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Roof decal, to be seen from airplanes/satellite

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victor bogdanov

Active Member
I have a customer that wants a large decal to go on a brand new, flat white roof. They will be making a drone video of the building and what the brand on the roof. Only needs to last long enough for the video shoot, if it can be seen from planes landing/taking off from the nearby airport that is a bonus, if it ends up on satellite imagery also a bonus.

It is a white rubbery material, tested adhesion and vinyl adhesion is good to the roof material.

Size will be around 75ft x 25ft.

How would you go about doing this, I'm thinking going with a 6 mil vinyl and apply like any other floor decal. Has anyone done something similar?
 
gnubler

gnubler

Active Member
Wow! This sounds more exciting than my hangar door that never happened. Will be curious to see what the others suggest.

I gather it's a multi-color design, so painting it isn't a viable option?
 
V

victor bogdanov

Active Member
gnubler said:
Wow! This sounds more exciting than my hangar door that never happened. Will be curious to see what the others suggest.

I gather it's a multi-color design, so painting it isn't a viable option?
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It's a pretty simple design, pink and white. Maybe could be done with paint.

I did a smaller scale test print for them out of the 6 mil vinyl and they like it. Just trying to see what I might be missing before I go on a roof when it's 100 degrees outside
 
Texas_Signmaker

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
Doesn't sound like a bad idea to me, especially if it's the roofing company. Look at satellite view near DFW airport. Lots of companies do that.
 
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Rmurray321

New Member
Ironically I own a roofing company and a graphics company

The roof you’re installing onto is also PVC. You can use anything. I’d use just some low tack removable vinyl if you want to remove it…or just use permanent vinyl and leave it there.

If you have doubts, get ahold of the material manufacturer Duro-Last (most likely) and ask them.
 
J

Jester

Slow is Fast
In my experience, roof signage like this is typically done in paint. If you do the job in vinyl let us know how it turns out.

(If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail)
 
R

Rmurray321

New Member
Jester said:
In my experience, roof signage like this is typically done in paint. If you do the job in vinyl let us know how it turns out.

(If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail)
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This is true of asphalt roofs. He’s working with a PVC roof. It’s actually built very similar to a banner, it even has a scrim layer, and you weld it with a pvc seam welder. pretty neat stuff
 
V

victor bogdanov

Active Member
What's every ones favorite tool/squeegee for 50"+ wide panels going on a floor (roof). I have a 27" yellow tool timber and just ordered a 64" for this job
 
Mike Paul

Mike Paul

Super Active Member
CGI ?? Fake it like the movies do.

Or lay out a printed banner for the needed footage. Doesn’t need to be a white rectangular background like a for lease sign…

Design and hand cut it in a nice looking sign panel with a colored background and stick it on with VHB tape for the drone footage…
Footage can’t take that long.

.
 
V

victor bogdanov

Active Member
Mike Paul said:
CGI ?? Fake it like the movies do.

Or lay out a printed banner for the needed footage. Doesn’t need to be a white rectangular background like a for lease sign…

Design and hand cut it in a nice looking sign panel with a colored background and stick it on with VHB tape for the drone footage…
Footage can’t take that long.

.
Click to expand...
I think the downsides of banner is high winds/rain could come through and tear it off it the 1-2 weeks or more it could take before video is made. After the shoot would have to remove otherwise Id imagine water will get trapped under the banner.

CGI, maybe could be done but won't be seen from planes, satellites etc. Plus not it my interest to get rid of a 1500sq ft print/install job
 
James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Wait for a calm day and then use hand-cut EPDM graphics that are not glued down. Roll it up at the end of the video shoot and pick up your check.


JB
 
V

victor bogdanov

Active Member
Update, got it done. Can't wait to see the drone shots

First 2 panels I did using 64" squeegee using the floor decal method. Did not work too well as the roof is not perfectly flat like a floor, lots of waves, dips, +-.5" everywhere.

Rest was done with hinge method with a 4" squeegee. Tried a 20" squeegee but still was too big for the surface variation

This is a little over 1000sq ft, little smaller than originally planned.

Install took 5 hrs start to finish, has to be the sorerest I have ever been crawling on my knees for 5 hrs, luckily the roof was soft like built in kneepads, I brough knee pads but did not use.

Planes flying by 200 yards away every 5 min. IAH airport.

couple of wind gusts almost ruined a few panels


Hoping to get some more work like this, was fun.

I applied a piece of this print at my shop and house to see how long it lasts, might go back and check on this in a year



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