins?? you will require the correct vinyl if the are.

 

[signman315]

Question 1..are they plastic bins?? you will require the correct vinyl if the are.

Absolutely correct...many/most plastic garbage bins are designed to be easy to clean i.e. nothing sticks to them. They are low energy plastics similar to an ATV or MX bike but even harder to stick to. You will need a vinyl designed for this application if that's the case, Convex and Oracal are my go-to brands for high tack vinyl designed for low-energy plastics....Most modern latex/water-based paints are also designed to be easy to clean and require the proper vinyl for good adhesion very similar to low energy plastics.

 

[Johnny Best]

Substance Incorporated They have a great product for this application.