Solvent street light banner material?

[stevenjowens]

What material do people recommend for solvent printing streetlight banners?

These are going to be roughly 36" wide by 42" tall, plus pole pockets (sleeves) at the top and bottom, so they'll be stretched fairl tight and supported at both ends, which should reduce the wind damage.

Vinyl is obviously out, wind will batter it to tatters.

Neschen Pure Color Versa 7.7 oz treated polyester fabric is what the local supplier recommends.

The sales rep suggested looking into a bamboo-fiber fabric that a local university used for streetlight banners, but hasn't been able to get a quote from Neschen.

 

[DirtyD]

an 18oz blockout double sided banner for pole banners...All the major suppliers carry it

 

[SightLine]

Vinyl is obviously out, wind will batter it to tatters

What?? lol who told you that garbage? Probably the number one used material for pole banners was mentioned - 18oz double sides. We use Pole Banner Pro from Ultraflexx. Works great - print the first side, let it dry for a couple of hours, flip the roll and print the second side. We have had a LOT of much larger (30x72) pole banners up on this material for over 3 years for the US Army. They get a LOT of wind and they still look great.

I'd think if anything that 7 oz pantyhose fabric is what would be shredded in no time flat. Also - do NOT cut wind slits in banners. it damages the scrim and the structural integrity of the banner greatly shortening its life.

 

[stevenjowens]

What?? lol who told you that garbage?

Our primary supplier (Pionner Supply). Also, to some degree, experience. We did a simple vinyl banner (15oz arlon blockout banner) for a local sandwich shop and he hung it above his storefront, about eight months ago. His idea, not ours, but he's a past customer so we gave him what he asked for. The black lettering is still sharp but the vinyl itself is battered, cracked and torn.

In any event, the old streetlight banners were cloth and the municipality really wants cloth, so we quoted them Neschen Versa.

They're really nervous about fading. Apparently the previous banners faded pretty quickly, i.e. within a year. I know with vinyl or wraps, the manufacturer recommends laminating to prevent sun-fading. We've had some vinyl test prints that have lasted quite well, but I'm uncertain about the cloth prints.

I've heard about spray-on treatments (mainly for art prints). Are there any steps we can take to make them last longer?

 

[GAC05]

I think the fabric prints will fade away before the vinyl banner wears out.
With the tropical sun around here fabric prints start to fade within just a few months.
Feather flags at our local soccer field have to be changed out 3 or 4 times within a single year.

With vinyl they need to be hung tight so they flap as little as possible - without over tensioning them.
Vinyl banners will beat them selves to death pretty quick in the wind if there is too much slack.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[SightLine]

The 15oz Arlon Blockout banner stock is not a long term outdoor material. Its only a 500 denier 9x9 scrim which is very weak. Even Arlon says only up to 1 year outdoor (unprinted) and zero warranty when used as a pole banner. That Seal (Neschen) fabric is only rated for 6 months outdoors....

Arlon does have an 18oz blockout banner stock and of course there are other brands like Ultraflexx Pole Banner Pro 18oz (I think both are 1000x1000 denier) and even heavier ones available as well. As far as a fabric goes that will be durable for that sort of use you are going to be getting into some expensive stuff like Sunbrella....