reflective peeling off within a year

[Marlene]

I did some signs for a state park up my way so I too have to deal with weather from hell. I too used the brown reflective and have signs that have been up for a few years now with no issues.

first off
was the aluminum cleaned really good? there's a layer of greasy black gook on raw aluminum that needs to be cleaned off

second
did you apply it wet or dry?

third
did you apply it by hand or use a machine with rollers that really applies it evenly and with no iar bubbles or weak places where you kind of pressed it down.

 

[wes70]

My thoughts on this issue -

* If your using a wet application, don't.

* If by "Mill Finish" you mean bare, you might want to try a prefinished aluminum for a stronger adhesion.

* Use only highest grade reflective vinyls available.

* To avoid layering you could have text screenprinted onto reflective material.

* To prevent peeling you could have say an 1/8" - 1/4" inset from the edge on your background then apply a protective top coat of automotive polyeurothane clear. Sounds extreme but it also sounds like these signs are exposed to some pretty extreme elements & punishment so maybe that's what it's gonna take to protect them.

Some very good advice!

 

[signmeup]

You should have these signs made in Canada.

 

[Tim Kingston]

You should have these signs made in Canada.

Nah, exact same thing happens here if you leave the application BURIED under snow. Think about how much force that is pulling and moving expanding etc.
Hell, the frost ( frozen ground ) moves houses with ease up here. You are a bluenoser aren't you? You know it's true.

 

[Malkin]

I suspect that the fabricator is trimming the edges of the vinyl after applying it to the substrate. That does not work well.

I had/have the same problems of reflective delam'ing when trimming around the edges using the substrate as a template after the vinyl was applied.
I also had the same troubles with lam'ed printed vinyl when using the substrate as a template to trim the edges.
I do not trim vinyl around the edges ever again. It sometimes leaves a mess of a redo later on. I feel it is the trim knife causing a microscopic ragged edge that contributes whatever element to a failure.

Try it yourself. Apply vinyl to a sheet of aluminum leaving some extra vinyl to trim. You will see vinyl edges wrinkle just a little and will not adhere correctly.

This is why I trim using a file at a 45 deg. downward angle. Smooth and no edge to catch on anything or peel back prematurely.