silk screening vs printing vs cut vinyl

[Ed's Sign]

I have a customer who is asking me to replace an existing aluminum sign that he has. The original one was die cut vinyl applied to and aluminum sheet and now after what he estimated to be about 15 years its in pretty bad shape. He wants to replace it with something that will last a long time and keeps insisting that he wants it silk screened.

We live in Hawaii where the sun is not friendly to signs and he says it gets baked all afternoon. I don't have a lot of experience with silk screened signs as we work mostly with vinyl, but he asked me if the vinyl would last as long as silk screening. My gut reaction is to say no, that silk screening would be better, but I don't know for sure. Can some one give me some more info on how silk screening hold up on signs like this?

 

[Gino]

Sun is about the worst thing for vinyl if it is facing in it during the afternoon and setting sun. Actually, anything is bad under those conditions.

First..... 15 years is spectacular. Olden days with handpainting, screen printed or snot based paint.... 15 years was considered very good. Today's inks and whatnot, barely get 5 or 6 years, even with lamination. Screen printing a one-off, is ridiculous. Screen inks will last long, but if he got 15 years, tell him to stick with what he did the last time.

If he wants longer than 15 years, ask him what he thinks that would be ?? Anything stationary in the sun for 15 years is either gonna cook away or just melt. Sun hurts my eyes.

longer than 15 years........ :ROFLMAO:​

 

[signguy 55]

Cut a mask and paint with lettering enamels.

I had to do this for a construction project where the architect specified screen printing the (1) job site sign. Naturally architects don't know what they're talking about (you should have seen the specs on the frame and post system they wanted!).

Anyway I cut the mask and rolled the lettering with a foam roller. A couple of coats did it. It was just black on white aluminum. It looked like it was screen printed without the set up fee. This was a popular way to do lettering 25 years ago. You can do multiple colors, just cut away each color as needed.

Another thing, I NEVER suggest how long a sign will last. it's almost a shame his original sign lasted that long, now he'll want all future signs to last 15 years.

 

[Ed's Sign]

Thanks for the info guys! I don't think his sign really lasted 15 years, but that's what he's telling me. The die cut vinyl is faded and peeling off which I'm pretty sure didn't happen over night. He probably got maybe 8-10 years and now hes just tired of the eye sore. I normally tell people 3-5 years depending on conditions but a lot of people keep them up much longer.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

Remember when quoting that the lifespan from a manufacturer is the amount of time you will get until you start to be able to notice a change. A printed sign could easily last 15 years. But after 5-6 you will notice fading. Then material will crack, fade, whatever. Like you said the sign he originally bought probably lasted like new for 8 years max. By then it was showing fading at least. I get 20 year old street signs all the time. Sure they lasted on for 20 years but the sign was really only good looking for 6.

 

[Johnny Best]

So you are going to make a screen print for one sign. How big is this sign. What type of ink do you think will last longer than cast vinyl. Is it a dark background or light background, probably the later since it lasted so long. You could make him two vinyl signs every seven and a half years for the same price as making one sign with the screening process he thinks will last him fifteen years.
If you put a good paint job on the aluminum background, meaning a good epoxy primer or industrial primer and a top coat of two part paint, and good cast vinyl. Then he will get a good looking sign for at least seven to ten years.
If he wants a really long lasting sign, sell him a porcelain sign.

 

[Ed's Sign]

The sign itself is 3' x 5'. The reality is I don't even know if anyone locally can make a screen printed sing like this, and shipping would be pretty expensive to Hawaii. In addition to that, its more than one color and I had a feeling it would get pretty expensive. I think someone probably told him that screen printed signs are the best, so that's what he thinks he wants. I had intended on trying to talk him out of it, I just wanted to know what i was talking about before i did.

I talked to him already and gave him a price for vinyl and a price for stenciling and painting as was suggested earlier, we'll see what he comes back with.

 

[Billct2]

The best cast vinyls will last longer than oil or latex paint.
Tell him to wash a wax it a few times a year if he wants it to look better longer.

 

[S'N'S]

Why not paint with (2pac automotive paint) base coat color / clear...apply vinyl and clear coat over top.