Vinyl awning with seam in the way

[gnubler]

Customer had a new vinyl awning made and it ended up with a seam running across right in front - see image. They didn't realize it until it was up and installed. She wants lettering running across the front, but I'm not excited about laying it over that seam. Put together a mockup with the lettering above the seam...letters not tall enough and she didn't like it not vertically centered. Any ideas other than having the awning redone?

 

[netsol]

modify the design?

 

[Gino]

First, the execution of that awning is p!ss -poor. I'd tell your customer to tell them to do it over and do it correct, this time. There are far too many wrinkles and that seem should never have been there. They musta opted to have some schmuck make the awning and this is what they got. Regardless, if they already paid for it, tell them to sue the company for a replacement industry standard awning. Once you have any lettering on that, the wind is gonna beat that atrocity up and knock the lettering off, unless ya paint it on.

Cripes, look how tight the green one is. Tell them that's what they should've gotten.

 

[petepaz]

First, the execution of that awning is p!ss -poor. I'd tell your customer to tell them to do it over and do it correct, this time. There are far too many wrinkles and that seem should never have been there. They musta opted to have some schmuck make the awning and this is what they got. Regardless, if they already paid for it, tell them to sue the company for a replacement industry standard awning. Once you have any lettering on that, the wind is gonna beat that atrocity up and knock the lettering off, unless ya paint it on.

Cripes, look how tight the green one is. Tell them that's what they should've gotten.

awnings aren't in our wheel house but i was going to say what gino said just from an observation point of view, that green awning is tight. the more slack you have the more issues you will have down the road with wind and weather ripping it apart. what i am interested to know is what/how are you putting letters on there? what material? what process? i normally don't put lettering on existing awnings because it usually doesn't hold up well, in my experience but i did have one customer who was adamite about it and i did it but told him i wouldn't guarantee/warranty it. what he did do is he got some special paint supposedly for awnings and put like 3 coats and it became like a hard shell i used a high tack vinyl to cut his lettering and it's been up for like 3 or 4 yrs with no issue

 

[gnubler]

Yeah, the customer is disappointed with it, both with the fit and the seam. They had it done in a rush to replace an old awning that looked like garbage. I told them they'd have to take it down so I can do the lettering at my shop, too cold now for outdoor installs. I haven't done any awnings before, but it's heavy duty green vinyl (like banner material) and I was going to do their logo/lettering in white cast cut vinyl. I'm just afraid that seam is going to cause problems down the road.

 

[Z SIGNS]

If it were me after I took one look at that I would just shake my head while saying under my breath "what a piece of s**t"
Unless they are up to a new nice awning. I'd would run the other way and focus my efforts on projects that make sense.
Trying to come up with a solution is a waste of time.

And oh yeah
That's the most brutal fab job I've seen in long time. Jeez they couldn't put the seam on the top. Looks like they were drinkin when they made it.

 

[GAC05]

Maybe this is like the upside-down 'S' logo install on the vine wall. They were supposed to put it on the frame with the seam up on top out of sight.

 

[Johnny Best]

That’s just a heat seal seam and should not cause a problem! It was not laced on tight enough and that’s why the wrinkles. Someone at the awning company did a bad job on wrapping that under and lacing it tight. Tell them to send out a professional, awning people are more stupid than sign installers. Don’t make a problem of everything.

 

[visual800]

what happened here is they either tacked on some more awning material because itt was cut too short and heat seamed it OR they were working with scraps. I would not letter a damn thing on it UNTIL they had it redone. Its is not even tight on the frame, horrible job

 

[Gino]

Heat seam or not, there are so many puckers and wrinkles, nothing will ever stay on that properly. Like mentioned, either walk away or tell them not to do anything. Just let it be...... let it be...... let it be, let it be. Those the words of......... ??

 

[Terrance the Deuce]

Yeah, the customer is disappointed with it, both with the fit and the seam. They had it done in a rush to replace an old awning that looked like garbage. I told them they'd have to take it down so I can do the lettering at my shop, too cold now for outdoor installs. I haven't done any awnings before, but it's heavy duty green vinyl (like banner material) and I was going to do their logo/lettering in white cast cut vinyl. I'm just afraid that seam is going to cause problems down the road.

Cast vinyl is probably your best option, but the seam will likely be a fail point down the road. I would do it that way and just inform the customer of the potential issues and let them know you can't guarantee it.

 

[Gino]

Yeah, the customer is disappointed with it, both with the fit and the seam. They had it done in a rush to replace an old awning that looked like garbage. I told them they'd have to take it down so I can do the lettering at my shop, too cold now for outdoor installs. I haven't done any awnings before, but it's heavy duty green vinyl (like banner material) and I was going to do their logo/lettering in white cast cut vinyl. I'm just afraid that seam is going to cause problems down the road.

I would not letter that mess, as I have said, but if you must do it, do not take it down. It will have it's most tautness while up on the frame. Ya just clip a board to the backside and letter away. Been there/done that many many times. If they pay someone to take it down, they should keep it the fug down and have a new one made.

 

[Johnny Best]

I'll tell you what happened. They, awning company made it to have valence hanging down and then someone wanted a bigger area to put a sign so they extended it with matching material and added more pipe to make a wrap around front. You can take wrinkles out by tightening rope on backside. It's like a lock stitch as you go around the bottom. But that might be out of your wheelhouse. Clean vinyl and use cast vinyl on front.

 

[gnubler]

I'm sensing a consensus here.

"Was drinking involved?" Around here, probably.

 

[mim]

Could you attach a piece of ACM over the front? We are doing that today with a different awning situation

 

[gnubler]

I don't think that would be the way to go in my case. Putting lipstick on a pig...

 

[White Haus]

Flip the awning. Slap on them stickers. Have a beer with the boozehound awning guy. Cash cheque. Move on.

 

[Scotchbrite]

I wouldn't touch it. That said, if you're going to attempt it, you should figure in some time to try and get rid of those wrinklesin your shop before lettering it.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I had the same reaction as others when I saw the awning... Looks bad. I would of suggested ACM like Mim.

 

[VizualVoice]

How about cut a mask and paint the lettering on?