Sign gone wrong - looking for answers as to why

[Stacey K]

I did not print or install this sign. 2 - 4'x8' sign boards screwed over the top of an existing plywood sign. This customer came to me in Spring looking for an estimate and must have found it cheaper elsewhere. This sign was installed around April-May this year. It is direct printed onto a 3mil material, perhaps acrylic? Looks like it was rolled up and unrolled to install as it's curling on the edges. I had an opportunity to crawl through the weeds and take these pics as I would like to be able to tell him what failed if he wants the sign replaced. He is a good customer of mine for other signs and t-shirts. It's unfortunate because the sign looked great when they first installed it. Soon after I noticed a horizontal line on both sides of the sign where it appeared to be faded. I thought it may have been a shadow but it's not. What might have gone wrong with this? Thank you!

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Failing UV print on ACM? Should do laminated vinyl

 

[Gino]

The way it's turned under on the picture with the blade of grass waving around, it doesn't look like any rigid substrate. It appears the ink is having some sorta reaction to whatever it's on. Almost like it's being cooked off. Have never seen inks blister like that. Do both sides look alike as far as the problem ?? Can one side be facing due south ??

 

[equippaint]

Looks like a polystyrene (? I think) sign that we bought from home depot and is doing the same thing but has less coverage. Like the ink hit the surface but never bit in.

 

[Andy D]

Definitely UV printed & looks like they used liquid lamination, probably under cured the UV Inks,
went too thick with the liquid lamination, and might have used the wrong type for that ink.

 

[James Burke]

Inform your client it's ADA-compliant self-texturing vinyl.


JB

 

[Stacey K]

The way it's turned under on the picture with the blade of grass waving around, it doesn't look like any rigid substrate. It appears the ink is having some sorta reaction to whatever it's on. Almost like it's being cooked off. Have never seen inks blister like that. Do both sides look alike as far as the problem ?? Can one side be facing due south ??

Gino - one side faces East the other West, both sides are the same. The horizontal line is in the same spot on both sides. All summer when I drove past I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, was it a shadow? Was it dirty? No, it is neither of those once I was close up. Both signs must've been printed and laminated at the same time to cause this on both sides. Above the sign there is a small roof that sticks out about 18" so the shadow thing made little sense to me when I would drive past early in the day or late in the day. Had to get out and inspect! Was driving me nuts! LOL

 

[Stacey K]

Looks like a polystyrene (? I think) sign that we bought from home depot and is doing the same thing but has less coverage. Like the ink hit the surface but never bit in.

I had no idea you could buy signs from the Home Depot. I just looked on their site...the word "aLLuminum" is spelled wrong on all the aluminum signage LOL

 

[Nickprints]

Liquid lamination issue 100 percent. they ran this thru the machine twice as the roller was set to high the first time. The laminate fused and dried better on the ink than it did on the material used. Also I have see this happen when The liquid lamination is put down before and after printing like a sandwich

 

[Nickprints]

Also the marks left are from a user who had the wrong top and bottom roller speeds for the material

 

[Gino]

Not really sure what happened to that, especially if it's flatbed printed.

I would maybe go to the customer and tell them, you've seen their sign and you have NO clue as to what is going on or even why it's deteriorating so quickly. If they'd like to consider looking into your products you'd give them the best deal that you could, but they should be careful, if they go back to the same people. Perhaps, they are already engaged in talks. Don't tell them you think it could be this or that..... or they'll go to the other shop and accuse them of whatnot, based on your say-so. Stay out of it at this point. Rather keep their other business and if things really go south on this deal, then you didn't bad-mouth anyone or make false accusations.

 

[equippaint]

I had no idea you could buy signs from the Home Depot. I just looked on their site...the word "aLLuminum" is spelled wrong on all the aluminum signage LOL

It was a cheap sign for the fire inspection, something to do with it being light truss so in a fire, they don't get on the roof. Id much prefer one saying its insured, just let it burn.

 

[equippaint]

Gino's right. Pointing out to someone that the product they bought, over yours, is failing is a very bad thing to do. It's usually perceived as a direct insult and puts people on the defensive. Even with good intentions, you are telling them that they made a bad decision when they need to come to that conclusion on their own.

 

[GAC05]

Gino's right. Pointing out to someone that the product they bought, over yours, is failing is a very bad thing to do. It's usually perceived as a direct insult and puts people on the defensive. Even with good intentions, you are telling them that they made a bad decision when they need to come to that conclusion on their own.

I agree. Wear this to give them nonverbal /visual subliminal hints instead

 

[Stacey K]

Thanks everyone! This is all very helpful. I did not plan to confront the customer, but I think it's important that I have SOME clue as to what happened so I don't look like a total moron LOL. I'm not very familiar with direct to substrate printing so this is a good learning experience for me. The more information we have the better informed we are for the next customer.