PVC vs. Acrylic

[dmfahie]

I see many folks, especially in SignCraft making beautiful signs out of PVC. I am a rookie at dimensional signage. This being said reading posts and articles on many forums about PVC. Some swear by it, others at it. Acrylic is expensive but dependable, paint it green or black, stud mount/VHB/whatever it handles pretty much what you throw at it. PVC, seems a bit more sensitive, paint it with a darker color you need a paint with a lower reflective value, lighter color a higher value. Seems like allot to figure out here with the PVC. That being said I see allot of respectable names in our industry leaning towards PVC. The brand that comes up is always Komacell. What are you using; why? Just trying to figure out the pros and cons to these materials and whats better for the customer.... and the fabricator.

Thanks.

 

[visual800]

We make alot of PVC signage. cut out letters and routed plaques. We have noticed the quality of PVC lately is absolute crap. Our local source has the crappiest pvc we have ever seen it won't even route smoothe. Grimco has the best and the quality of it has even gone down although no one will admit it.

This acrylic you speak of are you referring to the same acrylic I am thinking of? The acrylic I know is fragile unless its 1/4" thick and is better suited for interior signage. We try to not even use acrylic for replacement faces in electrical boxes, lexan is our choice for that

Interior acrylic signs ordered by Gemini look great though

 

[dmfahie]

We use .50" acrylic, exterior for raised letters, etc. Being in the north we may have less issues then in the south. I read your posts elsewhere about PVC last night. What are you using in place of PVC?

 

[visual800]

Example: We installed 36" letters on church. It took one month for those letters to pull themselves off drivit. warping and becoming disfugured.

I took them down cut the same letters in .063 aluminum and made pvc stand offs for back. Ripped all that crappy *** pvc off and place new letters. They have been up for about a years now (I think) and absolutely no issues at all.

Ill use 3/4" pvc up to about 15" if it outside. If its facing south Ill use aluminum with pvc stand offs. I make the stand offs a little smaller than the stroke of the letters so as they are not visible and the letter apears to be floating. Im glad this church job bit my *** cause It forced me to find another option for lettering.

PVC rocked about 5 years ago than someone figured buying cheap *** PVC from china was a great idea and didnt bother to tell us guys who are the end users.

 

[Marlene]

I live pretty much in the same conditions as you and wouldn't use PVC for exterior letters ever. Acrylic may cost more but it also will hold up and not bend, crack or warp. acrylic can break if hit with ice or rocks but usually they are flush mounted and that isn't an issue. PVC works OK for interior stuff but not so much for outside.

 

[omgsideburns]

PVC is great, but every once in a while we get a sheet of the cheap stuff and you can just tell. It's lighter and usually has some waves in it.

We use a ton of PVC though. 6mm, 12mm and 24mm. It takes a routed edge nicely, and the routed edges hold paint well.

 

[visual800]

PVC is great, but every once in a while we get a sheet of the cheap stuff and you can just tell. It's lighter and usually has some waves in it.

We use a ton of PVC though. 6mm, 12mm and 24mm. It takes a routed edge nicely, and the routed edges hold paint well.

oh yeah you can tell. Its more porous also. routes like crap and leaves debris stuck to it. doesnt paint worth a crap either. i wish these compnaies that bought cheap junk had a warehouse of 5000 sheets and everyone refused to buy it!